How to get a low battery notification at 20% on a Mac
macOS only warns you when the battery is nearly empty, and you can’t change that level. On macOS Tahoe, create a Shortcuts automation for Battery Level › Falls Below 20% with a Show Notification action. On older macOS versions and on Intel MacBooks, use a menu bar app such as BatteryGuard, which can also repeat the reminder until you plug in.
Updated
With Shortcuts (macOS Tahoe)
Free and built in on MacBooks with macOS Tahoe 26 or later.
- Open the Shortcuts app and click Automation in the sidebar.
- Create a new automation and choose Battery Level, then Falls Below, and set it to 20%.
- Add the Show Notification action with a message such as “Plug in your Mac”. If Shortcuts offers it, let the automation run without asking.
The automation runs once each time the level drops below 20%.
With BatteryGuard (macOS 14 and later)
Works on Apple silicon and Intel MacBooks, and can repeat the reminder until you plug in.
- Open BatteryGuard Settings › Alerts.
- Turn on Remind me to plug in at and choose 20%, or any level from the list.
- Pick whether it repeats every few minutes until you plug in.
Questions
Does macOS warn me when the battery is low?
Yes, but only when it’s nearly empty, and you can’t choose the level. For a reminder at 20% or 30%, use a Shortcuts automation on macOS Tahoe or an app.
Why 20%?
It leaves time to find a charger, and together with unplugging at 80% it keeps the battery out of the very low and very high ends. Any level that suits your day works.
Can I get a reminder when I plug in or unplug?
Yes. On macOS Tahoe, Shortcuts has a Charger trigger (“When my Mac connects to power”). BatteryGuard can also tell you the charger’s wattage when you plug in.
Sources
- What’s new in Shortcuts for macOS 26 — Apple Support