MacBook, MacBook Pro: Battery not recognized or "X" icon appears on menu bar
Symptoms
The battery of a MacBook or MacBook Pro computer may:
- Appear to have no charge (zero percent)
- Be unable to power the computer by itself; the computer might work only when it is connected to the MagSafe power adaptor, which only shows a green LED
- Appear with a black "X" icon on the menu bar
Note: If a red "X" icon appears on the menu bar and the power adaptor displays an amber LED, see this article instead.
Products Affected
MacBook, MacBook Pro
Resolution
- Shut down, then remove and reinstall the battery. Test for the issue(s) again.
- Connect the MagSafe power adaptor (if you haven't already) and see if the behavior continues.
- If the issue(s) persist, download and install the Mac OS X 10.4.9 Update.
- If the issue(s) persist, download and install Battery Update 1.2.
If, after installing the Mac OS X 10.4.9 Update and Battery Update 1.2, a black "X" still appears in the menu bar, follow the steps in this article.
If the battery charge status still shows zero percent, yet appears to show a nearly full charge shortly thereafter, see this article.
If any other of the above symptoms persist after following these steps, please contact AppleCare support for further assistance.
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