In case your MacBook is not charging, please do not lose any sleep over it. This article will help you to reel out all the possible causes why your MacBook battery may not be charging and show you how to overcome each obstacle.
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Why is Your MacBook not Charging?
If your MacBook’s Battery Status bar says ‘not charging’, it can be because of a few reasons.
Firstly, your MacBook might temporarily pause charging itself once it is fully charged. It is to prolong the battery life by preventing it from overcharging. However, it will begin to charge again if the battery level falls below 90%. If you want your MacBook to resume charging, even if it’s above 90%, go to Energy Saver preferences in the Settings menu, and turn off the battery health management feature.Â
Furthermore, your MacBook might be connected to a power outlet that is not working or does not provide the required wattage to charge the battery. For example, if you have connected your MacBook to a low-wattage power source, you would still be able to use it without draining any battery. Even though it’s still plugged in, the battery won’t charge, even if you decide to shut it down or put it to sleep.Â
Moreover, your Macbook might be using more power than the source is providing. It is mainly when your Mac is running at a high-performance level. It can be due to the usage of some applications, such as game development software, that require more power to run and drain the battery quickly.
Troubleshooting Tips to Overcome Mac Battery Issues
We recommend you to work through the following suggestions to improve the battery life of your MacBook
Check The Hardware
You have to inspect the basics, mainly your power sockets’ functionality. Then you have to make sure that the cable is not damaged and there are no dark stains on the surface. In case the cord is broken, it is likely to be the root cause of your problem. You would also need to check the plug-in ports for any accumulated dust. If there is any debris, it can be cleaned with a toothpick.
Inspect The Battery Connector
All Mac adapters come in two parts. A removable plug and an adapter. If your MacBook is not charging, separate both parts and then put them back together.Â
Restart Your MacBook
Rebooting your device would allow its hardware to cool down and get your charger to start working again. This can be done by turning your Mac off and back on by simply clicking on the apple-shaped button on the top left corner of the screen. Click Restart and Voila!
Let Your MacBook Cool Down
If your MacBook is overheating, it can harm your laptop’s battery life. This only happens if the thermal sensor in your device detects a rapid increase in temperature, blocking access to the power supply. Does your Mac feel hot when you touch it? Switch it off for a while and use an external fan to help it cool down.
The above-mentioned checks would enable you to fix your charging issues. But if they do not work, I’d recommend you to move on to more advanced measures given below to resolve the problem.
Update The Software
When the macOS Monterey 12.2 update was issued by Apple, it seems that it also came with a bug. It caused some MacBooks to drain their battery quickly when put in sleep mode. Apple later found out that the problem was related to a Bluetooth issue. Due to this, another update was launched – macOS Monterey 12.2.1, to address the battery drainage problem.
If you are still working with the old software on your Mac and facing battery issues, you should update your software.
You can check that your laptop is running on the latest version of the Monterey software by clicking on the System Preferences tab.
Reset the System Management Controller (SMC)
Rebooting your Mac’s SMC can help resolve any prolonged battery issues. However, this process differs depending on the age of your MacBook.
The following steps should be followed if your device is powered by an Intel processor:
- Shut down your Mac
- Plug it into the charger
- Press Control+Shift+Alt+Power Button for 4 seconds, and release them all together
- Hold the power button to restart your Mac
Whereas, if you have an Apple Silicon Mac powered by an M1, M1 Pro, or M1 Max processor, it is impossible to reset its SMC. This is because it doesn’t have an SMC. Ever since Apple decided to forego Intel chips, all functions are now handled by the M1 processor. It does not mean that you are stuck in a rut. All you have to do is shut down your Mac and restart it again after 30 seconds. But if it doesn’t work, you need to put your Mac on Device Firmware Update (DFU) mode and reinstall the Apple Configurator 2 firmware from another MacBook.
Did it Work?
If the above-mentioned recommendations have enabled you to redeem your Mac charger, you can take a sigh of relief. Additionally, you can also consider optimizing the battery life of your Mac by using tools like Endurance and AlDente Pro. These tools will help you to increase the productivity of your MacBook, making it more seamless.
