How do I check my MacBook's battery cycle count without third-party apps?

Open System Information (hold Option and click the Apple menu → System Information), go to Hardware → Power, and look for “Cycle Count” and “Condition.” Or, open Terminal and paste ioreg -l | grep -i cycle. Apple’s tool also tells you whether the battery health is “Normal” or “Service Recommended.” That’s all you really need — no third-party software needed.