Apple’s latest update should fix MacBooks’ battery drain issue

Apple has released an update to solve the battery drain issues some Mac users experienced since upgrading to macOS 12.2. The release notes for the new version, 12.2.1, say it contains fixes for “an issue for Intel-based Mac computers that may cause the battery to drain during sleep when connected to Bluetooth peripherals.”

Before Thursday’s updates, some users reported their MacBooks’ batteries would drain while the computer was asleep, sometimes even reaching 0 percent charge overnight. While there was evidence that Bluetooth was the culprit, some users reported that turning off Bluetooth before closing their computers didn’t help, making it slightly unclear what the issue was. Now, Apple’s said it’s specifically fixing an issue with Bluetooth — hopefully, it’ll work for everyone.

Apple also released updates for iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS on Thursday. If you’ve got an iPhone or iPad, it’s probably best to install the 15.3.1 update as soon as you can — Apple’s security page says it’s made to fix a security flaw that may have been actively exploited. AppleTrack notes that the update also solves a bug with a braille-related accessibility feature. watchOS 8.4.2 appears to be relatively minor, with Apple not listing any security updates.

To update your Mac, go to System Preferences > Software Update. After refreshing, it should show that the 12.2.1 update is available, which you can install by clicking the “Update Now” button.