MacBook users have reportedly experienced battery charging without even plugging-in the AC adapter - icon randomly shows the charging sign, screen suddenly gets brighter etc. While free energy would be like the best ever in the history of mankind, a MacBook battery cannot, under any circumstances, recharge itself just like that, so if you're experiencing the same issues, a bunch of possible reasons can be found below.

"Macbook unplugged, but icon says charging" is the current topic up on Apple Discussions. Erik B. writes: "At first I thought I was experiencing the dreaded screen flicker, but then I realized that my screen kept getting brighter and dimmer because for some reason my new macbook thinks that the battery is charging even when it isn't plugged in."

He goes on mentioning that "for the most part," the battery icon doesn't indicate any abnormal activity, but "on a random interval ... [it] shows the charging icon," increasing the screen's brightness level in the process. Erik compares the situation saying it pretty much acts as if "the magsafe were plugged in". Clicking on the icon, however, didn't reveal any battery-charging activity.

An exact solution to Erk B.'s problem isn't available of course, given that there are at least 4 possible (damaged, malfunctioning) parts that are likely causing this problem, but here's what you can keep an eye out for, in case you're having similar trouble with your MacBook:

- see whether you can clarify the power flow configuration when all this is occurring
- check if the AC adapter is ever plugged in when the battery state changes from drain (unplugged) to draw (plugged in)
- try and remember if anything whatsoever has recently changed on your machine, (like a software update for example)
- a power surge could also count as a reason for this issue
- dirt...

The question "Drop your machine recently or mishandle it?", as simple as it sounds, is among the possible reasons mentioned on Apple Discussions, so in the end, if everything mentioned above doesn't seem to be the reason for a "self-charging battery," it's probably best if you just call up customer support and have a professional look at your Mac.