How Do I Know If My MacBook Pro Is Charging?

MacBook Pros are known for their impressive battery life, but you must still charge them at least a few times per week in most cases. However, it can be quite frustrating when you plug the cable into your MacBook Pro and you can’t tell if it’s working. So, how do I know if my MacBook Pro is charging?

The fastest way to know if your MacBook Pro is charging is to look for a lightning bolt over the battery icon. Touch the adapter that’s connected to the charging cable to see if it’s warm which indicates your MacBook Pro is charging. Older MacBook Pros came with a charging cable that featured an LED which turned orange when charging, and green when fully charged.

If your MacBook Pro isn’t charging, it could be due to a faulty battery or damaged cable. Follow along as we explore how to know if your MacBook Pro is charging.

How Do I Check My MacBook Charging Status?

Check the Battery Icon

The battery icon at the top of the screen near the center will tell you whether or not your MacBook Pro is charging. You can tell your MacBook Pro is charging if a lightning bolt appears over the battery icon.

If the battery icon doesn’t appear on your home screen, you can enable that feature from the settings menu. Click the Apple icon, “System Settings”, and “Control Center”. Scroll down, select “Battery”, and select “Show in Menu Bar”. Now, the battery will appear at the top of the screen so you always know if your MacBook Pro is charging.

Touch the Power Brick

Has your charger been plugged in for a while but you can’t tell if your MacBook Pro is charging? If so, it could be because the power adapter brick in your charger is overheated. The adapter automatically shuts off when it becomes overheated.

Touch the power brick to see if it’s too hot. Unplug the power brick for a few minutes so it has time to cool down. If this continues to happen, you may simply need to replace your charger with one that’s compatible with your MacBook Pro.

Look at the Charging Cable

Depending on what year your MacBook Pro was released, you may be able to know if it is charging by looking at the charger cable. MacBook Pros that came out before 2016 typically came with magnetic charging cables with an LED display.

If the LED is green, that means the battery is charged and you can unplug the cable. An orange light on the cable indicates that your MacBook Pro is charging. MacBook Pros that come with a USB-C charger don’t have LEDs on the charging cables, unfortunately.

Listen to Your MacBook Pro

Plug your charger cable into your MacBook Pro and listen carefully. You will hear a short sound if your MacBook Pro is charging. If no sound plays, it may indicate that the computer isn’t charging or that the feature doesn’t work. You can know for sure if you check the battery icon.

Why Is My MacBook Pro Not Charging?

Faulty Battery

Your MacBook Pro cannot charge if you have a faulty battery. Click the Apple in the top left corner and select “System Settings”. Next, select “Battery” and scroll down to “Battery Health”. This will tell you what condition your battery is in. It costs up to $200 to replace the battery for a modern MacBook Pro in many cases.  

The Cable is Damaged

Inspect your charging cable to see if there is any damage. If your MacBook Pro isn’t charging but the computer is working fine, it’s likely because of a tear or bend in the cable. You can tell this is the case if you plug another compatible cable into your MacBook Pro and it starts charging.

Bad Wall Socket

Have you tried plugging your MacBook Pro into another outlet if it’s not charging? The problem may just be that the outlet is bad. Try another outlet to see if there is a problem with the wall socket, and call an electrician to replace the bad socket another one works.

The Adapter Isn’t Connected

If your charging cable is plugged into your MacBook Pro, that doesn’t mean that it’s charging. The adapter must be connected to the cable that plugs into your MacBook Pro. Inspect the adapter and make sure it is tightly connected to the cable. This will ensure that it charges your MacBook Pro.

So, How Do I Tell If My MacBook Pro Is Charging?

You can know if your MacBook Pro is charging when a lightning bolt appears over the battery icon. If you have a pre-2017 MacBook Pro, you can tell that it’s charging if you check the LED on the cable. Another sign that your MacBook Pro is charging is that the adapter connected to the charging cable is warm.