macOS Sonoma Optimizes Latest 13-Inch MacBook Air's Battery Health

macOS Sonoma better optimizes the long-term battery health of the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip, according to Apple's release notes for the software update.

macbook air spacegray purple battery
"Battery health management updated on 13-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip to better optimize long term battery health," the release notes state.

Apple does not provide any additional details about the exact optimizations that it made, nor have there been any widespread battery health complaints from customers who own this 13-inch MacBook Air model, released in July 2022. Battery health information can be found by opening the System Settings app and clicking on Battery.

In a support document, Apple explains how the battery health management feature works:

Battery health management is designed to improve your battery's lifespan by reducing the rate at which it chemically ages. The feature does this by monitoring your battery's temperature history and its charging patterns.

Based on the measurements that it collects, battery health management may temporarily reduce your battery's maximum charge. This happens as needed to ensure that your battery charges to a level that's optimized for your usage—reducing wear on the battery, and slowing its chemical aging.

macOS Sonoma is set to be released today following over three months of beta testing, with key new features including interactive desktop widgets, a Game Mode, the ability to add websites to the Dock as web apps, several Safari improvements, and more. We previously shared a list of Macs compatible with the update.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Related Forums: MacBook Air, macOS Sonoma

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Top Rated Comments

now i see it Avatar
19 months ago
All they needed to do (like 20 years ago) is just have a 80% charge limit option like on the new iPhones
But noooooo
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kiranmk2 Avatar
19 months ago
Apple, just buy Al Dente and embed it into MacOS.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alexandr Avatar
19 months ago
Can't wait for Sonoma!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
19 months ago
*optimized so you don’t get to ever claim AppleCare+ at 80% kind of optimization like on my Apple Watch?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
azentropy Avatar
19 months ago

After installing Sonoma betas, my M2 battery health dropped to 96% after 10 month and 80 cycles
Bragging or complaining? ;)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Love-hate ? relationship Avatar
19 months ago

After installing Sonoma betas, my M2 battery health dropped to 96% after 10 month and 80 cycles
yeah it really sounds like installing beta is horrible for the battey
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)