Heat is the silent killer. If AlDente detects your battery is too hot (e.g., during a Final Cut Pro export), it automatically stops charging to prevent thermal damage.
Let’s be honest. Most of us are guilty of the "laptop vampire" lifestyle. You wake up, unplug your MacBook at 100%, work at a coffee shop until it hits 15%, panic, plug it in, and repeat.
But if your schedule varies—or if you keep your laptop plugged in for three days straight while editing video—Apple’s software gives up and charges to 100%. Keeping a battery at 100% for long periods creates high voltage stress, which chemically ages the battery faster. AlDente (named after the pasta state—firm, not mushy) is a free and open-source tool for macOS that gives you manual control over your charging limit.
While Apple’s built-in "Optimized Battery Charging" tries to help, it is notoriously passive. It learns your habits and might hold at 80% if you have a very rigid schedule (e.g., plugging in at 10 PM every night).
Have you tried AlDente? What percentage do you lock your MacBook at? Let me know in the comments below!