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macOS Monterey Users Dealing with Update that Drains Battery

By Laura Tucker
Macos Update Drains Battery Featured

Social media platforms and tech forums are all abuzz regarding a macOS Monterey update that drains the battery. After a recent OS update, users are waking up to MacBooks that died during the night and are demanding answers. It seems the issue stems from Bluetooth waking laptops repeatedly throughout the night.

Also read: 11 Best Docking Stations for MacBook Pro

macOS Monterey Users Demand Answers

If you have a MacBook, you may be one of the many frustrated users who are dealing with the 12.2 update issue that drains the battery while the device is in sleep mode.

Twitter user fishjourner wrote, “Whoa macOS 12.2 21D49 (the current version) is behaving like Windows! Battery went from full to 0% while on sleep mode overnight. Any fix, @Apple Support?” Attached were graph screenshots of battery level and screen usage that showed the battery taking a nosedive when the screen wasn’t in use.

Macos Update Drains Battery User

There were plenty of other users to complain of the same issue that drains the battery on MacBooks. João Pavão tweeted, “@Apple tweeps: macOS 12.2 breaks something related with bluetooth + sleepwake. Looking at ‘mset -g log,’ it seems like it spent all night waking up every few seconds for bluetooth and drained all the battery [FB9862509]”

The same user also tweeted, “So, is everyone’s Mac waking up like this today? WTF happened during the night with this update?” Attached to the pair of tweets are a similar battery level graph as the other user and a screenshot of the macOS icon showing a low battery.

A forum user wrote, “Happened to me on my late 2019 16-inch MBP, installed the update while plugged into power, rebooted the MBP no apps were left nothing and I closed the lid. I unplugged the MBP the battery was 100% and went to bed.

“When I woke up and opened the MBP lid it would not wake from sleep. I didn’t know what was wrong at the moment so I plugged the MBP back into power and tried to get it to wake up. The chime sounded it woke up and showed 1% battery. It went from 100% to 1% overnight with the lid closed and nothing running.”

Also read: Need to Fix a Water-Damaged MacBook? Find Out How to Save It

No Apple Solution

While some users claim this issue was happening to earlier macOS versions, it seems most are blaming 12.2, with some also claiming it exists in the 12.3 beta as well. Most complaints are coming from those who have an M1 MacBook, though it seems those with Intel processors inside their Mac laptops are also experiencing issues.

Macos Update Drains Battery Dead

So far, Apple isn’t saying much about this update bug other than the support team providing support documents that include tips on battery optimization. I think we can all agree that isn’t very helpful at this point.

In the absence of fixes from Apple, it’s believed that Bluetooth is waking the devices when they’re in sleep mode. Some tech-minded users have determined after examining Terminal that Bluetooth devices are causing “DarkWake from Deep Idle.”

Some users dealing with macOS 12.2 battery drains reported that turning Bluetooth off or disconnecting Bluetooth accessories has helped them retain battery life. Others have chosen the ill-advised path of leaving it plugged in all night.

Note that this isn’t macOS Monterey’s first issue. Read on to learn how it was bricking Macs shorting after its release.

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Laura Tucker Avatar
Laura Tucker
Laura has spent more than 20 years writing news, reviews, and op-eds, with the majority of those years as an editor as well. She has exclusively used Apple products for the past 35 years. In addition to writing and editing at MTE, she also runs the site’s sponsored review program.

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