How to Check if Your MacBook Is Charging: 8 Best Ways

Written by

Ojash

Reviewed by

Hashir Ibrahim

Last updated: August 11, 2024

Expert verified

It’s very frustrating when you think that your MacBook is charging, only to find later that it isn’t. This happened to me, and it was very annoying. Over time, I’ve picked up a few simple tricks to make sure this doesn’t happen again. In this post, I’ll share these easy methods so you can avoid the same hassle and keep your MacBook powered up.

How to Check If Your MacBook Is Charging

To check if your MacBook is charging when turned on, look for a lightning bolt in the battery icon in the menu bar. If turned off, connect the MagSafe adapter and check the LED light—green means charging, amber means low battery and charging, and no light might indicate an issue.

Keep reading for eight simple methods to check if your MacBook is charging or not:

A. When Your MacBook Is Turned On

Here are some quick and easy ways to check your MacBook’s charging when it is turned on and you have access to its screen.

1. Look at the Battery Icon in the Menu Bar

When your Mac is connected to a power source and charging, you should see a lightning bolt icon inside the battery icon.

By default, the battery icon is located in the top-right corner of the menu bar. However, if you can’t find it, you add the battery icon to the menu bar following these steps:

1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen and select System Settings.

2. In the System Settings window, click the Control Center tab.

3. Scroll down to the Battery section and toggle on the Show in Menu Bar switch.

Once you’ve checked the box, the battery icon will immediately appear in the menu bar at the top-right corner of your screen.

2. Check the Battery Percentage

If you have the battery icon in the menu bar, you can click it to see the battery percentage and its power source. If the power source is Power Adapter, it means your Mac is charging.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to check the power source on Mac:

1. Click the battery icon in the menu bar.

2. A dropdown menu will appear showing the current power source. If the power source says Power Adapter, it means your Mac is charging.

3. Use System Information

You can also use the System Information utility to check the charging status. Here’s how:

1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen and select About This Mac.

2. In the window that appears, click More info.

3. Scroll to the bottom and click the System Report button.

4. In the System Information window, select Power from the sidebar and look at Charge Information. If it says Yes next to Charging, it means your Mac is charging.

5. Scroll down to the AC Charger Information section. If the Connected and Charging fields show Yes, it means your Mac is charging.

4. With Charging Sound

Some newer models of MacBook, like the MacBook Air 2020, have a feature where they emit a sound when you connect the charger, like an iPhone. This is a useful indication that the device is charging.

Here are the steps to check if your MacBook is charging using this sound:

1. Make sure your MacBook’s sound is not muted and the volume is at a level where you can hear it.
2. Unplug the charger from your MacBook.
3. Wait a few seconds, then plug the charger back into your MacBook.
4. Listen for a quiet ding sound, similar to the sound when plugging in an iPhone.

If you hear the sound, your MacBook is charging.

5. Check ‌Battery Health

Your MacBook’s battery health speaks a lot about charging. You can also know the charging status through it.

Here’s how to use MacBook’s battery health feature to check if your Mac is charging:

1. Click the Apple icon in the upper left corner and select About This Mac.

2. Click More Info on the next window.

3. Click Battery in the left sidebar.

4. Under Battery in the right pane, you’ll see a battery icon with Charging: X% next to it. It means your Mac is charging.

B. When Your MacBook Is Turned Off

Now you know how to check if your Mac is charging while it’s turned on. But what about when it’s turned off? Here, I’ve shared how you can check whether a Mac is charging or not while its powered off.

1. Using the MagSafe Power Adapter

The MagSafe Power Adapter is a unique feature of MacBooks that allows you to quickly connect your laptop to a power source. Using this method, you can check if your MacBook is charging and take any necessary steps to ensure it receives the power it needs to function properly.

Here’s how to use the MagSafe Power adapter to check if your Mac is charging:

1. Connect the MagSafe power adapter to your MacBook and a power source.
2. Look at the MagSafe LED indicator lights on the connector.
   • If the LED is green, your MacBook is charging.
   • If the LED is amber, your MacBook’s battery is low and charging.
   • If the LED is not lit, there may be a problem with the power source or adapter.

3. Check for common issues that may prevent charging, such as debris in the MagSafe port or a damaged MagSafe connector.

2. Using the Charging Cable

If your MacBook predates 2016 and uses a magnetic charging cable, including the older L-shaped version, you can determine its charging status through a light on the cable’s end.

This light serves as an indicator:

• an orange light signifies your MacBook is currently charging
• a green light indicates the battery is full, and your device is operating on the power adapter

It’s important to note that even if your MacBook doesn’t power on, the presence or absence of this light can help identify whether the issue lies with the battery or not.

However, this isn’t the case with newer MacBook models with USB-C ports as there’s no indicator light on the USB-C charger. So, you can’t know if your MacBook is charging unless it’s turned on.

3. Use the Apple Support App

You can also connect your MacBook to your iPad or iPhone and check the battery status in it. Here’s how:

1. Download and open the Apple Support app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Sign in with your Apple ID.
3. Tap the Devices tab.
4. Find your MacBook in the list of devices and select it.
5. Look for the Battery section and check the status.
6. If it says Charging, your MacBook charges even if turned off.

4 Tips to Maximize Your MacBook’s Battery Life

To keep your MacBook’s battery healthy and extend its lifespan, follow these simple tips:

1. 🗑️ Uninstall Unnecessary Apps: Heavy applications running in the background can slow down your Mac and drain the battery. Regularly remove unused apps using Launchpad or a clean-up tool like MacKeeper to free up resources.
2. 💡 Adjust Display Brightness: Lowering the brightness reduces energy consumption and prolongs battery life. You can adjust the brightness in System Settings > Displays or turn on automatic brightness to let your MacBook adjust based on ambient light.
3. 🔌 Disable Unused Features: Turn off Bluetooth, AirDrop, and Wi-Fi when you don’t need them. These features consume battery power even when not in use, so disabling them when they aren’t needed can save energy.
4. 🛑 Quit Unused Apps: Apps left open in the background continue to drain your battery. Make sure to fully quit apps you’re not using by selecting Force Quit from the Apple menu, rather than just closing the window.

To learn about optimized battery charging on a Mac, read my guide here.

Final Words

Now that you know how to check if your MacBook is charging, you may want to learn more about extending its lifespan and preventing issues like the MacBook battery not charging

Here are a few tips to get your started:

• Monitor if your Macbook is quickly draining battery and resolve it by taking specific measures.
• Keep your MacBook system at a moderate temperature and learn how to check the temperature of your MacBook. 
• You should also prevent your Mac from overheating to protect its inner components and maintain its performance.

Frequently Asked Questions