Don’t miss out on our latest stories. Add PCMag as a preferred source on Google.
The traditional Windows 11 battery life indicator leaves a lot to be desired. It’s very small and only provides a rough idea of the charge you might have left. In an effort to fix that, a Windows update dropping this week (Windows 11 Build 26200.7019) will add a splash of color, as well as a more prominent percentage display.
Currently, the Windows 11 battery indicator is flat white or black (depending on your theme choices), and you can only see the percentage remaining if you click on it or check the Quick Settings menu. As Windows Latest reports, the battery indicator will soon change to green and feature a small lightning bolt symbol when the laptop is plugged in and charging. When battery saving mode is activated (you can set it manually, but it automatically kicks in at 30%), the indicator will switch to yellow. When the battery dips to under 6%, it will turn red.
The battery indicator is also roughly twice the length of the previous one, and there’s a new icon for smart charging. It will display a plug symbol over the indicator when the battery is above 80% (and no longer charging to help preserve battery longevity), rather than the green tint and lightning bolt.
The leaf indicator for energy-saving modes is gone, and the low battery one removes the circular “X” indicator, relying instead on a red tone to make it clear that your laptop is about to die.
Recommended by Our Editors
Perhaps the most useful change is the option to turn on a percentage indicator on the taskbar. Navigate to Settings > System > Power & Battery, and toggle on the Battery Percentage switch once the update rolls out. Windows Insiders have had access to this feature for a while now, but it will begin global rollout on Nov. 11 as part of the latest Patch Tuesday release.
Get Our Best Stories!
Your Daily Dose of Our Top Tech News
By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
About Our Expert
Jon Martindale
Contributor
Experience
Jon Martindale is a tech journalist from the UK, with 20 years of experience covering all manner of PC components and associated gadgets. He’s written for a range of publications, including ExtremeTech, Digital Trends, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, and Lifewire, among others. When not writing, he’s a big board gamer and reader, with a particular habit of speed-reading through long manga sagas.
Jon covers the latest PC components, as well as how-to guides on everything from how to take a screenshot to how to set up your cryptocurrency wallet. He particularly enjoys the battles between the top tech giants in CPUs and GPUs, and tries his best not to take sides.
Jon’s gaming PC is built around the iconic 7950X3D CPU, with a 7900XTX backing it up. That’s all the power he needs to play lightweight indie and casual games, as well as more demanding sim titles like Kerbal Space Program. He uses a pair of Jabra Active 8 earbuds and a SteelSeries Arctis Pro wireless headset, and types all day on a Logitech G915 mechanical keyboard.
Read Full Bio
&w=1024&resize=1024,1024&ssl=1 "Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 terá design parecido com os Apple AirPods, segundo vazamento")
