Why your Mac might say its battery is ‘Not Charging’ on macOS Catalina

The new Battery Health Management feature, introduced in macOS 10.15.5, is aimed at prolonging the lifespan of MacBook batteries by monitoring battery temperature and charging patterns.

In a recently published support document, Apple says that the new “Not Charging” battery status indicator is a part of the management suite.

“Depending on its settings, your Mac might temporarily pause charging to help calibrate battery health management, a feature designed to improve the lifespan of your battery,” Apple writes.

The company adds that the indicator is normal and part of how the battery health management feature optimizes charging. Though the battery percentage may drop when a Mac has paused charging, it will soon resume powering up to 100% based on a user’s charging patterns.

On the other hand, a Mac may sometimes show the “Not Charging” indicator if it is plugged in to a power source that isn’t delivering enough power, or if it is plugged in using an incorrect cable or adapter.

The support document, which was first spotted by MacRumors, also refers users to another troubleshooting page if a Mac still won’t charge with the proper power source and equipment.

Apple introduced a similar Optimized Battery Charging feature to iPhones and iPads in iOS 13, and to AirPods in iOS 14.