Apart from the customizable control center, much-improved Messages app with new features like iMessage effects and Memoji, what has caught my eyes the most in macOS Big Sur is a set of new battery settings. They are well-thought-out and can go a long way in enhancing the battery life of macOS 11. If you would like to give them a shot, follow along to learn how to use new battery settings to improve battery life in macOS Big Sur.
For a change, Apple has replaced the “Energy Saver” section of System Preferences with a super handy “Battery” section designed to bolster the battery reporting ability of macOS. Not only the old Energy Saver features have been tweaked a bit, some new features like Usage History and Screen on Time also let you check how the battery is performing.
- Keep a Track of Battery Time Remaining Estimation
- How to Check Battery Usage History in macOS Big Sur
- Customize Battery Preferences to Extend Battery Life on Your Mac
- Customize Power Adapter Preference to Preserve Battery
- Schedule Your Mac to Start Up or Wake
- Show Battery Percentage in Menu Bar
Keep a Track of Battery Time Remaining Estimation
Unlike before, you can keep a tab on the battery time remaining estimation right from the battery icon in the menu bar. Simply click on the battery icon placed in the menu bar. Now, a contextual menu will pop out showing the battery time remaining estimation along with other useful information like the app that’s eating into the significant battery on your Mac.
macOS 11 shows the battery usage history to let you find out how the battery is performing. Times when you want to get to the root cause of battery drain issue on your Mac, it can come in really handy in offering you a better insight.
- Now, click on Usage History in the sidebar.
Note:
Customize Battery Preferences to Extend Battery Life on Your Mac
Based on your needs, you can fine-tune the battery preferences to cut down unnecessary power consumption.
Slightly Dim the Display While on Battery Power: If you are willing to extend the battery life of your macOS 11 device by cutting down all the unnecessary things, be sure to check the box for it. While it may seem too small a thing to be given serious attention, features like this can eventually prove to be quite handy in conserving the power of the device.
Another way you can boost the battery life of your Mac is by taking control of the power adapter preferences.
Schedule Your Mac to Start Up or Wake
There is also an option to schedule your Mac to start up or wake at a preferred time. If you want your device to be ready for you at a specific time and automatically go into the sleep mode when you are not using it, the scheduling feature can be of great help.
Show Battery Percentage in Menu Bar
Apple has slightly hidden the battery percentage in macOS Big Sur. For a change, it’s no longer located in the contextual menu of the battery icon. So, how do you get it back? Well, you need to navigate to System Preferences -> Dock & Menu Bar -> Battery. Now, tick the box for Show Percentage. From now onward, the battery percentage will begin to show up in the menu bar.
So, these are the ways through which you can make the most of the new battery settings to maximize the battery life in macOS 11. If used perfectly, they can play a major role in cutting down the unnecessary power consumption on Mac. As someone who hates to run into battery draining issues, I’ve found this feature quite helpful.
