Charge Beacon support
Contact: chargebeacon.support@icloud.com
Charge Beacon is a free Mac menu-bar app in this first version. Open it using its battery/power icon at the top of your screen. Choose Battery care setup for charging guidance or ? for Help.
Connect your companion
Connect nearby using matching confirmation codes, or view the latest saved Mac status through your private iCloud account from another network.
How do I connect nearby?
On your Mac, open Settings → Companion and enable Share status nearby. On iPhone, tap Find my Mac, select the Mac, then compare and confirm the matching code on both devices. Keep both devices awake and the companion open. Allow local-network access when asked.
How do I connect from another location?
Remote status uses private iCloud and the same iCloud account on both devices. Enable remote sharing on the Mac, then tap Connect with iCloud on iPhone. Refresh saved Mac status to fetch the last saved reading. Your Mac must be awake and online to send fresh readings. No Xcode setup is needed.
Is remote status live?
It is the latest saved reading. Changes request updates while the Mac is awake, online and running Charge Beacon. Apple may delay iCloud delivery. The phone does not wake the Mac. Readings older than five minutes are marked out of date; this does not prove the Mac is offline.
Why does nearby discovery fail?
Check Wi-Fi and local-network permission on both devices. Guest networks can block discovery. Stop sharing, disconnect on iPhone and try again. Keep the Mac awake and the companion app open during pairing.
What happens when I close the iPhone app?
Nearby sharing disconnects when the companion goes into the background. Enable Automatically reconnect nearby on both devices after the first approved pairing to reconnect when you reopen the companion. iOS may suspend connections while the app is in the background.
Where does my status go?
Nearby status is shared through an encrypted, code-confirmed session. Optional remote status stores the latest reading in your private iCloud database. History and raw diagnostics stay on the Mac. Remote status is not advertised as end-to-end encrypted.
How do I stop sharing?
Turn off nearby sharing or disconnect either device. For remote status, Stop remote sharing prevents future uploads; Delete this Mac’s saved iCloud status removes the saved reading. Use the remember-sharing option if you want your chosen sharing preference restored after restarting.
How do I test both connections?
Nearby: change the Mac mode or unplug the charger and watch the phone update; Send latest status now requests an immediate local update. Remote: disconnect nearby pairing, put the iPhone on cellular, then refresh saved status. Check the Mac measurement time. Test sleep, reconnect and stopping sharing separately.
Can the companion change charging or fan speed?
No. With permission on your Mac, it can change selected Charge Beacon preferences such as mode and desk target. macOS manages charging. It does not change fans, games or performance.
Can I use both an iPhone and an iPad?
Nearby pairing remembers one trusted companion at a time. To switch, forget the paired device on your Mac, then pair the other device and confirm the matching codes. Private iCloud viewing is independent of that nearby pairing and uses the same iCloud account.
Mac questions
Does it change my charging limit? No. Set Apple’s charging options in macOS Battery Settings. Charge Beacon records your preferred target for guidance.
Why is a reading unavailable? Some Macs or sandbox permissions do not expose optional diagnostics. A missing health reading does not mean the battery is unhealthy. Use macOS Battery Health for Apple’s assessment.
Why am I not charging at 80%? macOS can hold charging through Optimized Battery Charging or a Charge Limit. Check the status in macOS Battery Settings. Charging fully when needed is normal.
What does display time count? Weekly docked time combines observed external-power sessions with any external display connected. It does not establish that the display supplies power. It excludes long gaps and cannot describe periods when the app was closed.
Why does my history look different in the store build? The sandboxed store build uses a separate app-data container from an unsandboxed development build. Development history is not automatically imported or deleted.
Why did a warning appear? Sustained external-power battery discharge can prompt you to check a charger or cable. Thermals come from macOS. The app’s guidance does not diagnose battery damage.
Report an issue or suggest a feature
Include your Mac model, macOS version, Charge Beacon version, what you expected and what happened. If helpful, attach a cropped screenshot of the app. You may copy diagnostics from Settings → Data & Privacy; review the text before sharing it. Avoid sending passwords, account details or unrelated personal files. Do not send your whole system report unless specifically needed and reviewed.
Battery service concerns should be checked in macOS Battery Health and with Apple’s support guidance: https://support.apple.com/en-us/108376
Local AI FAQ · coming next
Planned for a future update; not included in version 1.0.
What does Charge Beacon add to a general AI chat?
It connects supported Mac measurements to a short explanation automatically. You can inspect the facts and their measurement time, without copying readings into a separate chat. AI interpretation can be wrong; measurements remain the reference. General Chat is separate and does not receive Mac readings.
Which model does it use?
Apple’s on-device language model, part of Apple Intelligence. Apple chooses and updates the model available on your device. Charge Beacon uses that model for local text answers; it does not offer a model picker or claim an exact model version, size or number of parameters.
For readers who want the technical detail: the app uses Apple’s Foundation Models framework and its default on-device language model. It does not use Apple’s cloud models, ChatGPT, Claude or another external AI provider. Read Apple’s explanation.
Can I use it without internet?
Yes. Once Apple Intelligence and its model are ready, local answers run on your device without internet. Initial downloads, setup and updates may need internet. General Chat does not need a Mac connection. New Mac readings sent through iCloud need internet; nearby sharing needs a nearby connection.
Do I need to pay for AI or enter an API key?
No API key or separate AI subscription is needed for this integration. Charge Beacon uses the local model already provided by Apple on compatible devices. It has no cloud AI fallback.
Does it work on every Mac, iPhone and iPad?
Local generation needs macOS 26 or later, or iOS/iPadOS 26 or later, on a device where Apple Intelligence is supported, enabled and ready. Availability can also depend on language and region. The app checks availability and explains when AI is unavailable. Ordinary readings still work without AI. A companion can display a saved Mac assessment without having Apple Intelligence itself.
Where does the thinking happen?
Your Mac generates its own assessment when you choose Update companion AI assessment. With sharing enabled, the saved explanation can be viewed on your iPhone or iPad. General Chat runs on whichever compatible device you use to open it. The phone does not borrow the Mac’s model.
What can I ask?
Quick analysis explains the measured Mac status. General Chat can help with everyday questions, short writing, summaries and ideas, without Mac readings. It cannot browse the web, open your files, operate apps or create images in this version. Answers may be wrong; check important information.
What happens to my questions?
Chat stays in the current window’s memory, with up to 12 answers. General Chat uses up to two recent exchanges for brief follow-ups. Clear or close the chat to remove it. No questions are sent to a cloud AI service. A Mac assessment you explicitly generate may be shared through your enabled nearby or private iCloud connection; local storage details and app process samples are excluded. Read the privacy information.
Is the saved Mac assessment live?
No. It shows when it was generated and when the Mac was measured. Generate another assessment on the awake Mac to explain newer conditions. New sensor readings do not silently change an older explanation.
Can I connect both an iPhone and an iPad?
Nearby pairing remembers one trusted companion at a time. Disconnect and forget that device before pairing its replacement. Private iCloud viewing is separate from the remembered nearby device. The companion’s This device tab shows that phone or iPad’s own battery.