Use a Mac Tutorials: All new MacBooks come with a lithium-polymer battery that includes a MagSafe power port and power adapter. Different MacBooks have different battery capacity. Depending on which version of the MacBook you purchased, your battery should provide between five and seven hours of wireless web surfing. There are several things you can do to both maximize the number of hours your notebook will run on battery before needing a charge, and increase the lifespan of your battery (the amount of time you get out of it before needed to buy a new battery).

Here’s a video tutorial that discusses several tips:

One of the easiest ways to reduce your battery usage is to reduce your screen brightness. Turn it down to the lowest level that is still comfortable for you to use. The same goes for volume – keep it to a level that is comfortable for you to hear and not blasting.

Turn off Bluetooth and Airport when not in use. These use wireless technology, and constantly search for appropriate signals. This can drain your battery needlessly.

Ensure you don’t have idle applications running in the background. Close down any apps that aren’t in use.

There is a Dashboard widget called iStat Nano that you can download. It monitors your system, and tells you about your CPU, hard drive space, memory, bandwidth usage, temperatures, uptime, fan speeds, and battery. It tells you how many charging cycles your battery has been through, the health of your battery, and the current power source. If you’re charging your battery, you can also see how long until its fully charged and the current charge status. This helps you to keep track of the health of your battery.

You should calibrate your battery every month. To do so, run your battery right down and turn off your notebook. Charge it fully, let it sit for a few hours, and start using it again.

According to the Apple website, you should be able to fully charge and discharge your battery up to 1000 times before the health of the battery drops below 80 percent. Your battery should last three to five years. Most importantly, when you first get a new notebook, fully charge the battery the first time you plug it in, and then run Software Update to check for any updates that might help battery performance.

Another important way to make sure your battery stays healthy is to keep your MacBook in an environment with a suitable temperatures. Never store you MacBook in extremely hot or cold conditions – so the trunk of your car is never a good option. The “Notebook Temperate Zone” is room temperature, or 22°C.

If you purchased AppleCare, and you notice the health of your battery has declined significantly within the first year, you can get your battery replaced for free, as long as you are within the first year of your term. If you’ve had your MacBook for over a year, you will have to pay to replace your battery.