How To Fix Mac Battery Drain Issues When Using An External Display

Do you experience battery drain issues when your Mac is connected to an external display? Well, you aren’t alone. This is one of the most common problems Mac users face. Many Mac owners notice that their Mac drains abnormally faster when they connect an external monitor. On the flip side, when they aren’t connected to an external monitor, the battery lasts much longer. This is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. This guide will help you understand why this rapid Mac battery drain happens and what you can do to fix it. Without any ado, let’s begin!

Keep Your Mac Plugged In

When you’ve connected an external monitor, make sure to keep your MacBook plugged into charging. Newer Macs use smart charging to top up the battery in an optimal way, only when it’s required. If your Mac is plugged into a charger, it doesn’t necessarily mean your machine is actively charging. Apple’s macOS intelligently charges your Mac to minimize stress on the battery when it’s plugged in. This will help with the battery drain when connected to an external monitor. Also, when you keep your Mac plugged in while using it, it will result in fewer battery cycles, prolonging the battery life.

However, it’s important not to keep your Mac plugged in all the time. When you put your Mac to sleep or turn it off at the end of the day, you must unplug the charger. Additionally, let your Mac discharge from time to time whenever possible. Keeping your Mac plugged in 24/7 may cause other issues like a swollen battery, which can be harmful.

Disconnect the External Monitor When Not in Use

If you’re facing excessive battery drain on your MacBook, you must disconnect any external accessories that aren’t currently in use. This includes your external hard drives, keyboards, Bluetooth mouse, as well as the external monitor. The external accessories won’t damage the battery, but they consume power from your Mac. So, make sure to disconnect them when they aren’t in use.

The same rule applies to unused apps. Many of us keep dozens of apps open on our devices, whether we’re using them or not. Sometimes, an app can continue to run in the background, consuming unnecessary power and other resources. This can cause your MacBook to work harder and may lead to overheating problems, which is one of the prime causes of battery degradation. Avoiding overheating problems can help fix battery drain issues on your Mac.

Turn On Optimized Charging

Optimized Charging is one of the best ways to preserve your Mac’s battery health in the long run. In macOS Big Sur or later, Apple offers an Optimized Battery Charging feature that aims to improve the lifespan of your battery and reduce the time your Mac spends in the fully charged state. It will delay charging your Mac past 80% in certain situations. Optimized Charging learns from your charging habits and predicts when you will unplug the charger, delaying charging to 100% until then. This slows down the natural aging of the lithium-ion batteries.

To turn on or off Optimized Charging on your Mac, follow these steps:

• Open the System Settings app and choose Battery from the left sidebar. Alternatively, click on the battery icon from the top Menu Bar and select Battery Settings.
• Click on the small “i” button next to Battery Health.

Find Out What Is Using the Most Energy

Sometimes, the issue might not be with your MacBook or the external monitor. Rather, there could be some faulty apps on your machine that consume a lot of power, causing your Mac to die faster than usual. To investigate fast battery-draining problems, you need to know which apps and processes are using the most energy. Here’s how you can do that:

• Press “Command + Space” to open Spotlight on your Mac.
• Type Activity Monitor and hit Return or click on Activity Monitor to open it.
• Activity Monitor will show you the currently running processes and apps and their resource consumption in real-time.
• Click on the Energy tab from the top. This will show you how much battery your apps and processes are using. If you spot some battery-draining apps, simply quit them to save battery on your Mac.

Try a Dock That Has a Power Source

If you’ve directly plugged in an external display to your Mac or are using an Apple USB-C to HDMI adapter, consider using a dock that has its own power source. While such docks can be expensive, they offer a lot of conveniences while keeping your workstation clutter-free. A power source dock won’t draw battery from your laptop to power up any connected peripherals. Instead, depending on its design, the docking station may also recharge your laptop, ensuring you always have a powered-up and ready-to-use workstation.

Some users have noticed that their Mac doesn’t drain the battery when they connect an external display using a dock. Without this configuration, their Macs were also running out of charge quickly. If you’re considering a dock, check out the OWC 14-Port Thunderbolt 3 dock for a reliable option.

Check Your Mac’s Battery Cycle Count

If you have an older Mac, the battery might drain quickly because it has reached its maximum number of charge cycles. When your Mac exhausts its charge cycle limit, the batteries will retain up to 80 percent of their original charge capacity. This may lead you to feel that the external display is killing your MacBook battery. Apple recommends replacing your Mac’s battery once it has reached its maximum cycle counts, so keep tabs on your battery condition and cycle count to know if your Mac needs a replacement.

To check the battery cycle count on your Mac:

• Hold the Option key and click on the Apple icon.
• Click on System Information and choose Power from the Hardware section.
• You’ll see the battery cycle count, battery condition, maximum battery capacity (i.e., battery health), and other details.
• If it says “Service Recommended,” your Mac’s capacity to hold a charge has reduced, and it’s due for a replacement.

Update macOS Regularly

In some cases, older software versions may cause your MacBook to run out of charge quickly when connected to an external display. If that’s true, updating to a newer version could fix such battery-related problems. Apple always recommends updating macOS if your Mac runs out of charge more quickly than expected. So, ensure that your Mac is running the latest version of macOS.

To check for macOS updates:

• On your MacBook, open Settings > General > Software Update.
• If any updates are available, hit the Update Now button.

I hope this article helped you fix the MacBook battery draining issue when connected to an external monitor. Make sure to follow the tips mentioned above to prolong your Mac's battery life. Which trick worked for you? Don’t forget to share your experiences in the comments below!