By the end of this guide, your Mac will switch to Low Power Mode on a schedule you choose, as long as your model supports it. You won’t need to remember to flip a switch. Low Power Mode on a Mac lives in System Settings > Battery on MacBooks and System Settings > Energy on desktop Macs.
Depending on your Mac model and macOS version, you’ll typically see either a single Low Power Mode menu with four schedule options or separate On battery and On power adapter menus. The exact controls vary by model, so follow whichever version matches your screen.
Before you touch anything, check which macOS version you’re running. The menu paths below are for macOS Ventura or later, including macOS Tahoe and macOS 27, though the exact panels and menus can vary by Mac model. Older versions use System Preferences instead, and that’s covered near the end.
Low Power Mode Mac Quick Reference
| Your situation | Where to go | What to pick |
|---|---|---|
| MacBook, want longer battery life away from a charger | System Settings > Battery | Only on Battery |
| MacBook, want savings everywhere (travel days, quiet rooms) | System Settings > Battery | Always |
| MacBook, want full speed all the time | System Settings > Battery | Never |
| Supported desktop Mac (see Apple’s model list under Laptops vs. Desktop Macs) | System Settings > Energy | Low Power, if your model offers it |
| Mac shows separate battery and adapter menus | System Settings > Battery | Set On battery and On power adapter separately |
| Running macOS Monterey or earlier | Apple menu > System Preferences > Battery | Energy Mode: Low Power |
What Is Low Power Mode on a Mac?
Apple’s Mac User Guide describes it plainly. Low Power Mode reduces energy use to increase battery life.
In practice, Apple describes this simply as reduced energy use overall, without spelling out exactly which components are affected. Apple’s About Power Modes on your Mac page also notes that in macOS Sequoia 15.1 or later, Low Power Mode can reduce fan noise on Mac models with active cooling. That’s handy for calls, recording audio, or a silent library.
Apple groups these settings under Power Modes. Some Macs show a single Low Power Mode menu. Others show Energy Mode pop-up menus, where Low Power is one of up to three choices:
- Low Power: saves energy, and may affect performance depending on your Mac and the task
- Automatic: macOS balances performance and battery on its own
- High Power: favors maximum performance over battery life, on supported Macs only
High Power is the opposite trade-off from Low Power. Apple limits it to specific models, such as MacBook Pro models with a Max chip from 2021 onward and 2024 or later MacBook Pro models with a Pro or Max chip. Which of these choices you see depends on your Mac model and macOS version.
Before You Begin
Make sure you have:
- A Mac laptop (MacBook Air or MacBook Pro) or a supported desktop Mac (see Apple’s model list under Laptops vs. Desktop Macs)
- macOS Ventura or later for the System Settings layout shown in the steps below
- Access to an admin or standard user account (no password is needed to change this setting on most setups)
- Your charger nearby if you want to test the Only on Power Adapter option
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Device | Any Mac laptop or desktop Mac that offers Low Power Mode or Energy Mode |
| OS version | macOS Ventura or later (check in Apple menu > About This Mac) |
| Cost | Free, built into macOS |
| Extra hardware | None required |
Note: Apple says some Battery and Energy options depend on your Mac model and macOS version. If a choice below isn’t on your screen, your Mac likely doesn’t support it.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Check Your macOS Version
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen, then choose About This Mac.
A small window opens with your macOS name and version number. If it says Ventura, Sonoma, Sequoia, Tahoe, or macOS 27, follow the steps below. If a later release looks different, look for the Battery or Energy panel in System Settings. If it says Monterey or earlier, skip to Older macOS Versions.
Expected result: You know which settings layout your Mac uses.
Step 2: Open System Settings
Click the Apple menu > System Settings.
Prefer the keyboard? Press Cmd + Space to open Spotlight, type System Settings, and press Return.
Expected result: The System Settings window opens with a sidebar on the left.
Step 3: Open Battery (Laptops) or Energy (Desktops)
This is where MacBooks and desktop Macs part ways.
On a MacBook: Click Battery in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down to see it.
On a desktop Mac: Click Energy in the sidebar. Desktop Macs don’t have an internal battery, so there’s no Battery panel at all.
Expected result: You see either a Low Power Mode pop-up menu or one or more Energy Mode pop-up menus.
Tip: Spotlight can be faster. Press
Cmd + Spaceand typeBattery(orEnergyon a desktop). If the settings panel is the top result, pressReturnto open it. If not, use the Apple menu path above.
Step 4: Pick a Low Power Mode Schedule
If your Mac shows a single Low Power Mode pop-up menu, click it and choose one of these four options:
- Always
- Only on Battery
- Only on Power Adapter
- Never
The exact wording may vary slightly depending on your macOS version. If your Mac shows separate On battery and On power adapter menus instead, skip ahead to Step 5. The Configuration section explains which one to pick.
Expected result: The pop-up menu shows your choice. The change applies right away, with no restart and no Save button.
Step 5: Set Battery and Power Adapter Modes Separately (If Your Mac Shows Them)
Some Macs show Energy Mode pop-up menus instead of a single Low Power Mode menu. You’ll see one labeled On battery and another labeled On power adapter.
- Click the On battery pop-up menu and choose Low Power, Automatic, or High Power (if offered).
- Click the On power adapter pop-up menu and make the same kind of choice.
These two settings are independent. Picking Low Power for On battery doesn’t carry over when you plug in.
Expected result: Each pop-up shows the mode you chose for that power source.
Step 6: Add Battery to the Menu Bar
The menu bar icon lets you check battery status without opening System Settings each time. This step applies to Mac laptops, and the location depends on your macOS version.
On macOS Tahoe or macOS 27, Apple’s Mac User Guide puts these controls in the Menu Bar settings:
- Go to System Settings and click Menu Bar in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down.
- Select Battery to show it in the menu bar.
- Optionally, click Battery Options, then turn on Show Percentage.
On macOS Ventura, Sonoma, or Sequoia, the same switches live under Control Center:
- Go to System Settings > Control Center.
- Scroll down to Battery.
- Turn on Show in Menu Bar.
- Optionally, turn on Show Percentage to see the number next to the icon.
Expected result: A battery icon appears near the right end of your menu bar.
Step 7: Check Power Mode Status From the Menu Bar
Click the battery icon in the menu bar. When your Mac is plugged in, the icon shows a lightning bolt.
The dropdown shows your battery percentage, your power source, and the current power mode status.
Expected result: You can confirm at a glance whether Low Power Mode is active.
Step 8 (Optional): Switch Energy Modes From Control Center
On macOS Sequoia 15.1 or later, Apple lets you select Energy Modes from Control Center on supported Macs. Open Control Center by clicking its icon (two small toggle switches) in the menu bar and look for the Energy Mode control. Availability depends on your Mac model.
Expected result: You can change modes without opening System Settings.
Configuration: What the Four Schedule Options Actually Mean
On Macs with a single Low Power Mode menu, the four choices boil down to one question: when should your Mac ease off?
| Option | When Low Power Mode is on | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Always | Plugged in and unplugged | Long travel days, quiet rooms, light work only |
| Only on Battery | Only when unplugged | Laptop owners who want full speed at the desk |
| Only on Power Adapter | Only when plugged in | Cutting fan noise or energy use while charging |
| Never | Never | Anyone who wants full performance at all times |
Only on Battery is the set-and-forget pick for a MacBook. You get full speed at your desk and longer runtime on the couch, without ever thinking about it.
Only on Power Adapter sounds backwards at first. It makes sense if your Mac sits plugged in all day and you’d rather have less fan noise than peak speed.
Laptops vs. Desktop Macs
On a MacBook, Low Power Mode is mainly about battery life. On a supported desktop Mac, the Energy panel handles the equivalent setting. There, it’s about cutting ongoing energy use and, on some models, fan noise. Apple’s model list for desktop Low Power Mode is specific: Mac Studio (2025 or later, plus the 2023 model), Mac mini (2024 or later, plus the 2023 model), and iMac (2024 or later, plus the 24-inch 2023 model).
The 2023 Mac mini and 24-inch iMac need macOS Sequoia 15.1 or later, and the 2023 Mac Studio needs macOS Sequoia 15.3 or later. Apple’s Change Energy settings on a desktop Mac guide covers the desktop options.
Older macOS Versions (System Preferences)
On macOS Monterey or earlier, the settings live in System Preferences. Go to Apple menu > System Preferences > Battery. Select Battery or Power Adapter in the sidebar, then choose an Energy Mode such as Low Power or Automatic. Labels can differ by Mac model.
When Low Power Mode Is Worth Turning On
Here’s my take, based on what Apple documents the setting actually doing: using less energy to extend battery life, and on some models, reducing fan noise.
Worth it:
- Working away from an outlet. Browsing, email, and documents don’t demand much from your Mac, so the energy savings are easy to justify.
- A low battery warning on the go. Switch to Always, or confirm Only on Battery is already set. A USB-C power bank that supports your MacBook’s charging needs can also stretch a long day, depending on its capacity and output.
- Quiet spaces. On Macs where it lowers fan noise, it’s a nice fix for calls and audio recording.
- An always-on desktop Mac that mostly handles light tasks.
I’d skip it when:
- You’re editing video, exporting photos, or compiling code. Apple doesn’t document exactly how Low Power Mode affects performance, but sustained, demanding workloads are the ones most likely to feel any slowdown on a given Mac.
- You want to avoid any possible trade-off in speed, such as working outdoors under a deadline. Testing with Low Power Mode off removes that variable entirely.
- You rely on background tasks finishing quickly, such as large cloud uploads or backups. Apple only documents reduced energy use as the general effect, so whether a specific background task is affected depends on your Mac and that task.
My default for a MacBook is Only on Battery. I’d only use Always on days when I know I’ll be far from a charger.
Tips and Troubleshooting
Most problems come down to the wrong panel, a missing option, or a setting that only applies to one power source.
There’s No “Battery” Entry in System Settings
Why it happens: Desktop Macs (iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio) don’t have an internal battery. Their panel is called Energy.
Fix: Open System Settings and click Energy in the sidebar instead.
Low Power Mode or High Power Mode Isn’t Showing Up
Why it happens: Apple ties some options to specific Mac models and macOS versions. High Power is only available on certain Macs.
Fix: Update macOS in System Settings > General > Software Update. If the option still isn’t there, your Mac doesn’t support it.
Low Power Mode Doesn’t Apply While Plugged In
Why it happens: The On battery and On power adapter settings are separate. One doesn’t affect the other.
Fix: In System Settings > Battery (or Energy), set On power adapter to Low Power. If you have the single Low Power Mode menu, choose Always or Only on Power Adapter.
You’re Not Sure Whether Low Power Mode Is On
Why it happens: macOS doesn’t always show an obvious indicator unless you check.
Fix: Click the battery icon (or the lightning-bolt icon when charging) in the menu bar. If the icon is missing, repeat Step 6 using the path for your macOS version.
The Menu Paths Don’t Match Your Screen
Why it happens: Apple’s settings layout differs between System Preferences and System Settings.
Fix: On macOS Ventura or later, use System Settings > Battery or Energy. On Monterey or earlier, follow the System Preferences path in the Configuration section.
Tip: If your MacBook won’t charge at all, Low Power Mode isn’t the cause. Check the cable and charger first. A spare USB-C charging cable or MagSafe charging cable is the quickest way to rule out a bad cord.
Wrapping Up
Your Mac now switches to Low Power Mode on a schedule you chose, and you can check its status from the menu bar in one click. Low Power Mode is a genuinely useful setting: Apple documents it as trading some energy use for longer battery life, and on some models, less fan noise.
Depending on your Mac and what you’re running, you might also notice a difference in how a demanding task performs, though Apple doesn’t spell out the specifics. For a MacBook, Only on Battery is a sensible default: savings when you’re unplugged and full speed at your desk.
| Step | Action | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check macOS version in About This Mac | All Macs |
| 2–3 | Open System Settings > Battery or Energy | Laptops / desktops |
| 4 | Pick Always, Only on Battery, Only on Power Adapter, or Never | Macs with the Low Power Mode menu |
| 5 | Set On battery and On power adapter separately | Macs with Energy Mode menus |
| 6–7 | Add Battery to the menu bar and check status | Laptops |
| 8 | Switch modes from Control Center | macOS Sequoia 15.1 or later, supported Macs |
Optionally, after a major macOS update, it doesn’t hurt to open System Settings > Battery (or Energy) and check that your schedule is still what you want. Rolling back is just as easy. Pick Never, or set both Energy Mode menus to Automatic.