Is Mac 4 Breakfast a subscription?

No. There is a free tier, and Pro is a one-time purchase — pay once, use forever, with no subscription.

Is there a free trial?

Yes — 14 days of full Pro with no account or credit card. Afterwards the app continues as the free version until you buy Pro.

What are the system requirements?

macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Apple silicon (Intel is best-effort).

Yes. Everything runs locally on your Mac — no account, no cloud, no analytics, no tracking.

Why is it not on the Mac App Store?

The App Store sandbox blocks the deep battery, device and charge-control features. It is distributed directly and notarized by Apple.

Is "Not Charging" bad for my MacBook?

No. It’s usually macOS intentionally holding the charge to protect battery health, or the battery being near full. It’s only worth investigating if the battery never charges over several hours of light use on AC.

Why does my MacBook discharge while plugged in?

Under a heavy load (gaming, exporting video, many apps), the system can draw more power than the adapter delivers, so the battery tops up the difference and slowly drains even on AC. A higher-watt adapter fixes it.

How do I force my MacBook to charge?

Turn off Optimized Battery Charging in System Settings → Battery → Battery Health, or simply use the Mac normally — macOS resumes charging when it decides it’s safe. Avoid third-party hacks that disable safety limits.

Why your MacBook says “Not Charging” while plugged in

You plug in your MacBook and the menu bar says “Not Charging” — or worse, the percentage keeps dropping. Before you worry: in almost every case this is macOS working as designed, not a broken battery or charger. Here’s what’s actually happening.

1. Optimized Battery Charging is holding it

macOS learns your routine and deliberately pauses charging around 80%, finishing to 100% only just before you typically unplug. Sitting at a high charge in heat is the single biggest cause of long-term wear, so this genuinely protects your battery. You’ll see “Not Charging” or a hold around 80% — that’s the feature, not a fault.

2. The battery is already (nearly) full

Above roughly 90–95%, macOS stops actively charging and lets the battery rest to avoid stress, even though it reads “plugged in.” It’ll top off later. Perfectly normal.

3. Your workload exceeds the adapter

This is the surprising one. Under a heavy load — video export, gaming, dozens of browser tabs — your Mac can draw more power than the adapter provides. The battery quietly makes up the difference, so it discharges even while plugged in. A common case: a 67–70 W workload on a 60 W charger. The fix is a higher-watt adapter, or just letting the load drop.

This is exactly why a clear readout matters. A plain “Not Charging” label doesn’t tell you why. Mac 4 Breakfast shows the live wattage flowing in or out (“Charging with 41.9 W” vs. drawing from the battery), the adapter’s rating, and which apps are using significant energy right now — so you can tell a healthy hold from a real problem in one glance.

4. Heat or a reset is needed (less common)

Heat: if the battery is hot, macOS pauses charging until it cools. Move off soft surfaces and let it breathe.
Cable/adapter: try a known-good USB-C cable and a higher-watt charger; cheap cables often can’t carry full power.
SMC-style glitches: a restart clears most transient charging quirks on Apple silicon.

When it actually is a problem

Investigate if: the battery never charges over several hours of light use on AC, it keeps dropping toward 0% while plugged in under light load, or macOS shows “Service Recommended.” Then check your battery health and, if it’s low, consider a battery service.