Stop charging at a limit you choose
Pick a charge limit from 20% to 100%. Recento Battery stops charging when the battery reaches it and runs your Mac from the charger instead, so the battery isn't held at full all day.
Recento Battery · Part of Recento Pro
Keep your MacBook battery healthy for years, not months
Recento Battery is a MacBook charge limiter. Stop charging at the level you choose, drain the battery while plugged in, and pause charging when it gets hot.
macOS 14 or later · Apple Silicon & Intel
If your MacBook spends most of its life plugged in, its battery spends most of its life at 100%, often warm. Lithium batteries age fastest when they sit full and hot, which is why a MacBook that lives on the charger can lose capacity sooner than it should.
Recento Battery lets you decide how full the battery gets. Set a charge limit and it stops charging there, even while the charger stays connected. It can drain the battery down to that limit, pause charging when the pack is hot, top up to 100% when you need the full range, and show you the health, cycles and temperature over time.
What Recento Battery does
Top Up when you need every percent
Heading out for the day? Top Up charges to 100% once, then your normal limit takes over again.
Drain down to the limit while plugged in
Discharge lowers the battery to your limit without unplugging, by running the Mac from the battery for a while. Automatic Discharge can do it for you whenever the level is above your limit. Nothing extra is run to burn power: the Mac simply uses the battery instead of the charger.
Discharge that stops when it gets warm (Recento Pro)
Every discharge has a heat limit (35 to 55°C, 42°C recommended). If the battery gets that warm, discharge pauses until it cools, then carries on to the same target. A temperature chart shows each discharge so you can see what happened.
Heat Protection (Recento Pro)
Charging a hot battery wears it fastest. Set a temperature from 25 to 45°C and Recento Battery pauses charging above it, then resumes once the battery has cooled.
Sailing Mode (Recento Pro)
Instead of topping up every time the level dips by 1%, Sailing Mode lets the battery drift down a set range (1 to 20%) below the limit before charging again. Fewer tiny charges, less wear.
Calibration (Recento Pro)
A guided cycle charges to 100%, drains to 10% while plugged in, charges back to 100%, holds there for an hour, then returns to your limit. It helps the battery report its capacity accurately.
Charging schedules (Recento Pro)
Schedule a charge limit change, a Top Up, a calibration, a pause in charging or a discharge, daily, on weekdays, weekly, every two weeks or monthly.
Health, cycles, temperature and Power Flow
See maximum capacity against design capacity, health, cycle count and temperature, with history over 6 hours, 24 hours or 7 days. Power Flow shows where the power is going: charger to Mac, charger to battery, or battery to Mac.
Alerts that actually help
Get notified when the battery is low, almost full, or when a charger is connected but not delivering power. A charge reminder below a level you set (50% by default) stays on screen until you plug in or dismiss it, so it works even when you miss a banner.
App power impact (Recento Pro)
See which apps are costing the most battery, so you know what to close before you unplug.
How it works
- 1Open Recento Battery from the Recento Pro Hub.
- 2Install the small battery helper when asked. It needs your administrator password once, and an "Allow in the Background" approval in System Settings.
- 3Set your charge limit, for example 80%.
- 4Leave the charger connected. Recento Battery stops charging at the limit and runs the Mac from the charger.
- 5Use Top Up before a long day away from power, and check the Dashboard to see health and temperature over time.
Who it's for
- Desk-bound MacBook owners whose laptop is plugged in all day and never needs a full battery.
- Developers, video editors and gamers whose Mac runs hot under load and want charging paused when it does.
- People keeping a MacBook for years who want to slow down battery wear and see the health trend.
- Anyone selling or handing down a Mac later, where a healthy battery keeps its value.
Free and paid
| Feature | Free version | Recento Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Health, cycles & Power Flow | Included | Included |
| Charge limit & Top Up | Included | Included |
| Sailing Mode | Not included | Included |
| Heat Protection | Not included | Included |
| Discharge | Not included | Included |
| Calibration | Not included | Included |
| Charge schedule | Not included | Included |
| App power impact | Not included | Included |
The charge limit is free. Recento Pro adds the rest for $9.99 a month or $99 one time, and unlocks every other module too.
Plans, trial and refund terms are on the Recento Pro pricing section.
Privacy and permissions
- Battery helper: controlling charging means writing to the Mac's power controller, which only a system-level process can do. Recento Battery installs a small helper for this. macOS asks for your administrator password once and for an "Allow in the Background" approval under Login Items. The helper only reads and writes battery controls. It can't access your files, network or other data.
- Notifications: optional, for the low, full and charger alerts. The charge reminder works even without them, because it's a small on-screen panel.
- Everything stays on your Mac: battery history and temperature logs are stored locally. No account and nothing sent to us.
Requirements
- macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
- A MacBook (a Mac with a battery). Apple silicon and Intel.
- The battery helper, installed once with your administrator password, for the charge limit, Top Up, Discharge, Heat Protection, Sailing Mode and Calibration.
- Charge limit on macOS 27: Apple removed the firmware controls that let any third-party app stop charging while staying plugged in. On those Macs, Recento Battery shows that the charge limit is handled by macOS and opens System Settings, Battery, Charge Limit for you. Discharge still works there. Heat Protection doesn't, because pausing a charge needs the control Apple removed.
- Discharge needs an Apple silicon Mac whose firmware still lets apps switch the power adapter off. It isn't available on Intel Macs.
Questions
How do I stop my MacBook charging at 80%?
Install Recento Pro, open Recento Battery, install the battery helper when prompted, and set the charge limit to 80%. The Mac stops charging at 80% and runs from the charger. Use Top Up whenever you want a full battery for a day.
Why does Recento Battery need an administrator password?
Only a system-level process can tell the Mac's power controller to stop or start charging. Recento Battery installs a small helper for that, and macOS asks for your password once and for an "Allow in the Background" approval. You won't be asked again unless you reinstall.
Does the charge limit work on macOS 27?
No, and no third-party app's can: macOS 27 removed the firmware control these apps used. On those Macs Recento Battery says so and points you to Apple's own Charge Limit in System Settings, Battery. Discharge, health, cycles, temperature, Power Flow and alerts still work.
Should I turn off Optimized Battery Charging?
Yes, if you use Recento Battery's limit. macOS's Optimized Battery Charging and its own charge limit drive the same charging hardware, and the two can fight, so charging stops and starts. Turn Optimized Battery Charging off and set macOS's own limit to 100%, so Recento Battery is the only one in control.
What happens to charging if I quit Recento Pro?
By default, quitting puts charging back to normal so your Mac charges as usual. You can choose instead to keep charging stopped while the app is closed. If the app is force-quit or crashes while charging is paused, opening Recento Pro again restores the normal state.
Can I drain the battery without unplugging?
Yes, with Recento Pro on Apple silicon Macs. Discharge runs the Mac from the battery until it reaches your target, then hands back to the charger. It pauses if the battery gets too warm and carries on once it cools. It isn't available on Intel Macs.
Does it work on Intel MacBooks?
Yes, for the charge limit, health, cycles, temperature and alerts. Discharge isn't available on Intel Macs.
Will the charger alert tell me if my charger is broken?
It tells you when a charger is connected but not delivering power, for example a charger that's plugged into the Mac but switched off at the wall, or a hub that connects without power. A charger that's completely dead often looks to the Mac exactly like no cable at all, and that case can't be detected.
Is Recento Battery free?
The charge limit, Top Up, health, cycles, temperature, Power Flow and alerts are free. Sailing Mode, Heat Protection, Discharge, Calibration, schedules and app power impact need Recento Pro.
A MacBook charge limiter for a longer battery life
Download Recento Pro and set your charge limit in under a minute.
More from Recento Pro
Recento Statslive charger watts, battery health and the apps using the most energy, in the menu bar.
Stay Awakekeep the Mac awake for long jobs, with a heat limit in Bag Mode.
Better Wi-Fia reminder to plug in when you're at home or the office on battery.
Recento Guardan alarm if anyone pulls the charger out while you're away.
Lid Folda fold animation that follows your MacBook's lid.