EN
Get AlDente

Explore all AlDente features

AlDente gives you full control over how your MacBook charges. From charge limits to advanced battery protection, discover the features that keep your battery healthy for the long run.

Check out our changelog and latest releases on GitHub.
Changelog

Jump to a feature

Automatic Discharge

Automatic Discharge takes Discharge one step further: whenever your charge limit is lower than the current battery percentage, AlDente discharges your MacBook automatically while it stays plugged in. You no longer need to start Discharge yourself, so the Discharge button is hidden while this feature is on. Automatic Discharge is paused during Calibration Mode. To stop a discharge, raise the charge limit to the current battery percentage or higher.

Screenshot

How do I turn on Automatic Discharge?

To turn on Automatic Discharge in AlDente Pro, follow these steps:

  1. Open the AlDente settings.
  2. Go to Battery Care → Charge Control.
  3. Turn on “Automatic Discharge”.

Done. Automatic Discharge is now on.

Example

Your MacBook is plugged in at 92%, and Automatic Discharge is on. You lower the charge limit to 80%. AlDente discharges the MacBook to 80%, then pauses charging and holds it there.

Calibration Mode

Your MacBook’s battery has a tough job: it must power your entire system on the go, store energy efficiently when you’re plugged in, and even assist the power supply when your system’s demand spikes. Over time, the battery management system can lose track of the true highs and lows of the cell, leading to “battery miscalibration.” Common symptoms include:

  • Sudden shutdowns at around 50% (or higher) charge

  • Erratic changes in reported capacity

  • Rapidly dropping battery percentage

This usually occurs when a battery stays at mid- or low-charge for long periods without going through a full charge-discharge cycle. Rest assured, these temporary drops in reported capacity aren’t permanent—once you complete a calibration cycle, the battery’s capacity reading will return to its true level.

Why Recalibrate Your Battery?

Recalibrating realigns the management system’s estimates with the battery’s actual capacity. The standard procedure is:

  1. Drain the battery nearly to 0%.

  2. Charge it fully to 100%.

  3. Rest at 100% for 1–2 hours.

If miscalibration is severe, repeat the cycle several times. Even if your battery seems healthy, running this cycle about once a month, or every two weeks if your battery usually stays around 50%, prevents drift and keeps your charge readings accurate.

How AlDente Pro’s Calibration Mode Works

With AlDente Pro, recalibration becomes one-click easy:

  1. Open the AlDente dashboard and click Start Calibration (also available under Settings → Battery Care → Charge Control).

  2. Automatic Cycle

    • Charge: Charges from the current level up to 100%.
    • Discharge: Lowers SoC to 10%, even if the MacBook remains plugged in.
    • Charge: Recharges from 10% up to 100%.
    • Pause: Holds at 100% for one hour.
    • Restore: Returns to your preset charge limit (e.g., 80%).

To speed up the cycle, AlDente Pro pauses Heat Protection during Calibration Mode. That’s safe because you only run it occasionally.

How often should you calibrate?

Calibration is most useful if you rarely use your MacBook on battery or keep it plugged in most of the time. Run Calibration Mode about once a month. If your battery usually stays around 50%, run it every two weeks.

Example Walkthrough

Suppose you’ve used your MacBook plugged in for a while, and your charge limit is set to 80%. To recalibrate:

  1. Open the AlDente dashboard and click Start Calibration.
  2. The battery will start charging to 100%.

  3. Afterward, AlDente Pro will discharge to 10% (duration depends on current activity).

  4. Once at 10%, it will charge to 100%.

  5. It will remain at 100% for one hour.

  6. After the hour, it automatically discharges back to your 80% limit.

That’s it—your battery is now fully recalibrated and reporting accurately!

Automatic Scheduled Calibration

Let AlDente Pro run Calibration Mode on a schedule, so your battery readings stay accurate without you having to remember it.

How it works

  1. Open Settings → Automations → Schedule.

  2. Click + to add a task, or pick the “Monthly Calibration” template

    • Action: Select Start Calibration Mode

    • Repeat: choose an interval, for example Monthly

    • Start Time: Pick a convenient time (e.g., 9 AM)

  3. Activate: Toggle the task “On” in the top-right corner

That’s it—AlDente Pro will automatically run the Calibration Mode on your chosen schedule.

Charge Limiter

With the Charge Limiter, you choose the charge level your MacBook holds while it’s plugged in. Drag the slider, or click the percentage below it and type a value. If the battery is below your limit, the MacBook charges until it reaches the limit. Once it’s there, charging pauses and your MacBook runs on power from the adapter. If the battery is already above your limit, charging pauses at the current level. To bring it down to your limit, use Discharge.

Which charge limit is best for battery life?

Studies come to different conclusions, partly because lithium-ion batteries differ and Apple keeps improving the batteries in each MacBook generation. As a rule of thumb, 50% is very gentle, and 80% is also a very good level for longevity. A limit between 50% and 80% is a good choice.

Example 1

Your MacBook is at 80%, plugged in and charging. You set the charge limit to 50%. Charging stops right away, and the MacBook stays at 80%.

Example 2

Your MacBook is at 17%, plugged in and charging. You type 60% into the percentage field. The MacBook keeps charging until it reaches 60%, then charging pauses and it stays there.

Control MagSafe LED

Control MagSafe LED uses your MacBook’s MagSafe LED to show the charging state. In general, green means your charge limit has been reached, and orange means the MacBook is charging or discharging toward it. The exact behavior depends on your MacBook model, your settings, and which AlDente features are active. On MagSafe 3 MacBooks, you can also choose between a steady or blinking orange light during discharge.

Behavior on MagSafe 3 MacBooks

To turn it on, go to Settings → Appearance → Other → MagSafe LED and turn on “Indicate Charge Limit”. The MagSafe LED then turns green when your charge limit is reached and orange while the MacBook is charging or discharging toward it. If you prefer the LED to blink orange during discharge, turn on “Blink Orange during Discharge”. If the LED is too bright or bothers you, set “LED Setting” to “Always Off”, or to “Off During Sleep”. Depending on your charge settings, a few edge cases can occur. The list below explains how the LED behaves in most of them.

  • Charge Limit reached or above it: Green
  • Charging paused because of Sailing Mode: Green
  • Charging paused because of “Stop charging when sleeping” before Charge Limit: Orange
  • Charging paused because of “Stop Charging when App Closed” before Charge Limit: Orange
  • Charging paused because of Heat Protection: Orange
  • Top Up: Green when 100% is reached.
  • Calibration Mode: LED will turn green again when the Calibration Mode is done and the charge limit is reached.

Supported MacBook models with MagSafe 3

  • MacBook Pro (16-inch, M5 Pro/Max, 2026)
  • MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5 Pro/Max, 2026)
  • MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5, 2025)
  • MacBook Pro (16-inch, M4 Pro/Max, 2024)
  • MacBook Pro (14-inch, M4/Pro/Max, 2024)
  • MacBook Pro (16-inch, M3 Pro/Max, 2023)
  • MacBook Pro (14-inch, M3/Pro/Max, 2023)
  • MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro/Max, 2023)
  • MacBook Pro (14-inch, M2 Pro/Max, 2023)
  • MacBook Pro (16-inch, M1 Pro/Max, 2021)
  • MacBook Pro (14-inch, M1 Pro/Max, 2021)
  • MacBook Air (15-inch, M5, 2026)
  • MacBook Air (13-inch, M5, 2026)
  • MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025)
  • MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)
  • MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024)
  • MacBook Air (13-inch, M3, 2024)
  • MacBook Air (15-inch, M2, 2023)
  • MacBook Air (M2, 2022)

Behavior on MagSafe 2 MacBooks

To turn it on, go to Settings → Appearance → Other → MagSafe LED and turn on “Indicate Charge Limit”. The MagSafe LED then turns green when your charge limit is reached, orange while the MacBook is charging toward it, and alternates between orange and green during discharge. Depending on your charge settings, a few edge cases can occur. The list below explains how the LED behaves in most of them.

  • Charge Limit reached or above it: Green
  • Charging paused because of Sailing Mode: Green
  • Charging paused because of Heat Protection: Orange
  • Top Up: Green when 100% is reached
  • Calibration Mode: LED will turn green again when the Calibration Mode is done and the charge limit is reached.

Supported MacBook models with MagSafe 2

  • MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)
  • MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015)
  • MacBook Air (11-inch, Early 2015)
  • MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2014)
  • MacBook Air (11-inch, Early 2014)
  • MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2013)
  • MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2013)
  • MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015)
  • MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015)
  • MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014)
  • MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Mid 2014)
  • MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013)
  • MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013)

Disable Sleep until Charge Limit

While your MacBook sleeps, apps like AlDente can’t run, so they can’t change how it charges. A sleeping MacBook would therefore either charge to 100% or, with “Stop Charging when Sleeping”, stay at its current level. “Disable Sleep until Charge Limit” keeps your MacBook awake until it reaches your charge limit, then lets it sleep. You’ll find it under Settings → Battery Care → Sleep Behavior.

Example 1

Your MacBook is plugged in, charging and the battery percentage is currently 65% and the Charge Limit is set to 80%. “Disable Sleep until Charge Limit” is activated and you close the lid of your MacBook. AlDente will keep your MacBook charging until the set Charge Limit of 80% is reached. When the Charge Limit is reached, AlDente will activate sleep again and your MacBook goes to sleep after the time set in your macOS settings. When you open the lid and start using your MacBook again after a while, the battery percentage will be at 80%.

Example 2

Your MacBook is plugged in, charging and the battery percentage is currently 32% and the Charge Limit is set to 80%. “Disable Sleep until Charge Limit” is activated and you close the lid of your MacBook. A few minutes later, you need to leave and unplug your MacBook before it reaches the limit. AlDente notices that your MacBook is unplugged and will activate sleep again. When you start using your MacBook again, the charge level is exactly where it was when the MacBook was unplugged.

Question 1: Will the display be turned off while the MacBook is closed but not asleep because of AlDente?
Yes, the display will be turned off while sleep is disabled and the lid is closed.

Question 2: What happens when I unplug my MacBook while AlDente has disabled sleep?
AlDente will recognize that your MacBook is not plugged in anymore and will enable sleep again. It may take a little while before your MacBook actually sleeps, depending on your macOS settings.

Discharge

The Discharge feature helps optimize your MacBook’s battery health by allowing it to discharge to a lower, healthier charge level while still plugged in. Here’s how it works: you set a desired charge limit below the current charge level, then activate Discharge. AlDente will simulate unplugging your MacBook, and the battery will discharge until it reaches the chosen charge limit. Once the target level is reached, AlDente reconnects the internal charging, and your MacBook will only draw power from the charger. The Discharge feature automatically deactivates once the process is complete.

When to Use the Discharge Feature

Activate the Discharge feature whenever your MacBook’s current battery level is higher than the charge limit you’ve set in AlDente.

Why sleep is disabled in clamshell mode

If you’re using clamshell mode (external monitor connected, MacBook lid closed), AlDente will disable sleep mode to ensure the Discharge function operates correctly. This is due to technical limitations of MacBooks.

Example of the Discharge Feature in Action:

  1. Your MacBook is currently at 90% charge and is plugged in.
  2. You open AlDente and set the charge limit to 80%.
  3. Once the charge limit is set, charging will stop, but the battery will remain at 90%.
  4. After activating the Discharge feature, AlDente will internally disconnect the charger, and the battery will begin to discharge.
  5. The discharge process continues until the battery reaches the 80% charge limit, at which point AlDente reconnects the internal charging, and your MacBook will only draw power from the charger.

Keeping your battery at a lower level with Discharge can help slow down battery aging.

Fast User Switching

AlDente supports Apple’s Fast User Switching (since version 1.15). This feature is activated by default, but a few steps are necessary to ensure it functions correctly.

How to Set Up AlDente for Multiple Users:

  1. Install AlDente on Each Account: Make sure AlDente is installed on all user accounts you plan to use.
  2. Use AlDente Normally: Use the Charge Limiter as usual.

Note: It may take a minute or two for AlDente to stabilize after switching users.

Compatibility with AlDente Pro and Free

Both AlDente Pro and Free versions support Fast User Switching, and they are interchangeable across user accounts. However, features from the current version will only be active on the logged-in user account. To prevent brief charging periods while switching users, AlDente Pro’s “Stop Charging When App Closed” feature should be enabled.

What happens if AlDente is not installed on the other user account?

As soon as you switch from the user account which has AlDente installed and charging is paused, your MacBook will start charging to 100%. However, if you have AlDente Pro and the feature “Stop charging when app closed” is enabled, the charge limit will persist.

Scenarios and Behavior

Scenario 1

With a charge limit set to 80% on both User A and User B, switching between these accounts will maintain the 80% charge.

Scenario 2

If User A has a charge limit of 80% and User B has 90%, the MacBook charges to 90% when you switch to User B.

Scenario 3

If User A’s MacBook is charging from 70% toward 80% and User B’s limit is 70%, charging stops when you switch to User B.

Why Does the MacBook Briefly Charge When Switching Users?

When switching users or logging out, third-party apps like AlDente close, causing the charge limit to reset to 100%. Upon logging into a new user, AlDente restarts and resumes the charge limit. Using AlDente Pro with “Stop Charging When App Closed” enabled prevents these short charging periods.

For details, see “Stop Charging when App Closed” below.

Hardware Battery Percentage

Your MacBook actually knows two battery percentages: the one macOS shows in the menu bar, and the one the battery management system itself reports, the hardware battery percentage. The two usually differ by a few percent, depending on the age of your battery and its current charge level. For example, macOS may already show 100% while the battery reports around 95%.

With AlDente Pro, you can see the hardware battery percentage alongside the macOS value, in the menu bar and in the AlDente popover.

How to show the hardware battery percentage

  • In the menu bar: Open AlDente Settings → Appearance → Menubar. Under “Battery Specs”, add “Hardware Battery Percentage”. AlDente then shows the value, for example “87%”, as its own item in the menu bar.
  • In the popover: Add the “Specifications” widget to the AlDente popover. You can choose which values it shows by editing the widget.

If AlDente can’t read the value on your Mac, it shows --. The hardware battery percentage is available on all MacBooks supported by AlDente.

Which percentage does AlDente use for its features?

Since AlDente Pro 1.39, all features use the battery percentage shown by macOS: Charge Limiter, Sailing Mode, Top Up, Discharge, Heat Protection, Calibration Mode, schedules and Shortcuts. This keeps AlDente consistent with what you see in macOS. The hardware battery percentage is shown for information only.

The earlier option to use the hardware battery percentage as the reference for all features has been removed. If you had it enabled, AlDente switched back to the macOS percentage automatically when you updated.

Why are there two different battery percentages?

Apple doesn’t explain this, but our best guess is battery longevity and convenience. If macOS already shows 100% while the battery management system reports about 95%, many people unplug earlier, which is good for the battery. The last few percent also take the longest to charge, so this makes charging feel faster.

Which percentage is more accurate?

The hardware battery percentage reflects the charge level of the battery more directly. Keep in mind that it is also an estimate by the battery management system, not an exact measurement.

Example

Your charge limit is set to 80%. AlDente stops charging when macOS shows 80%. At the same moment, the hardware battery percentage may show around 77%. Both values are normal, and nothing is wrong with your battery.

Heat Protection

Several factors can lead to rapid battery wear, with elevated battery temperatures being a primary cause. Excessive use of the CPU or GPU can significantly raise the temperature of your entire MacBook, battery included. Additionally, rapid charging or discharging intensifies the heat generated by the battery. The most severe conditions arise when multiple elements that increase battery temperature coincide, for example, heavy CPU usage paired with quick charging. Under these circumstances, battery temperatures can swiftly surpass 40°C.

To address this issue, we introduced the “Heat Protection” feature. Once activated, Heat Protection ensures AlDente automatically halts the charging process if the battery temperature rises beyond a predetermined threshold, preventing further escalation of temperature.

Configuring Heat Protection

To turn on Heat Protection:

  • Open AlDente Settings → Battery Care → Charge Control.
  • Turn on Heat Protection.
  • Set your temperature limit in the “Max. Temp” field.

What is the best temperature limit?

Apple advises against operating your MacBook in environments where the ambient temperature surpasses 35°C. Consequently, setting the Heat Protection trigger at 35°C is advisable. Opting for a trigger temperature below 35°C might enhance protection. However, this could be impractical or lead to charging issues depending on your surrounding climate, your use of your MacBook, and your specific model.

Disabled during Calibration Mode

To streamline the calibration process, we have chosen to disable Heat Protection during this mode. This adjustment helps avoid unnecessary delays, and since you only run Calibration Mode occasionally, any negative effect is minimal. Additionally, theoretically, an uninterrupted calibration yields slightly better results.

Understanding Hysteresis

We’ve introduced a specific hysteresis mechanism to minimize frequent toggling between charging states and somewhat reduce prolonged charging durations. Once your battery’s temperature reaches the predefined threshold in Heat Protection, charging halts and a five-minute countdown begins. After this interval, one of two scenarios will unfold: If the temperature remains over the limit, charging will continue to be on hold, and another five-minute countdown will initiate. Conversely, if the temperature has dropped below the threshold, charging will resume for at least five minutes, even if the temperature climbs above the limit during this period. Should the temperature still exceed the threshold after these five minutes, charging will pause again; if not, the charging process will proceed for at least another five minutes.

Example

Your MacBook is currently charging with the battery level at 45% and set to stop at 80%. With Heat Protection enabled and its limit set to 35°C, the feature is on standby. The combination of intense tasks and charging is causing your battery temperature to climb, now at 32°C. Should this temperature surpass 35°C, AlDente will instantly pause charging, allowing the battery to cool depending on your MacBook’s workload and other variables. Charging will resume once the temperature dips below 35°C and five minutes have passed since the limit was reached, continuing until it hits the 80% limit or the temperature rises above 35°C once more.

Live Status Icons

With the “AlDente Status” icon style in AlDente Pro, the AlDente icon in your menu bar shows at a glance what your MacBook is doing right now: charging, holding its charge, or running on battery. It’s the default style, and you can change it anytime under Settings → Appearance → Menubar → Main Icon Style. The table below explains the four icons.

Icon

State

Energy Source

Battery Charging

Battery Discharging

Plugged in and Charging

Power Supply

Yes

No

Plugged in and Charging Paused

Power Supply

No

No

Plugged in and Discharging

Battery

No

Yes

Unplugged and Discharging

Battery

No

Yes

Power Flow

Power Flow shows your MacBook’s power usage in real time as a Sankey diagram: how much power flows from your charger to the battery and the MacBook, or from the battery to the MacBook. This helps you understand your MacBook’s energy use and make informed decisions about charging and AlDente Pro’s features.

How to Use Power Flow

Open the AlDente dashboard to see Power Flow. It updates continuously as your MacBook’s power use changes. To also show it in the menu bar popover, turn on “Show in Popover” below the diagram.

The Diagram Explained

The animation illustrates a continuous flow of energy from the left to the right. On the right-hand side, you can observe the energy consumption of your MacBook, along with the power amount used to charge the battery, if applicable. The source of this energy is demonstrated on the left side. When your MacBook is plugged in and powered by the charger, you’ll notice a lightning bolt symbol on the left, followed by the charger’s power output. Alternatively, when your battery is discharging, the battery icon will appear on the left, alongside a visual depiction of the discharge rate.

AlDente Screenshot

Example 1: Charge Limiter

This is the most common situation. When your MacBook is connected and the designated Charge Limit is attained, the Power Flow diagram illustrates the amount of energy being transferred from the charger to the MacBook.

AlDente Screenshot

Example 2: Discharge

When utilizing AlDente’s Discharge feature or operating your MacBook unplugged, the Power Flow diagram will visually indicate that your MacBook’s energy source is the battery itself and show the current discharge rate as well.

AlDente Screenshot

Example 3: Charging

When your MacBook is plugged in and the battery is actively charging, Power Flow shows the total power drawn from the power adapter in real time. Moreover, it breaks down this energy flow, distinctly showcasing how much is allocated to the MacBook’s operation and how much is utilized to charge the battery, giving you a complete picture of your MacBook’s energy usage.

AlDente Screenshot

Example 4: Underpowered Charger

Power Flow also helps in less common situations, such as using a weaker power adapter than the one that came with your MacBook. This could occur if you’re charging your MacBook through a monitor with a weaker power supply or opting for a smaller, lighter charger for portability. Some users might also intentionally select a lower-output charger to reduce the charging speed, aiming to prolong battery life. However, if your MacBook is running intensive tasks and the charger’s power output falls short, your battery seamlessly steps in to provide the required energy. Power Flow efficiently visualizes these scenarios – displaying the individual power output from the charger and battery on the left, while showcasing the MacBook’s total energy consumption on the right.

Sailing Mode

Sailing Mode extends the Charge Limiter. While the charging of the MacBook is paused, i.e. the charge level is exactly at the set charge limit, the power supply is primarily used as a power source. However, small discharges of the battery still occur when a lot of power is needed for a short time. Then the battery of the MacBook steps in as a buffer. If the charge level drops below the charge limit due to these short discharges, AlDente recharges the battery to the desired charge limit. A second effect of why the battery loses charge is time. If a battery is left for weeks without charging or discharging, it will also lose charge over time. Also, in this case, AlDente would detect that the charge level has dropped below the charge limit and would recharge the battery to the selected charge limit. Furthermore, if you unplug your MacBook only for a short time and use only a couple of percent, AlDente will charge your MacBook again. To avoid unnecessary “micro-charging”, we have included the Sailing Mode feature. This allows you to set a lower limit, from which the battery will be charged up to the charge limit again. Depending on the settings and usage, it can take a long time until this lower limit is reached. So don’t worry if you do not see your battery percentage drop even when the Sailing Mode is activated. The sailing range is also visually indicated by the dashed line on the slider in the popover. Furthermore, the Sailing Mode will be temporarily deactivated during Top Up and the Calibration Mode.

Which interval should I choose?

Unfortunately, we could not find any scientific studies on this topic yet. Therefore, we suggest a range of 5–10%, depending on how you use your MacBook.

Example 1

The current charge level of the MacBook is 80% and the MacBook is plugged in and charging is paused because the charge limit on AlDente Pro is set to 80%. Sailing Mode is activated and an interval of 5% is set. The MacBook will not charge again until the lower limit of the interval, 75%, is reached.

Example 2

The current charge level of the MacBook is 77% and the MacBook is plugged in and charging. AlDente is started, the charge limit is set to 80%, the Sailing Mode is activated, and the interval is set to 10%, which results in a “sailing range” between 70% and 80%. The MacBook stops charging since 77% lies within the sailing range.

Example 3

The MacBook is plugged in and charging is paused at the set charge limit of 80%. The Sailing Mode range is set to 10% which means that charging will be triggered again at 70%. The MacBook gets unplugged and is used for a while. It gets plugged in again with 74% of the battery left. The Sailing Mode will pause charging since the lower limit of 70% has not been reached yet. The MacBook gets unplugged again and is used unplugged for longer. Therefore, the battery drops to 62% before it gets plugged in again. This time, charging will start and continue until the upper limit of 80% has been reached.

Sailing Mode doesn’t seem to work on my MacBook

Sailing Mode is not intended to discharge your battery actively. Therefore, your MacBook will barely lose any energy even in Sailing Mode, since the power adapter is the main source of energy. So do not worry when the battery percentage does not change even if the Sailing Mode is activated. Sailing Mode is still doing its thing.

Why doesn’t Sailing Mode keep the MacBook’s battery level fluctuating within a specific range?

Contrary to popular belief, cycling a battery within a ‘safe’ range, like 30% to 70%, is actually more detrimental to its lifespan than maintaining it at a stable, optimal level, such as 80%. The cycling process accumulates charge cycles more rapidly, accelerating the wear and tear on the battery compared to leaving the MacBook connected at a stable and healthy charge. That said, this isn’t to suggest that you should refrain from using your MacBook on the go. While MacBooks are designed for mobility, it’s advantageous to keep it at a stable and healthy charge when using it in a stationary setting, like an office, rather than allowing it to continuously cycle.

Schedule

This feature lets you run actions in AlDente automatically on set days, times, and intervals. For example, Calibration Mode can run once a month. Each task runs one of seven actions: Set Charge Limit, Start Calibration Mode, Top Up, Pause Charging, Discharge to, Enable Low Power Mode, and Disable Low Power Mode. You can repeat a task Daily, on Weekdays, Weekly, Biweekly, Monthly, or Yearly, or choose Don’t Repeat. Ready-made templates such as “Monthly Calibration” help you get started. Depending on when AlDente refreshes, it may take up to ten minutes for a task to run.

Task Actions

  • Top Up – Activates the TopUp feature and will charge to 100% once. Read more about the TopUp feature.
  • Start Calibration Mode – Activates the Calibration Mode. Read more about the Calibration Mode.
  • Set Charge Limit – This Action changes the Charge Limit percentage to the configured value. If the new Charge Limit is higher than the current battery percentage, the MacBook will start charging. Read more about the Charge Limit.
  • Discharge to – Changes the Charge Limit to the chosen percentage and starts discharging toward it. If the percentage chosen to Discharge to is higher than the current Battery Percentage, the MacBook will start charging toward the set percentage. Read more about the Discharge feature.
  • Pause Charging – This Action changes the Charge Limit to the current battery percentage in AlDente. Therefore, charging or discharging will stop.
  • Enable Low Power Mode – Turns on macOS Low Power Mode.
  • Disable Low Power Mode – Turns off macOS Low Power Mode.

Repeat Settings

  • Daily – The task repeats every day at the set time.
  • Weekdays – The task repeats Monday through Friday at the same time.
  • Weekly – The task repeats every week on the same day and time.
  • Biweekly – The task repeats every other week on the same day and time.
  • Monthly – The task repeats on the same day and time every month. If you choose the 31st, the task only runs in months that have 31 days.
  • Yearly – The task repeats once a year on the same date and time.
  • Don’t Repeat – The task runs once, at the set time.

“Automatically Catch Up on Missed Tasks” explained

AlDente cannot run and make changes to the charging behavior of a MacBook while it is sleeping or turned off. In addition, tasks scheduled to run during these periods will not be executed. To ensure that scheduled tasks are not skipped and are instead run at the next opportunity when the MacBook is turned on or wakes up from sleep, turn on “Automatically Catch Up on Missed Tasks”. However, this feature should only be enabled if the MacBook is used almost daily to prevent a buildup of accumulated tasks.

Behavior during Sleep

Disclaimer! – Please note that the behavior of MacBooks during sleep seems unpredictable, and we are still working to address this issue in AlDente. As a precaution, please refrain from relying on it until we have resolved the sleep-related uncertainties. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to improve the app.

AlDente is typically unable to modify the charging behavior of a MacBook while it is in sleep mode or powered off. However, some MacBook models may wake up every 20 minutes to 2.5 hours during sleep for a couple of minutes. During these wake-up periods, AlDente may receive CPU time and be able to adjust the charging behavior. If you have scheduled a task during the night and have enabled “Automatically Catch Up on Missed Tasks,” AlDente will execute the task during the next wake-up period.

Task History

The Task History provides a chronological record of when each task was executed, allowing users to track which tasks were triggered and when. This is particularly useful when tasks are not executed due to the MacBook being in sleep mode. Additionally, the Task History is helpful when the “Automatically Catch Up on Missed Tasks” feature is enabled, as it allows users to monitor when tasks were started during or after sleep periods.

Examples

1. Automate the Calibration Mode

We recommend running Calibration Mode regularly if you don’t often charge and discharge your MacBook between 0% and 100%. A monthly interval works for most users; choose Biweekly if your battery usually stays around 50%. To automate this, follow these steps:

  1. Open Settings → Automations → Schedule.
  2. Click + to add a task, or pick the “Monthly Calibration” or “Biweekly Calibration” template.
  3. Choose “Start Calibration Mode” from the drop-down menu next to “Action.”
  4. Select “Monthly” (or “Biweekly”) from the drop-down menu next to “Repeat.”
  5. Choose the desired start time for the Calibration Mode.
  6. Activate the task by enabling the “Active” slider in the upper right corner.
  7. Turn on “Automatically Catch Up on Missed Tasks” so the task runs the next time the MacBook is turned on or wakes up from sleep.

With this task in place, Calibration Mode runs automatically on your chosen schedule.

2. Schedule Top Up for long workdays

To ensure your MacBook has a full battery in the morning every week on a specific day, you can use the Schedule feature to set up a task for automatic Top Up. To automate this process, simply follow these steps:

  1. Open Settings → Automations → Schedule.
  2. Click + to add a task.
  3. Choose “Top Up” from the drop-down menu next to “Action.”
  4. Select “Weekly” from the drop-down menu next to “Repeat.”
  5. Choose the desired day and set the start time to 01:00.
  6. Activate the task by enabling the “Active” slider in the upper right corner.
  7. Turn on “Automatically Catch Up on Missed Tasks” so the task can run during a wake-up.
  8. Keep your MacBook plugged in and do not turn it off the evening before to ensure your MacBook is getting charged during the night.

 

Disclaimer! – This automation relies on the MacBook waking up during sleep and allowing AlDente to execute the task. We are still investigating this behavior and it might not work on every system. You can read more about this topic in the paragraph “Behavior during Sleep” above.

Apple Shortcuts Integration

AlDente Pro fully supports the Apple Shortcuts app, so you can automate MacBook battery management, create one-tap controls, and integrate AlDente into your existing macOS workflows. Use Shortcuts to toggle modes, set charge limits, and configure your MacBook’s battery management exactly the way you want.

If you’re new to shortcut automation on macOS, you can learn more about it at Apple’s Shortcuts User Guide.

Below is the full list of AlDente Pro Shortcuts currently available:

Disable High Power Mode / Enable High Power Mode

Turn macOS High Power Mode on or off with a shortcut. This lets you quickly:

  • Reduce heat and fan noise when you don’t need maximum performance
  • Re-enable High Power Mode when you’re doing intensive tasks

Disable Low Power Mode / Enable Low Power Mode

Turn macOS Low Power Mode on or off with a shortcut. Perfect for automations such as:

  • Enabling Low Power Mode when your battery drops below a certain percentage
  • Disabling Low Power Mode automatically when you plug in your MacBook

Get Battery Percentage

This shortcut returns the current battery percentage as shown by macOS. Learn how it differs from the hardware battery percentage.

Get Charge Limit

Returns the current Charge Limit set in AlDente.
Use this in automations where you want to:

  • Log your charge limit over time
  • Adjust other actions depending on your current charge limit

Get State

Returns the current state of AlDente, which can be one of:

Charging, Pause, Sailing, Discharging, Topup, HeatProtect, Calibration, Exit

This is useful for conditional Shortcuts, for example:

  • Only start Discharge if the current state is Charging
  • Trigger notifications when the state changes to HeatProtect or Calibration

Get Temperature

Returns the current MacBook battery temperature.

You can use this to:

  • Log battery temperature for diagnostics
  • Create automations that react when battery temperature is above or below a threshold

Pause Charging

Sets the Charge Limit in AlDente to the current battery level.

  • If your MacBook is charging, it will immediately stop charging.
  • If it is discharging (via AlDente features), it will stop discharging at the current level.

This is ideal for Shortcuts like “Pause charging when battery reaches X%” to protect long-term battery health.

Set Charge Limit

Sets the target battery percentage in AlDente.

  • If the new limit is higher than your current battery level, your MacBook will start charging.
  • If the new limit is lower than your current battery level, charging will stop immediately.

Use this to build automations such as:

  • “Set charge limit to 80% on workdays”
  • “Set charge limit to 100% before travel”

Set MagSafe LED

Gives you full control over the MagSafe LED through Shortcuts. Choose between:

  1. Green
  2. Orange
  3. Orange (blinking)
  4. Off

Combine this with other actions—for example, blink orange when Discharge starts, or turn the LED green when the battery reaches your desired limit.

Start Calibration Mode

Starts Calibration Mode in AlDente, which runs controlled charging and discharging cycles to help recalibrate your MacBook battery.

Start Discharge

Activates the Discharge feature of AlDente.

Requirements and behavior:

  • The Charge Limit in AlDente must be lower than the current battery level for Discharge to start.
  • If this condition is met, your MacBook will discharge down to the set Charge Limit.

Top Up

Starts the Top Up feature in AlDente Pro.

  • Sets the Charge Limit to 100%
  • Immediately starts charging your MacBook to full

Use this in scenarios like:

  • “Top up to 100% before a trip”
  • “Top up overnight on weekends”

Stop Charging when App Closed

Understanding the behavior of AlDente Pro’s “Stop Charging When App Closed” feature can help manage your MacBook’s battery more efficiently. This feature ensures that the set charge limit remains active even when the AlDente app is closed. Note that the limit is reset when the MacBook is powered off. This feature is only available on Apple silicon MacBooks and is particularly useful when switching between macOS users or utilizing the fast user switching feature.

Example Scenarios

Example 1

If the charge limit is set to 80% and charging is paused at 80%, closing AlDente with “Stop Charging When App Closed” enabled will keep the battery at 80%.

Example 2

If the same scenario occurs but with the feature disabled, closing AlDente will reset the charge limit to 100%, and the battery will start charging to full.

Example 3

With the feature on and the MacBook powered off, the charge limit is reset and the MacBook charges to 100%.

Example 4

Logging out of your macOS user while the feature is enabled keeps the charge limit active. After logging back in, you can adjust the limit in AlDente.

Example 5

Logging out with the feature disabled resets the charge limit, and the battery starts charging again. Upon logging into another user, AlDente will reapply the charge limit.

This feature is particularly beneficial in scenarios where multiple users access the MacBook or when frequently switching between user accounts. For more details, read our blog post.

Stop Charging when Sleeping

While your MacBook sleeps, apps like AlDente can’t run, so they can’t change how it charges. Without help, a MacBook that goes to sleep while charging always charges to 100%, regardless of your charge limit. With “Stop Charging when Sleeping”, AlDente pauses charging right before your MacBook goes to sleep, so the battery stays at the level it had at that moment. You’ll find it under Settings → Battery Care → Sleep Behavior.

Example 1

Your MacBook is plugged in and the battery percentage is at the set charge limit of 80%. “Stop charging when sleeping” is activated and you close the lid of your MacBook and it goes to sleep. AlDente will keep your charging paused even while your MacBook is in sleep. When you open the lid and start using your MacBook again, the battery percentage is still at 80%.

Example 2

Your MacBook is plugged in and currently charging to the set charge limit of 85%. “Stop charging when sleeping” is activated and you close the lid of your MacBook and it goes to sleep. At exactly the moment when you closed the lid, your battery percentage was 67%. AlDente will pause charging right before the MacBook goes to sleep and will keep the battery percentage at 67%. When you open the lid and start using your MacBook again, the battery percentage is still at 67% and charging will begin again until the set charge limit of 85% is reached.

Top Up

When you use your MacBook plugged in, it’s best to limit the charge to a healthy level such as 80%. But sometimes 80% isn’t enough for a long day on the road. Top Up raises the charge limit to 100% once. While your MacBook stays plugged in, it keeps the battery at 100%. As soon as you unplug, Top Up turns off and the charge limit returns to its previous value.

When should the Top Up feature be used?

Whenever you have a lengthy day on the road where you need all the battery life of your MacBook and do not have the possibility or time to charge it.

Example 1

Your MacBook is plugged in and charging is limited to 80%. You know you’ll be on the road most of the day and might need all of your MacBook’s battery life. Turn on Top Up, and your MacBook charges to 100%. Unplug it and use it on battery during the day. Once you unplug, Top Up turns off and the charge limit returns to 80%. The next time you plug in your MacBook, it charges to 80% and stays there.

Back to top

Stay in touch.

Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates, tips, and exclusive offers. Let’s keep your MacBook running smoothly together. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in our newsletter. 

 

Before you download: please read and confirm