Top 4 Ways to Fix MacBook Battery Draining in Sleep Mode

Some folks, especially those who are new to MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, are surprised to find their laptop’s battery is draining even while in sleep mode. Well, to reassure you, this is normal behavior of the MacBook’s battery. That’s because several processes continue even when your MacBook is in sleep mode. Those processes deplete your MacBook’s battery capacity. However, if you find it odd that your MacBook’s battery is draining too fast, here are the top four ways to fix your MacBook battery draining in sleep mode.

Key Factors Causing MacBook Battery Draining in Sleep Mode

So, if you’re asking the question, “Why does my MacBook battery drain while sleeping?” there could be various factors causing it to do so. Continue reading to find out what these factors are.

Bluetooth Drain

In case you’re not aware, keeping your MacBook’s Bluetooth chip activated could drain the laptop’s battery even while in sleep mode. That’s because Bluetooth will continuously search for nearby devices. In short, even if your MacBook is in sleep mode, searching for Bluetooth-enabled devices still consumes battery power. So, if you’re not using your MacBook’s Bluetooth, it would be better to disable it before putting your MacBook to sleep, to prolong its battery life.

USB Accessory Drain

The same holds if your MacBook is connected to a USB device such as an external mouse or keyboard. Keeping them connected while your MacBook is in sleep mode will drain its battery. It may seem tedious but there’s no harm in unplugging USB devices before putting your MacBook into sleep mode.

Turn Off the Power Nap Feature

For those using a Mac with flash memory (not a hard disk or solid-state drive), there is a feature called Power Nap. By default, when your Mac is plugged into a power adapter, Power Nap is enabled. So when your Mac is in Sleep Mode and using battery power, Power Nap checks for new messages in Mail, updates events in Calendar, and updates other iCloud events. These processes affect battery usage.  To stop your MacBook battery from draining when in Sleep Mode, it would be best not to enable Power Nap. You can also change some of the options of Power Nap, as described in the feature’s Apple support page.

Solutions and How-To Fixes for MacBook Battery Draining in Sleep Mode

So now, for those who are asking how can they stop their Mac battery from draining in sleep mode, follow the troubleshooting steps outlined below to fix the issue.

Update to the Latest macOS Release

Time and again, we’ve emphasized the importance of updating to the latest macOS releases. By doing so, you’re making sure that your MacBook gets the energy efficiency improvements that Apple constantly includes in macOS updates. The same applies to apps installed on your Mac. Keep it a habit to update them regularly when new releases are available.

Monitor Apps and Processes Through Activity Monitor

Apps and background processes can deplete your MacBook’s battery power even in Sleep Mode. So, it would be best to check what apps and system processes are continuously running in the background. To check what apps and processes are running in the background, do a Spotlight Search (Command + Space). Click the % CPU column in Activity Monitor to sort the apps and processes. Then check if any app or process is using more than 60% of your MacBook’s CPU and turn it off immediately. Simply click on the app to highlight it, then click the Stop (X) button at the top of the window to quit that app or process.

Scan Your MacBook for Malware

Viruses, adware, Trojans, and other forms of malware could cause your MacBook battery to drain even while in sleep mode. To prevent this from happening, scan your MacBook using your choice of Mac virus scanner.

Check Your MacBook’s Battery Health

If your MacBook’s battery is draining even while in sleep mode, you can check its health conditions via System Settings > Battery. Check Battery Health on the right to find out whether your MacBook’s battery needs to be serviced. If Battery Health says Normal or the battery percentage is still high, then the battery is still in good health.

Conclusion

With my previous MacBook Pro, I never bothered to regularly check its battery condition. After a couple of years of using it, it had reached the point where I could no longer use it without keeping it plugged into the power adapter. I could only wish that I have done better in managing and maintaining its battery.

If your MacBook’s battery is still in good condition, it would be best to regularly check its health condition so that you can take the necessary actions for your MacBook to achieve maximum battery life.