Profiles Switcher Profiles Switcher › Automations › A low battery warning you notice
Get a proper low battery warning on your MacBook
Create a Low battery profile that requires the battery below 20% and running on battery, and add Speak text aloud, Show a notification and, if you like, Run a Shortcut to save power. A second profile at 80% or above puts things back.
- When
- Battery below 20%On battery
- Then
- Say "Battery low"Show a notificationRun "Save Power"
Last updated
How to set it up
- Create the profile. Add a profile named Low battery and set the match to "All are true".
- Add the rules. Add a Battery level rule set to "Below" 20%, and an AC power (charger) rule set to "On battery".
- Add the warnings. Add Speak text aloud with your message and Show a notification. Allow notifications when macOS asks.
- Add a way back. Create a Charged profile with Battery level "At or above" 80% to restore your normal settings.
Get Profiles Switcher on the Mac App Store, for macOS 13 or later
Permission needed: Notifications. See permissions in the help guide.
The warning that is easy to miss
macOS shows a small notification when the battery runs low. With headphones on, in full screen, or with notifications silenced by a Focus mode, it is easy to miss until the Mac suddenly sleeps. A spoken warning is hard to ignore, and a profile can do more than warn: it can also start saving power.
What the profile does
- Speak text aloud says your message in any installed voice, in any language.
- Show a notification leaves a note in Notification Center in case you were away.
- Run a Shortcut can take real action, for example a shortcut that turns on Low Power Mode or lowers the screen brightness.
Because the rules require “All are true”, the profile only switches on while the battery is low and the Mac is actually running on battery.
Pair it with a Charged profile
A Battery level rule set to At or above 80% makes a natural partner. When you plug in and the battery recovers, the Charged profile switches on and can restore your usual brightness or turn the power-saving shortcut off again. Together they turn battery level into a small automatic routine.
Frequently asked questions
Why also require "On battery"?
So the warning does not repeat while the Mac is already charging back up from a low level.
Is the percentage the same one macOS shows?
Yes. It matches the battery percentage in the menu bar. Tools that compare with the battery’s original capacity can show a lower number.
Will the voice play with the lid closed?
No. The built-in speakers cannot play while the lid is closed or the Mac is asleep.
Related automations
Set it up in a few minutes
Profiles Switcher is a menu bar app for Mac (macOS 13 or later, Apple Silicon and Intel) that switches your Mac's setup automatically. You build profiles from 19 triggers, such as the Wi-Fi network you join, a place, headphones or a display, and 18 actions, including running any of your Shortcuts. Everything runs on your Mac; it is available on the Mac App Store.
Download on the Mac App Store