Why Some Apps Drain Your Battery Faster Than Others
Not all apps are created equal when it comes to power consumption. Some apps use the CPU constantly, others keep the GPU active, and many run background processes that prevent your Mac from sleeping. Understanding macbook battery draining apps helps you extend your runtime significantly.
For example, a web browser with many tabs can keep the CPU busy. A video conferencing app uses both the CPU and the camera. A file sync app (like cloud storage) may constantly check for changes. Even an idle app that prevents sleep can drain your battery overnight.
If your macbook pro battery draining fast after update, a misbehaving app could be the culprit. For general post‑update fixes, see our pillar post. For USB‑related drain, see our USB devices battery drain guide (cluster post #12). This guide focuses specifically on software that consumes power.
For overall battery health, see our MacBook battery health tips (cluster post #7).
How to Find Battery‑Draining Apps on Your Mac
macOS includes a built‑in tool to identify macbook battery draining apps. You do not need third‑party software.
Using Activity Monitor (Energy Tab):
- Open Activity Monitor (Applications > Utilities).
- Click the Energy tab.
- Sort by Energy Impact (highest first).
- Look at the 12 hr Power column for average consumption.
What the numbers mean:
- Energy Impact – current instantaneous drain (higher is worse).
- 12 hr Power – average over the last 12 hours (most useful for identifying persistent drain).
- Preventing Sleep – apps marked “Yes” keep your Mac awake.
Pro tip: Leave Activity Monitor open for a few minutes to see which apps periodically spike. For a deeper dive, see Fix 3 in our pillar post.
The Most Common Battery‑Draining Apps on Mac
Based on real‑user reports and testing, here are the usual suspects when it comes to macbook battery draining apps:
| App Category | Specific Apps | Typical Energy Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Web browsers | Google Chrome, Brave, Edge | High (many tabs = very high) |
| Video conferencing | Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack (calls) | High (camera + CPU) |
| File sync | Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive | Medium (constant background sync) |
| Productivity | Microsoft Outlook, Electron apps (Slack, Discord) | Medium‑High |
| Creative | Adobe Creative Cloud, Final Cut Pro | High (when active) |
| Virtual machines | Parallels, VMware, UTM | Very High (running another OS) |
| Messaging | WhatsApp Desktop, Discord, Telegram | Low‑Medium (background polling) |
| VPN | Many VPN clients | Medium (encryption overhead) |
| Antivirus | Norton, McAfee, Sophos | High (real‑time scanning) |
Google Chrome is notorious for battery drain, especially with many tabs open. Safari is significantly more efficient on MacBooks. Similarly, Electron‑based apps (Slack, Discord, Teams, WhatsApp) each run a full Chrome instance in the background, consuming memory and CPU.
For a comparison of browser efficiency, see our macOS Low Power Mode explained (cluster post #11).
Fix 1: Quit Misbehaving Apps Immediately
If an app shows high Energy Impact and you are not actively using it, quit it immediately.
How to quit an app:
- Standard quit: Press Command + Q when the app is active.
- Force quit: Press Command + Option + Esc, select the app, and click Force Quit.
- From Activity Monitor: Select the app and click the X button.
Which apps to quit first:
- Web browsers with many tabs (close tabs instead of quitting the browser).
- Video conferencing apps after calls (they often stay open).
- File sync apps if you do not need immediate syncing (pause them).
For more on force quitting, see our Mac keyboard shortcuts for frozen screen (from the Mac restart series, but applicable).
Fix 2: Remove Apps from Login Items
Many apps launch automatically when you log in, running in the background and consuming battery. Removing them from Login Items reduces macbook battery draining apps from startup.
How to manage Login Items:
- System Settings > General > Login Items.
- Under Open at Login, select any app you do not need at startup.
- Click the – (minus) button to remove it.
- Also review Allow in Background – disable unnecessary background processes.
Common apps to remove:
- Spotify, Adobe Creative Cloud, Steam, Epic Games Launcher.
- Printer helper apps, cloud storage (if not needed immediately).
- Any app that you rarely use.
For more on startup management, see our macOS battery settings guide (cluster post #10).
Fix 3: Disable Background App Refresh
Some apps refresh content in the background even when you are not using them. This includes email clients, news apps, and weather widgets.
How to disable background refresh:
- For Mail: Mail > Settings > Accounts > uncheck Enable this account for accounts you do not need to sync automatically.
- For News / Stocks: Remove widgets from Notification Center.
- For third‑party apps: Check each app’s preferences for “background sync” or “auto‑update” options.
On macOS, there is no single toggle for all background refresh. You must adjust per app. For a detailed guide, see our macOS battery settings guide.
Fix 4: Use Safari Instead of Chrome
Google Chrome is one of the biggest macbook battery draining apps. Safari is optimized for macOS and uses significantly less power. In tests, Safari can provide 1‑2 hours more battery life than Chrome on the same MacBook.
If you must use Chrome:
- Use the Chrome > Settings > Performance > Memory Saver and Battery Saver modes.
- Limit the number of open tabs.
- Disable unnecessary extensions.
- Close Chrome completely when not in use.
For a complete browser comparison, see our Mac performance optimization guide (placeholder).
Fix 5: Turn Off Video Conferencing Apps When Not in Use
Zoom, Teams, and Slack remain running after calls. They keep camera and microphone processes active, consuming power.
What to do:
- After a call, quit the app entirely (Command + Q).
- Do not just close the window.
- Disable “Keep my status” or “Run in background” settings in each app.
For video conferencing battery drain, see our Mac performance optimization guide.
Fix 6: Update or Reinstall Problematic Apps
Outdated apps often have memory leaks or inefficient code. Updating them can dramatically reduce macbook battery draining apps.
How to update:
- App Store apps: Open App Store > Updates.
- Third‑party apps: Many have built‑in updaters (Check for Updates in their menu).
- Adobe, Microsoft, etc.: Use their dedicated updater apps.
If an app still misbehaves after updating, try reinstalling it. Corruption can cause excessive CPU usage.
For more on software maintenance, see our macOS update guide (placeholder).
How to Check Which Apps Are Preventing Sleep
Some apps prevent your Mac from sleeping, causing continuous battery drain even when you close the lid.
Steps to see sleep‑preventing apps:
- Open Activity Monitor.
- Click the Energy tab.
- Look at the Preventing Sleep column.
- Apps marked “Yes” are keeping your Mac awake.
Common sleep‑preventing apps:
- Video conferencing apps (Zoom, Teams) after a call.
- File sharing apps (BitTorrent, file sync).
- Media players that keep the system awake.
- Terminal processes running long tasks.
Force quit these apps to allow sleep. For more on sleep settings, see our Mac sleep settings guide (Wi‑Fi series, but relevant).
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I see which app is using the most battery over time?
Open Activity Monitor > Energy tab > sort by 12 hr Power. This shows average consumption.
Q: Is Chrome really that bad for battery life?
Yes. Chrome uses more CPU and memory than Safari, especially with extensions. Switch to Safari for longer runtime.
Q: Why does Microsoft Outlook drain battery?
Outlook checks for new emails frequently. Reduce fetch interval or switch to Apple Mail.
Q: Do Electron apps (Slack, Discord) drain battery?
Yes. Each Electron app runs a separate instance of Chrome. Use the web version in Safari instead.
Q: My battery drains even when all apps are closed. What is wrong?
Background processes like Spotlight indexing or Apple Intelligence may be running. See Fix 1 and Fix 5 in our pillar post.
Q: Can malware cause battery drain?
Yes. Run a malware scan using built‑in tools (no external link). Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > turn on Firewall and check for unknown profiles.
Q: How often should I check Activity Monitor for battery‑draining apps?
Once a week is sufficient. After a macOS update, check more frequently.