User's Guide
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Chapter 2 Life with Your MacBook Air
Running Your MacBook Air on Battery Power
When the MagSafe Power Adapter isn’t connected, your MacBook Air draws power
from its built-in rechargeable battery. The length of time that you can run your
MacBook Air varies, depending on the applications you use and the external devices
connected to your MacBook Air.
TurningofeaturessuchasAirPortExtremeorBluetooth®wirelesstechnologyand
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.
Charging the Battery
You can determine whether the battery needs charging by looking at the indicator
light on the MagSafe connector. If the light is glowing amber, the battery needs to be
charged. If the light is glowing green, the battery is fully charged.
You can also check the amount of battery charge left 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.
When the power adapter that came with your MacBook Air is connected, the battery
rechargeswhetherthecomputerison,o,orinsleep.Thebatteryrechargesmore
quickly,however,whenthecomputerisoorinsleep.