If you find yourself frequently working away from a charger, battery life is your most precious resource. Apple introduced Low Power Mode to macOS Monterey and newer versions to help users squeeze extra hours of usage out of their MacBooks by gracefully reducing system performance and background activity.
What Does Low Power Mode Actually Do?
Unlike third-party battery-saver apps, macOS Low Power Mode works at the system level. When activated, it primarily does three things:
- Reduces CPU clock speed: The processor runs slightly slower, which significantly cuts down on power consumption and heat generation.
- Dims the display: Screen brightness is slightly reduced, as the display is one of the most power-hungry components of a laptop.
- Pauses background tasks: Non-essential background syncing (like fetching new emails or updating iCloud Photos) is temporarily suspended until you plug back in.
How to Enable Low Power Mode in macOS Ventura and Later
Apple redesigned the System Settings app in macOS Ventura, changing where the battery controls are located.
- Click the Apple menu () in the top-left corner of your screen.
- Select System Settings.
- Scroll down the left sidebar and click on Battery.
- In the right pane, look for the Low Power Mode option.
- Click the drop-down menu next to it. You will see several options:
- Never: Low Power Mode is permanently off.
- Always: Low Power Mode is on regardless of whether the Mac is plugged in or on battery.
- Only on Battery: This is the recommended setting. It activates automatically when you unplug the charger.
- Only on Power Adapter: Useful only if you want to keep your Mac cool and quiet while charging.
- Select Only on Battery to maximize your unplugged lifespan.
How to Enable Low Power Mode in macOS Monterey
If you are running the older macOS Monterey operating system, the steps are slightly different due to the older System Preferences layout.
- Click the Apple menu () and select System Preferences.
- Click the Battery icon (a green battery symbol).
- In the left sidebar, click Battery again.
- Check the box next to Low power mode to enable it while unplugged.
- (Optional) Click Power Adapter in the left sidebar and check the box there if you want Low Power Mode on while charging.
When Should You Use It?
Low Power Mode is ideal for everyday tasks like web browsing, writing documents, and watching videos. You likely will not notice the reduced processor speed during these activities. However, you should turn it off (or set it to “Never”) if you are performing intensive tasks like video editing, 3D rendering, or gaming, as the artificially limited performance will cause noticeable lag.
