Refurbished MacBooks typically come with battery health between 80% and 100%, depending on the refurbisher. Apple does not promise a new battery in a refurbished Mac: its refurbishment page limits the new battery and outer shell to iOS devices such as iPhone and iPad. An Apple Certified Refurbished MacBook gets genuine Apple replacement parts as needed, so check its cycle count too.

What do other refurbishers offer?

Third-party refurbishers have varying battery standards. Some replace the battery on every unit, while others only replace it if health has dropped below a threshold (often 80%). The battery health you receive generally correlates with the cosmetic condition grade:

  • Excellent (Grade A): Battery health typically 85-100%.
  • Good (Grade B): Battery health typically 80-90%.
  • Fair (Grade C): Battery health may be lower but still functional.

You can check what each seller guarantees on the battery condition comparison page.

How do I check battery health on a refurbished Mac?

In System Settings > Battery, Battery Health reads Normal, or Service Recommended if the battery holds less charge than when it was new or isn't working normally.

  1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Battery in the sidebar.
  2. Look at Battery Health, then click the Info button (i) next to the condition. Depending on your Mac model, it shows Maximum Capacity, the battery's capacity compared with when it was new.
  3. For the cycle count, hold the Option key, click the Apple menu and choose System Information. Under Hardware, select Power. The count is listed under Battery Information.

Apple designs the battery to keep up to 80% of its original capacity at its maximum cycle count, which is 1,000 for every MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with Apple silicon. Check both figures as soon as the Mac arrives, while you can still return it; a low cycle count means more battery life ahead. To see how that translates into years of use, read our guide on how long MacBooks last.

What if the battery health is poor?

If your refurbished MacBook arrives with battery health below what was advertised, contact the refurbisher's customer service. This should be covered under their return policy or warranty.