Apple’s iPhone lineup has long included a charge limit feature designed to preserve battery health by preventing the device from charging to 100 percent. By capping the maximum charge level, users can reduce battery wear over time, particularly if their device spends long stretches plugged in. Now, that same functionality is making its way to MacBooks.
Apple has introduced a new Charge Limit option in the latest macOS Tahoe 26.4 beta. According to MacRumors, the feature allows users to set a maximum charge level between 80 percent and 100 percent, giving them direct control over battery longevity. Once enabled, the MacBook will stop charging when it reaches the selected limit rather than automatically topping off to full capacity.
The new setting appears in the System Settings app under the Battery section, and users can adjust the charge limit using a slider. The feature complements the existing Optimized Battery Charging option, which learns a user’s charging habits and delays charging past 80 percent until it predicts the device may be needed. Unlike the adaptive system, the new Charge Limit acts as a fixed cap and stops charging at the selected charge percentage.
Battery health management has been available on Macs for several years, but until now, users did not have a manual way to enforce a strict upper charging threshold. The new Charge Limit feature addresses this issue. For now, the feature is limited to developers and public beta testers running the latest macOS Tahoe 26.4 beta. It is expected to roll out to all users when the update hits the stable channel.
