MBP: Battery cannot reach 100%


Recommended Posts

I'm not sure if this is due to the new battery firmware upgrade considering it happened acouple weeks after, but anywyas my battery could not reach past 99%, now it will not go above 98%, even though it is clearly fully charged, as I have not had it unplugged for a while (I use it as a desktop replacement for the time being). I tried removing the battery and reinserting, any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks,

- Brandon.

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/562083-mbp-battery-cannot-reach-100/
Share on other sites

As far as I know, it's better to leave it plugged in all of the time. Otherwise the battery loses life quicker over time. The only minor thing is that sometimes, like you just had, is that the battery meter doesn't register 100% so you have to drain it.

I can tell you from experience that this is false.

My ex wife leaves her iBook plugged in constantly, and within a year and a half, the battery would no longer hold a charge at all.

I, however, would drain the battery on a fairly regular basis in Uni, and charge it overnight...battery still has 88% of its original capacity after 3 years.

A good app is Battery Health Monitor, it will tell you all the info you need to know about your battery, including its current charging capability vs. the original charge capacity.

Overall, I would say it's very BAD to leave it plugged in all the time...I would say that, from my experience, that if you are going to do that, you should charge the battery and then remove it and just run the laptop from straight AC power till you need to go portable.

See Wikipedia's article on LI-Ion batteries for more info.

It really depends on the exact type of battery of how often it should be charged and discharged. On my Powerbook G4 I fully discharge the battery about once a month, my battery life is near when I bought it.

That was the point I was trying to make...the problem is I think there is a decent amount of confusion amongst end users that are confusing how you used to have to take care of old NI-CAD laptop batteries (see, oh, Powerbook 1400) vs. LI-Ion batteries, its why I posted the Wikipedia article. But yes, I agree, the occasional total discharge is good for the life of the LI-Ion batteries, I'm sure that's the reason mine is still going strong at 4 hours of life.

resetting pram etc... works, its more of a software thing I think

I cannot recall the file, I will contact Applecare today since they need to send me replacement OS DVD's for my Mac Pro, but there IS a hidden system file that contains the settings for the PMU (power managment unit) on Apple's laptops...sometimes, trashing this file will fix a lot of power issues.

I cannot recall the file, I will contact Applecare today since they need to send me replacement OS DVD's for my Mac Pro, but there IS a hidden system file that contains the settings for the PMU (power managment unit) on Apple's laptops...sometimes, trashing this file will fix a lot of power issues.

I have found that in the past letting the battery run down, booting with power and holding the kay combination in boot up resets the PRAM etc... and then the batery is recalibrated. Something along those lines anyway... Only needed to do it a couple of times.

I have found that in the past letting the battery run down, booting with power and holding the kay combination in boot up resets the PRAM etc... and then the batery is recalibrated. Something along those lines anyway... Only needed to do it a couple of times.

There is that, which works well, as well as PMU reset sequences at bootup. They are different for each laptop, but the methods for each one can be found in this helpful link at support.apple.com.

apple have released a patch for anyone having battery problems on macbook and macbook pro's you might want to try that

Actually, I went to the Apple Store to have them reinstall my OS (DVD's that came with the Mac Pro were actually defective...) and there were about 20 people there that had similar issues, and each one was resolved with the patch.

From the horses mouth...

Standard Maintenance

For proper maintenance of a lithium-based battery, it?s important to keep the electrons in it moving occasionally. Apple does not recommend leaving your portable plugged in all the time. An ideal use would be a commuter who uses her MacBook Pro on the train, then plugs it in at the office to charge. This keeps the battery juices flowing. If on the other hand, you use a desktop computer at work, and save a notebook for infrequent travel, Apple recommends charging and discharging its battery at least once per month. Need a reminder? Add an event to your desktop?s iCal Source

Thank's guys, basically I completely ran down my battery and recharged yet its only at 99% still. My battery health is well over 100% though, so I guess it might just be a software issue. As for the patch, I installed it the day it came in. Thanks for all your help though :) Now to figure out why startup takes forever...hmm.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Google adds built-in computer control to Gemini 3.5 flash by Karthik Mudaliar Google has added Computer Use as a built-in tool in Gemini 3.5 Flash, giving developers a single model that can reason about a task and operate graphical interfaces across browsers, mobile devices, and desktop environments. The feature is available through the Gemini API and Google’s Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform, although it remains a preview feature for now. Computer Use enables an AI agent to examine screenshots and return actions such as mouse clicks, scrolling, and keyboard input. A developer’s application must execute those actions, capture the resulting screen, and send it back to Gemini, creating a continuous loop until the task is completed. Google says the integration can be used for activities including repetitive form filling, application testing, research across multiple websites, and longer enterprise workflows. Gemini 3.5 Flash can work with browser, mobile, and desktop environments, whereas Google’s earlier standalone Computer Use model was primarily positioned around browser interaction. The main change is consolidation. Computer control was previously offered through the separate Gemini 2.5 Computer Use preview model. As Neowin reported when that model was introduced, it was designed to interpret a visual interface and generate actions without requiring a website-specific API. Google later brought Computer Use to preview versions of Gemini 3 Pro and Gemini 3 Flash in January 2026. The latest release now incorporates the tool into the stable Gemini 3.5 Flash model rather than requiring developers to select a specialized model solely for interface automation. Gemini 3.5 Flash itself was announced in May as Google’s latest fast model for coding and multi-step agent workflows. It supports a one-million-token input context window and up to 65,000 output tokens, along with adjustable thinking levels that let developers trade additional reasoning for lower latency and cost. Google also added that Gemini 3.5 Flash received targeted adversarial training for computer-use scenarios. The company is also offering safeguards that can require user confirmation before sensitive or irreversible actions and automatically stop a workflow when suspected prompt injection is detected. Its developer documentation describes configurable protections for areas such as financial transactions and changes to sensitive records. Google isn't the first to bring Computer Use to its platform. Anthropic has made computer control available through Claude, while OpenAI has continued improving computer-use performance in its recent models. Microsoft has also applied the concept to business workflows, including a Computer Use capability for the Researcher agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot.
    • After I installed KB5095093, the volume on my ARM laptop won't go above 20%. It's stuck on the hearing protection level, which is pretty much useless if you want to listen to anything. I rolled back.
    • Amazon Prime Day slashes Samsung's newest Galaxy Watch Ultra by 45 percent by Karthik Mudaliar Samsung’s flagship Android smartwatch has received one of its steepest Prime Day cuts. Amazon has dropped the 2025 Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra in Titanium Blue to $357.24, saving buyers around $292 from its $649.99 list price. That's a 45 percent discount (purchase link below). The 47mm Galaxy Watch Ultra uses a titanium casing and a 1.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 480 x 480 and peak brightness of 3,000 nits. It includes LTE connectivity, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, NFC, and dual-frequency L1+L5 GPS for more accurate outdoor route tracking. The 2025 model has 64GB of storage, a 590mAh battery, sapphire crystal glass, 10ATM water resistance, IP68 protection, and MIL-STD-810H durability testing. Its health and fitness tools include heart rate monitoring, sleep coaching, Energy Score, Running Coach, body composition analysis, temperature sensing, and ECG support, where available. This model is best suited to Android users who regularly run, hike, cycle, or train outdoors and want cellular access without carrying a phone. The larger battery, rugged construction, bright display, and dedicated Quick Button also make it a stronger option than Samsung’s regular Galaxy Watch models for extended workouts and demanding environments. Grab the Titanium Blue Galaxy Watch Ultra before the Prime Day price resets: Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025) [Sold and Shipped by Amazon] Good to know This Amazon deal is U.S. specific, and not available in other regions unless specified. We only use first-party seller links (at the time of article publishing); ensure that you purchase from a first-party seller link only. Check out Today's Deals on Amazon | or our recent tech deals. Become a Prime member (for Students or SNAP) via Neowin Get Prime Access - Prime for half price (for qualifying Medicaid, EBT, SNAP) Subscribe to Prime Video, Audible Plus, Music Unlimited or Kindle Unlimited via Neowin As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
    • Google begins rolling out its post-Epic Play Store billing model next week by Karthik Mudaliar Google has confirmed that its redesigned Play Store billing and fee structure will take effect on June 30, 2026, in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Economic Area. The changes will let eligible developers offer their own payment systems or send users to an external website for purchases, while separating Google’s platform service fee from the cost of using Google Play Billing. The rollout puts concrete dates and detailed rate cards behind the broader Android policy overhaul Google announced in March. That announcement followed a proposed settlement with Epic Games intended to resolve their long-running disputes over app distribution and payments, although the U.S. portion of the agreement still requires court approval. Under the new billing choice program, developers selling digital content or services can display an alternative payment option alongside Google Play Billing. They may also direct users to their own websites to complete a purchase. Developers can use Google’s standard payment-choice screen or design one that complies with the company’s user-interface rules. Choosing another payment processor does not eliminate Google’s cut altogether. The company will continue charging a service fee for transactions associated with apps distributed through Google Play, regardless of whether payment is handled by Google, an alternative provider, or a developer’s website. Google argues that this fee covers the value and infrastructure provided by Android and the Play Store. For developers earning up to $1 million annually, the service fee will generally be 10 percent. That rate also applies to auto-renewing subscriptions. When Google Play Billing is used in the U.S., U.K., or EEA, Google will add a separate 5 percent billing fee, and developers processing payments elsewhere will not pay that additional charge. This means Google’s familiar flat 30 percent commission is disappearing, but developers will not necessarily see a dramatic reduction on every transaction. An in-app purchase from an existing user processed through Google Play Billing can still reach a combined 30 percent. The biggest savings are likely to come from subscriptions, smaller developers covered by the $1 million tier, and companies able to move customers to their own payment infrastructure. Google is also offering lower rates through its Apps Experience and revamped Games Level Up programs. Apps and games that satisfy the company’s requirements can qualify for 15 percent service fees on new-install transactions and 20 percent on existing-install transactions. The criteria include performance and reliability standards, support for additional Android device categories, and selected platform features. Those program rates are scheduled to become available in the initial markets and Australia on September 30. For consumers, the immediate effect will depend on whether developers adopt alternative payments and pass any savings on through lower prices. For developers, however, June 30 begins a more flexible but considerably more complicated Play Store economy in which distribution, billing, install dates, revenue thresholds, and program participation can each affect Google’s final cut. Google is also separately developing a Registered App Stores program designed to simplify the installation of qualifying third-party stores. That initiative is expected to arrive with a major Android release later in 2026 and will launch outside the U.S. first. Google says the rest of the world will receive the changes by September 30, 2027, although billing rates for markets outside the US, UK, and EEA have not yet been announced.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Dedicated
      Scoobystu earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • First Post
      Tom Schmidt earned a badge
      First Post
    • One Month Later
      D0nn13 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Rookie
      +ChiefOfNeo went up a rank
      Rookie
    • One Year In
      Tom Schmidt earned a badge
      One Year In
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      464
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      177
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      124
    4. 4
      Michael Scrip
      81
    5. 5
      Xenon
      76
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!