Skip to main content

How to use the hidden Power Mode on a MacBook Pro

A MacBook Pro set on a table.
Paolo Conversano/Unsplash

MacBooks have long had a Low Power Mode option that users can enable to cut down on some of the extra features and lower settings to save as much battery life as possible. But with the 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro model with the M1 Max chip, Apple added a new option designed more for those who are using their MacBooks as a desktop replacement to get serious work done: It’s called High Power Mode, and it’s essentially the opposite of Low Power.

Recommended Videos

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

5 minutes

What You Need

  • 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1/M2 Max chip

If that sounds like a perfect fit for your workload and you know that you’ll be near an outlet to save your battery, we’ll show you how to enable High Power Mode and what to expect from it.

What does High Power Mode do, exactly?

Apple doesn’t give out all the details, but High Power Mode is designed to let the MacBook Pro deliver higher performance for the most intensive workloads. Part of that includes ratcheting up fan speeds to higher levels so internal components cool down faster and become more efficient.

Apple recommends using this mode when tackling higher-end design work, like color-grading 8K ProRes 4444 files and 8K DNxHR video. If you’re working on projects that are taking up a lot of RAM and require your display visuals to be maxed out, High Power Mode can be of help.

Keep in mind, you’ll need the right MacBook Pro models to see this feature. It was first added with the 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro … but only those using the M1 Max chip, not the M1 Pro chip. It won’t work with smaller 13-inch MacBook Pros or lesser chips, so you may want to check your configuration to make sure you have the right model.

How to enable High Power Mode on 16-inch MacBook Pros

As always, it’s a good idea to make sure your MacOS is updated and your battery is charged before you begin. High Power Mode can work on battery power or when connected to a power adapter, although it will drain batteries more quickly.

Step 1: Log into your Mac and choose the Apple menu icon in the upper-left corner of the MacOS home screen.

Step 2: Select System Preferences.

Step 3: When System Preferences opens, select the Battery icon.

Battery in System Preferences.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 4: Look at the left-side menu, and you will see options for both Battery and Power adapter. This will control how your MacBook Pro behaves depending on its power source. If you choose Battery, the settings you change will apply to battery power only, and likewise for the Power adapter option. It’s common to choose High Power Mode only for the power adapter so that there’s less risk of running your battery down, but you can choose either power option or both.

The M1 Max Battery Section.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 5: Look for the section called Energy mode, and select the pop-up menu beside it. Here, if you have the right MacBook Pro model, you should see options for Low Power, Automatic, and High Power. Select High Power to continue.

Step 6: Confirm, and your MacBook Pro will now switch to its High Power Mode. You can switch back at any time from the menu or by choosing the Restore defaults button below. If you aren’t sure if your MacBook Pro is currently in High Power Mode or not, you can easily check by selecting the Battery icon in the upper-right corner of MacOS. Here, compatible MacBook Pros will have a “High Power Mode” section showing if it’s on or off.

MacBook High Power Mode status menu.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re looking to buy a new MacBook Pro, Apple is planning on MacBook models featuring its new M2 chip, too. There will also be an M2 Max version of the processor, so make sure to look for that model when configuring your MacBook Pro. However, tests have shown that the M2 chip struggles with SSD read/write speeds at this time, so there may be a cost to upgrading.

Tyler Lacoma
Former Digital Trends Contributor
If it can be streamed, voice-activated, made better with an app, or beaten by mashing buttons, Tyler's into it. When he's not…
Amazon has slashed the price of the MacBook Pro M4 by $250
Someone using a MacBook Pro at a desk.

Amazon is often the home of great Apple deals, and that continues to be the case today. Right now, you can buy the latest Apple MacBook Pro with M4 Pro chip for $250 off. That means instead of paying $2,499, you pay $2,249. That’s not quite the lowest price it’s ever been, but it’s not far off -- the MacBook Pro with M4 has only ever dropping to $2,199 at its lowest. For the most part, $2,249 is a sweet deal and one of the better laptop deals around. If you’re keen to learn more, read on and we’ll take you through all it has to offer.

Why you should buy the Apple MacBook Pro with M4 Pro
The latest MacBook Pro tops our look at the best MacBooks for so many fantastic reasons. It’s a true powerhouse of a machine while still looking super elegant and stylish. In our MacBook Pro review, we described it as “the best gets even better.” It offers “record-breaking performance,” with the M4 Pro chip proving to be exceptionally powerful for all kinds of tasks. It also has a best-in-class keyboard and trackpad, which adds to the experience.

Read more
I desperately want MacBooks to steal this trackpad feature
Someone using a MacBook Pro M4.

One of my favorite things about using a MacBook Pro is the trackpad gestures. For years, I’ve been able to swipe through different windows, open Command Center or Launchpad, and check notifications while hardly moving my hand at all.

Most Windows laptops I try have an inferior overall trackpad experience, but like most things in tech, that hasn’t lasted for long. I’ve recently been trying the Asus Zenbook S 14 — powered by Intel’s latest Lunar Lake CPU — and one of my favorite features is the way Asus has approached the trackpad. It’s quickly changing my opinion of Windows laptops as a whole.

Read more
Get a MacBook Air M2 for a massive $500 off at Best Buy
A woman working on a 2023 MacBook Air with M2 chip.

For great laptop deals, Best Buy is always a good place to look. Right now, it has one of the best MacBook deals with a chunky $500 off the Apple MacBook Air M2 with 15-inch screen. The laptop normally costs $1,899, but right now you can buy it for $1,399, saving a huge $500. The laptop might not have the latest processor, but it’s still highly competent for many, many purposes. It’ll make a great gift for a loved one, but also a useful productivity tool for you too. Here’s all you need to know.

Why you should buy the Apple MacBook Air M2 15-inch
Still featuring in our look at the best MacBooks, the Apple MacBook Air M2 is a great laptop for experienced macOS users or anyone new to the ecosystem. This particular model has the M2 chip with an 8-core CPU and up to 10-core GPU. It also has a 16-core Neural Engine for advanced machine learning tasks. Besides the CPU, the Apple MacBook Air M2 15-inch also has 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage, so it’s all set for providing everything you need.

Read more