Apple MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008) - Manual (Page 28)

28 Chapter 2 Life with Your MacBook
Using the MacBook Battery
When the MagSafe power adapter isn’t connected, your MacBook draws power from its
battery. The length of time that you can run your MacBook varies, depending on the
applications you use and the external devices connected to your MacBook. Turning off
features such as AirPort Extreme or Bluetooth ® wireless technology and reducing
screen brightness can help conserve battery charge, for example, when you’re traveling
by air. Many of your system preferences are automatically set to optimize battery life.
You can determine the charge remaining in the battery by looking at the eight battery
level indicator lights on the left side of your MacBook. Press the button next to the
lights, and the lights glow briefly to show how much charge remains in the battery.
Important: If only one indicator light is on, very little charge is left. If no lights
illuminate, the battery is completely drained and the MacBook won’t start up unless
the power adapter is connected. Plug in the power adapter to let the battery recharge,
or replace the drained battery with a fully charged battery (see page 34). For more
information about battery indicator lights, see page 56.
You can also check the amount of battery charge remaining by viewing the
Battery ( ) status icon in the menu bar. The battery charge level displayed is based
on the amount of power left in the battery with the applications, peripheral devices,
and system settings you are currently using. To conserve battery power, close
applications and disconnect peripheral devices not in use, and adjust your Energy
Saver settings. For more information about battery conservation and performance tips,
go to www.apple.com/batteries/notebooks.html.