But the company also eliminated a few features to accommodate the new form factor. For example, the battery percentage indicator was discarded from the status bar starting with iPhone X. The status bar only consisted of a visual battery indicator, and users would need to swipe down the control panel to see a definite battery percentage. Understandably, users were upset. Fortunately, Apple has finally reintroduced the battery percentage in the status bar with iOS 16. For those unaware, iOS 16 is the latest version of the OS that powers the iPhone. iOS 16 is currently in developer beta and has not been rolled out to the general public. Users first spotted the option to enable battery percentage in the status bar in iOS 16 beta 5. This guide will cover everything you need to know about the battery percentage feature introduced in iOS 16 Beta 5.
What is iPhone Battery Percentage in Status Bar feature?
Until now, users of notched iPhones (iPhone X, XS, 11, 12, and 13 series) had to swipe down to see their current battery percentage levels. This introduced an unnecessary step to view something as basic as battery percentage. Older iPhones had enough space to accommodate a separate percentage indicator. But the inclusion of Face ID sensors in the notch botched the status bar’s real estate. Starting from the iOS 16 Beta 5 update, even (supported) notched iPhones can now display the battery percentage in the status bar. The percentage is integrated within the visual battery indicator. Like the traditional battery icon, the new indicator is dynamic and changes colors based on the battery level.
Which iPhones support Battery Percentage in Status Bar?
The iOS 16 Beta 5 is being rolled out to numerous iPhones, but the battery percentage feature is unavailable on some of them. Devices like the iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 13 Mini, and iPhone 11 haven’t received the option to turn on battery percentage. Their omission from the list can be attributed to their relatively smaller footprint. Here’s a detailed list of devices that support the battery percentage in the status bar feature as of iOS 16 Beta 5:
iPhone 13 Pro Max iPhone 13 Pro iPhone 13 iPhone 12 Pro Max iPhone 12 Pro iPhone 12 iPhone 11 Pro iPhone 11 Pro Max iPhone XS Max iPhone XS iPhone X
We never know. The unsupported devices may get this feature in a later update. As the update is still in the beta stages, it is subject to change by the time a stable release occurs.
What are the other requirements for this feature?
As mentioned earlier, this feature is only available on the iOS 16 Beta 5. Therefore, you will need to switch to the beta channel if you want to try this feature. However, we wouldn’t recommend you to switch to beta updates on your daily driver. If you are already on iOS 16, please update to the latest version.
How to Enable Battery Percentage in Status Bar on a Supported iPhone?
Users can enable the battery percentage from the settings app on a supported iPhone. Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide:
- Open Settings.
- Go to Battery.
- Click on the Battery Percentage toggle. After enabling this feature, the battery percentage will be visible in the battery indicator on the status bar. You can turn it off by clicking on the battery percentage toggle. We feel this is a good approach to the issue. Apple finally listened to its users and solved the battery percentage in the status bar problem. Did you like this implementation? Let us know in the comments section.
