How many cycles should a MacBook Pro battery last for?

Laptop batteries have a finite life. There are only so many cycles they can go through before they begin to weaken and lose charge more quickly. But how do you find out how many battery cycles your MacBook Pro has been through? And how many cycles can it take? Let me show you.

By the way, the following instructions will work on any MacBook, not only the MacBook Pro.

Where to find the MacBook Pro battery cycle count

To find the number of battery cycles for your MacBook Pro:

1. Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the screen
2. Select About this Mac
3. Click System Report
4. Select Power under Hardware from the left-hand menu of the System Report

Under Battery Information, you should find a cycle count, as well as a report on the condition of your laptop battery and its maximum capacity.

Your MacBook Pro battery should be good for around 1,000 cycles, unless it’s a very old model, where the number might be restricted to 500 or fewer.

If you find the MacBook Pro battery has deteriorated to the point where it can’t hold a charge, you may be able to get it replaced by Apple. In the UK, you’re looking at about £200 to get a 2019 MacBook Pro 16in battery replaced by Apple, but you might be able to get a cheaper deal if you go to an independent computer repair store. Beware that doing so may invalidate any remaining warranty for the MacBook Pro and that they may not use official Apple parts.

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