MacBook: Save energy - how it works
This practical tip shows you how to save energy on your MacBook. If you are not near an electrical outlet, read the instructions below to switch off unnecessary power guzzlers.
How to save energy on your MacBook
If you want to use the full battery life of your MacBook, the next steps will help you to reduce the power consumption of your MacBook.
- Open the system settings by tapping on the Apple icon in the top menu bar and selecting "System settings ...".
- In the second row you will see a light bulb with the signature "save energy". Click on this. In the window that opens, you differentiate between the two basic settings "battery" and "power supply".
- Move the slider to set the time after which the monitor automatically turns off.
- You can select other presets such as "Lightly darken the monitor during battery operation" with a check mark.
- Under "Schedule ..." you can set when your MacBook automatically goes to sleep or shuts down. To do this, check "Activate hibernation" and select the exact time and behavior.
Save even more energy on your MacBook
In addition to the basic settings that Mac OS predefines, the tips from the next section will also help you save energy.
- Deactivate the keyboard backlight when you do not need it. You can read how to do this in a separate practical tip.
- Darken your screen by pressing the F5 key several times. If you want to undo these changes, choose the F6 key.
- Work offline. To do this, deactivate the WiFi. You can find out how in a further article.
The explanation refers to Mac OS X 10.9.3. Other versions differ in the settings. If you would like to further customize the behavior of your MacBook, we will explain how to let your Mac start up automatically.