Apple today released macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 to address an issue that could prevent the battery from charging on some MacBook Pro 2016 and 2017 models, and since then the company has shared a new support document with more details.
/article-new/2017/06/new_2017_imac_macbook_pro_front.jpg?resize=560%2C370&ssl=1)
Apple says a “very small number of customers” with the 2016 and 2017 models of the 13 and 15 inch MacBook Pro had a problem with the battery not charging more than 1%. The battery health status on affected notebooks will indicate “Recommended service”. To identify your Mac model, click the Apple logo in the upper left corner of the screen and click About this Mac. The following models may be affected by this problem:
– MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
– MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
– MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, four 3-port Thunderbolt)
– MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, four 3-port Thunderbolt)
– MacBook Pro (15 inch, 2016)
– MacBook Pro (15 inch, 2017)
If your MacBook Pro exhibits this behavior, Apple prompts you to contact the company to replace the battery for free. Apple says it will examine the notebook before service to see if it qualifies for a free replacement.
If your MacBook Pro did not experience this problem, upgrading to macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 as soon as possible is still highly recommended as a precaution. There is also a complementary update to macOS Catalina 10.15.7 that avoids the problem.
MacOS Big Sur users can determine whether the battery needs maintenance by opening the System Preferences application, clicking Battery, selecting Battery in the sidebar, and clicking Battery health. On macOS Catalina or earlier, users can hold the Option key and click on the battery icon in the menu bar to reveal the battery status menu.