How to Extend the Battery Life on a MacBook Air

Most MacBook Air laptops these days are capable of providing “all-day battery life,” which means that you probably won’t need to worry about running low on battery in most situations. However, if you do run into an emergency where you need to make every minute of battery life count, use the steps below to keep your MacBook Air alive for as long as possible.

Step 1

Arguably the easiest way to save the battery on your MacBook Air is to reduce the brightness of the screen. Unless you are working outside, you can probably get by with setting your screen brightness at level five or six. You can control the brightness right from your keyboard, using the F1 and F2 keys to turn it down or up.

Step 2

Shut down inessential programs. Apps like iTunes and iPhoto use a lot of CPU, which it turn demands its fair share of battery power. If you’re in crisis mode and need to preserve battery life, shutting those programs down can save your bacon. Do a two-finger click on the app icons at the bottom of your screen and select “Quit.”

Step 3

If you aren’t using it, turn off your Wi-Fi. It’s uncommon these days for laptop users to not be online at all times, but if you are writing a paper or editing photos, then you don’t need to be wasting battery on holding your Wi-Fi connection.

Step 4

Ditch the Bluetooth devices. Bluetooth keyboards, mice, and other similar devices are great, but they drain your battery like crazy. If you’re low on battery, you can make do with your MacBook Air’s keyboard and tracking pad for a few hours.

All of these steps may seem like small, insignificant factors, but you’d be surprised by how much battery you can conserve by simply jettisoning all but the bare essentials. And remember: none of this has to be for the long term. Once you’re plugged back into your AC adaptor, you can enjoy all of your battery-draining programs and add-ons to your heart’s content.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Status
Not open for further replies.