You plug it in. The MagSafe light glows—maybe—or you hear that familiar ding of the USB-C handshake. But then you look up at the menu bar and see that dreaded "Not Charging" status next to the battery icon. It’s infuriating. Your Mac is literally tethered to the wall, yet the percentage isn't budging, or worse, it's dropping.
Don't panic. Honestly, most of the time, your hardware isn't actually broken.
Apple has changed the rules of how power works over the last few years. What used to be a simple "plug in, get juice" relationship is now a complex negotiation between macOS, your power brick, and the chemical health of your lithium-ion cells. If your Mac is connected to a charger but not charging, we need to figure out if it’s a software "feature" or a genuine hardware failure.
The "Battery Health Management" Confusion
Since macOS Big Sur, Apple introduced something called Optimized Battery Charging. It’s smart, but it’s also the number one reason people think their laptop is dying. Basically, if your Mac notices you keep it plugged in at your desk all day, it will intentionally stop charging at 80%.
Why? Because holding a lithium-ion battery at 100% all the time is like keeping a balloon blown up to its absolute limit. It stresses the materials. By sitting at 80%, the battery lives much longer.
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If you see "Not Charging" while your battery is at 80%, click the battery icon. If it says "Charging on Hold," then your Mac is just being protective. You can click "Charge to Full Now" if you're heading to a coffee shop and need every drop of power. This isn't a bug; it's chemistry.
When Your Power Brick Isn't Giving Enough
Sometimes the Mac is connected to the charger but not charging because the wattage is too low. This happens a lot with USB-C Macs. You might be using an old iPad brick or a cheap third-party charger you bought at an airport.
If your MacBook Pro requires a 96W charger but you’re feeding it with a 20W phone brick, the Mac might have enough power to run, but not enough to run and charge the battery at the same time. In high-intensity tasks like rendering video or gaming, the battery might even drain while plugged in because the charger can't keep up with the demand.
Check the System Report. Hold the Option key, click the Apple menu, and select System Information. Under the Power section, look for "Wattage (W)" at the bottom. If that number is significantly lower than what your Mac shipped with, you’ve found your culprit.
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The SMC Reset (For Intel Macs)
If you're on an older Intel-based Mac, the System Management Controller (SMC) is the "brain" that handles power distribution. When it gets confused, the charging logic falls apart. Resetting it is a classic fix that actually works.
For a MacBook with the T2 security chip (most models from 2018 to 2020), shut it down. Press and hold the Control, Option, and Shift keys for seven seconds, then press and hold the Power button too. Hold all four for another seven seconds, then release.
Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3) Macs don't have an SMC in the traditional sense. For those, a simple restart or a "shut down and wait 30 seconds" usually forces the power management system to recalibrate.
Hardware Gremlins: Cables and Ports
Dust is a silent killer. Seriously.
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Take a flashlight and look into your USB-C or MagSafe ports. Even a tiny bit of pocket lint or a stray cat hair can prevent the pins from making full contact. If you see junk in there, use a wooden toothpick or a dry toothbrush to gently—very gently—clean it out. Avoid metal needles unless you want to short-circuit the logic board.
Also, cables fail way more often than the power bricks do. USB-C cables look identical, but they aren't. Some are only rated for data transfer, others for low wattage. If your cable is frayed or has dark "burn" marks on the gold pins, toss it. It's a fire hazard and likely the reason you're stuck at 34% battery.
The "Service Recommended" Warning
Sometimes the battery is just tired. Lithium-ion batteries have a cycle count. Once you hit 1,000 cycles (on most modern Macs), the battery is chemically aged.
Go back to that System Information > Power menu and check your cycle count. If it’s high and the condition says "Service Recommended," the Mac might stop charging to prevent the battery from swelling. A swollen battery can crack your trackpad or bend your aluminum casing. If you see the bottom of your laptop bulging even slightly, unplug it immediately and get it to a repair shop.
Quick Checklist for Fixing Mac Charging Issues
- Check the source: Try a different wall outlet. Avoid power strips for a moment and go directly into the wall.
- Inspect the brick: Is it hot? Apple chargers have internal thermal shutoffs. If it's burning to the touch, it will stop providing power until it cools down.
- Update macOS: Occasionally, Apple releases firmware updates specifically to fix charging bugs (like they did for the 2021 MacBook Pros).
- Look for "Battery Procrastination": If you're at 90% and it won't go to 100%, that's often just the Mac waiting for a better time to top off.
Moving Forward
If you've cleaned the ports, checked the wattage, and disabled the "Optimized Battery Charging" toggle but still have a Mac connected to a charger but not charging, you're likely looking at a logic board failure or a dead battery cell.
Your next move should be running Apple Diagnostics. Restart your Mac and immediately hold the D key (or hold the Power button on Apple Silicon until "Loading startup options" appears, then press Command+D). It will run a hardware scan. If you see a code like PPT001, your battery is definitely the problem. From there, your best bet is an appointment at the Genius Bar or a reputable independent repair shop that uses OEM parts. Don't cheap out on "off-brand" batteries from random marketplaces; they are notorious for failing within months or, worse, expanding and ruining your machine.