You may have seen the news: macOS 26.4 has entered its first beta, and with it, Apple expanded Optimized Battery Charging to include a built-in manual Charge Limiter.

So the obvious question is: what does that mean for AlDente?

A Quick Look Back

The idea for AlDente started long before Apple introduced its own battery health features. While learning about batteries during my bachelor’s degree, I (Matthias) became increasingly aware of how strongly lithium-ion battery longevity depends on charge levels and usage patterns. I began looking for a tool that would let me manually limit the maximum charging percentage on a MacBook. To my surprise, nothing like that existed at the time.

After discussing the idea with David, he immediately got excited. We started researching ways to implement a charge limiter at the system level. It wasn’t straightforward. There was no public API designed for this purpose, and we had to experiment and reverse engineer extensively.

After several months of reverse engineering, David finally figured it out. This was the WhatsApp message he sent me in January 2020 when he realized he had found a solution:

On February 19, 2020, David released the first version of AlDente on GitHub — well before Apple introduced its own Optimized Battery Charging feature. What started as a simple technical experiment quickly gained traction. Users appreciated having real control over their battery behaviour, and feedback and feature requests started pouring in.

Encouraged by the response, we launched AlDente Pro in April 2021, adding advanced functionality and deeper customisation options. Since then, AlDente has grown from a side project into our full-time focus. In 2024, Daria joined our team, allowing us to expand development and support even further.

Apple’s Charge Limiter — What It Changes

With the introduction of a native Charge Limiter in macOS 26.4, Apple is clearly continuing its push toward battery health optimisation.

This is not surprising. Apple introduced Optimized Battery Charging years ago, and it was just a matter of time until they would bring the charge limiting feature introduced on the iPhones to the Mac.

We think this is an amazing enhancement for macOS, and we are happy that many more batteries can now be saved from dying too early.

Apple’s approach prioritises simplicity for the average user: minimal configuration, customization, and basic features only. AlDente has always taken a different approach.

Where Apple focuses on simplicity, AlDente focuses on control, transparency, and configurability. Power users, developers, long-term MacBook owners, and professionals with specific workflows often want deterministic behaviour and more features than just the basics, which Apple is offering.

Apple’s implementation may cover the basic use case. But it does not replace the depth of control many of our users rely on daily.

So… Were We Sherlocked?

Yes, but not really.

When Apple introduces a feature that addresses a problem we’ve been solving for years, it reinforces something important: the need was real.

AlDente has evolved far beyond “just” a charge limiter. Today it offers:

• A powerful Dashboard visualising battery and power analytics
• A fully customisable menubar showing much more than just the battery percentage
• Charts showing battery health and other data over time
• Easily accessible Power Mode Settings
• Heat protection mechanisms
• Advanced automation options
• MagSafe LED Control
• Extensive customisation

And we are continuing to expand it. At the time of writing, we’ve already figured out how to integrate Apple’s new charge management system into AlDente, making the app even better through deeper macOS integration.

Besides AlDente, we are exploring new ideas — including our second app, Leftovers, which recently left beta and officially launched in the App Store. Check it out here: Leftovers

What’s Next

Over the past six years, AlDente has grown into a mature product with a strong and engaged community. We remain committed to building high-quality, thoughtfully designed software that gives users real control over their devices.

Apple adding a charge limiter does not mark the end of AlDente. If anything, it highlights how important battery health has become.

We have ambitious plans ahead — for AlDente and beyond — and we’re excited to continue this journey together with you, our community.

Thank you for the amazing ride so far,

David, Matthias, and Daria