On Apple's 2024 M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air models, Apple has made it possible to check the number of completed battery cycles, which is a valuable metric to determine your device's battery condition.
On the new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, Apple includes a new Battery Health menu (Settings ➝ Battery ➝ Battery Health) where you can check the "Maximum Capacity" percentage of the battery. This is a measure of the battery capacity relative to when it was new – a feature that is not available on older iPads. However, an arguably more informative metric of a battery's health is its charge count, which is also available on the new iPads.
Previously, discovering an iPad Pro or iPad Air battery cycle count was not an option in iPadOS, and curious users had to resort to unofficial methods via third-party apps or delve into developer analytics. Fortunately, that's no longer the case. A charge cycle is registered every time you deplete all of the battery's capacity, which degrades over time. From Apple's battery information webpage:
Apple lithium-ion batteries work in charge cycles. You complete one charge cycle when you've used (discharged) an amount that represents 100% of your battery’s capacity — but not necessarily all from one charge. For instance, you might use 75% of your battery's capacity one day, then recharge it fully overnight. If you use 25% the next day, you will have discharged a total of 100%, and the two days will add up to one charge cycle. It could take several days to complete a cycle. The capacity of any type of battery will diminish after a certain amount of recharging. With lithium-ion batteries, the capacity diminishes slightly with each complete charge cycle. Apple lithium-ion batteries are designed to retain 80% of their original capacity for a high number of charge cycles, which varies depending on the product.
How to Check M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air Battery Cycle Count
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap through to Battery ➝ Battery Health.
- Check the number next to Cycle Count.
According to Apple, iPad batteries are designed to retain 80% of their original capacity at 1,000 complete charge cycles, depending on how they're regularly used and charged.
On M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air models, you can also set a hard 80% limit on battery charging, which can improve battery lifespan by reducing the time that the battery is fully charged. Be sure to check out our dedicated how-to article to learn how.
