The iOS battery icon in the top-right corner of the newer iPhone models does not display the exact battery percentage. Because of this, if you have an iPhone with Face ID—like the iPhone X, 11, 12, or 13—you might wonder how to turn on the battery percentage.
Surprisingly, despite reducing the notch size in the newest iPhone 13 model, iOS 15 does not offer any way to show the battery percentage next to the icon in the status bar. So, here are five quick and easy alternative methods to see the battery level on your iPhone.
1. View the iPhone Battery Percentage in Control Center
From your iPhone Lock Screen, Home Screen, or from inside an app, swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Center. Here, you will see the precise battery percentage next to the battery icon.
Please note that if you have an iPhone without a notch—like the iPhone SE, 8, 7, 6, or 5—open Settings > Battery and enable Battery Percentage. Your phone will permanently display the battery percentage in the status bar. Now here's the kicker, the following methods will work for these iPhones too. So, continue reading.
2. View the iPhone Battery Percentage Using the Battery Widget
The iOS battery widget is a convenient way to see the battery percentage of your iPhone and connected accessories, like AirPods, Apple Watch, and other Bluetooth devices.
Here is how to add the battery widget to your iPhone Home Screen.
- Press and hold anywhere in an empty area of the Home Screen.
- Tap the plus icon (+) from the top left.
- Scroll down and tap Batteries.
- Swipe to choose one of the three widget sizes.
- Finally, tap Add Widget > Done
Add the Battery Widget to the Today View
The Today View is a dedicated section on your iPhone where you can add app widgets. To access Today View, swipe right from the first Home Screen or the Lock Screen.
The main advantage of having the battery widget in the Today View is that it lets you know the battery percentage of the iPhone and other devices from the Lock Screen without needing to unlock the device.
To add the battery widget to iOS's Today View, swipe right from the first Home Screen. Now, from the bottom, tap Edit, hit the plus icon (+), and select Batteries > Add Widget > Done.
When you are on the Lock Screen, swipe right to see the battery percentage.
