How to show the battery percentage on iphone 12

Some iPhone owners making the upgrade to iOS 16 will be disappointed to find the new battery percentage display in the status bar isn't working.

Table of Contents Show

Recommended by Our Editors
About Matthew Humphries
How do I make my iPhone 12 Battery percentage show permanently?
How do I turn on Battery percentage 12?
Can you make iPhone always show battery percentage?

As MacRumors reports(Opens in a new window), this isn't a bug. Apple updated a support document(Opens in a new window) to confirm that the battery percentage won't be displayed in the status bar on some older iPhone models. More specifically, the iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 mini, and the iPhone 13 mini will only show the visual representation of battery level.

Adding the battery percentage to the status bar was high on the list of requested features by iPhone users, and Apple finally delivered it alongside a bevy of other new features in iOS 16. It's a more convenient way of seeing how much battery you have left without having to swipe down from the top-right corner of your display. Apple hasn't explained why these four models of iPhone can't show the percentage.

Recommended by Our Editors

Hands On With the Apple iPhone 14 Lineup

Apple Fan?

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.

Thanks for signing up!

Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!

About Matthew Humphries

Senior Editor

I've been working at PCMag since November 2016, covering all areas of technology and video game news. Before that I spent nearly 15 years working at Geek.com as a writer and editor. I also spent the first six years after leaving university as a professional game designer working with Disney, Games Workshop, 20th Century Fox, and Vivendi.

I hold two degrees: a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a Master's degree in Games Development. My first book, Make Your Own Pixel Art, is available from all good book shops.

iOS 16 finally brought back the iPhone’s battery percentage indicator after a 5-year absence, though it was missing from certain ‘smaller’ iPhones with Face ID during launch simply because there was not enough space. Thankfully, it has been rectified by Apple and now, all iPhones with a notch or display cutouts have this feature.

Specifically, the release of iOS 16.1 added support for showing battery percentage icons for the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 11 and iPhone XR. Essentially, iPhone users now have the option to show the current battery percentage of their device within the battery icon on the status bar of their device.

Previously, the battery icon on the status bar would only show colours corresponding to the battery level, with users having to pull down from the status bar to actually see the current battery percentage. In order to turn on the feature, users only need to go to Settings, select Battery and turn on the ‘Battery Percentage’ option.

Well, better late than never I guess. What do you guys think? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more trending tech news such as this!

In iOS 16, Apple has introduced an option that lets you display the exact percentage of your iPhone's remaining battery in the status bar, even if you have a model with Face ID. This article explains how it works in iOS 16 Beta 5.

Before now, the option to show battery percentage in the status bar has only been available on pre-iPhone X models and iPhone SE models that have no notch, where space at the top of the screen isn't at a premium.

If you have a newer iPhone with Face ID running iOS 15, the battery icon shows a visual of the battery level, but it does not provide a specific percent, so you have to swipe into the Control Center or use the battery widget to view the battery percentage remaining.

That's all changed in iOS 16, and the status bar percentage indicator is now available on newer iPhones with a notch – but not all models.

In iOS 16, the battery level option is available on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models, with the exception of the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini. It is also available on the iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone 11 Pro/Max, but not the standard iPhone 11 or the iPhone XR. It's not clear why all notched iPhones don't support the feature, that's the situation for now.

If you have a compatible iPhone with Face ID running iOS 16 here's how to enable the percentage indicator.

Open Settings on your iPhone.
Scroll down and tap Battery.
Toggle on Battery Percentage.

That's all there is to it. You'll now see a specific battery level inside the battery icon on both the Lock Screen and your Home Screens, providing a better idea of battery status at a glance.

The battery icon will change colors based on the status of the battery, and the color of the iPhone's wallpaper. When charging, for example, the battery icon will turn green and show a charging indicator. When the charge drops below 20%, the battery icon will show a red level.

If your iPhone doesn't support the new option, don't worry – you can still check the exact level of the battery using a handful of other methods.

How do I make my iPhone 12 Battery percentage show permanently?

Go to Settings > Battery, then turn on Battery Percentage.

How do I turn on Battery percentage 12?

Use widgets to show battery percentage To add one, you need to go on your home screen and long-press there, then tap on the plus(+) sign that appears in the top left corner, and the widgets menu will appear. Now select the “Batteries” widget.

Can you make iPhone always show battery percentage?

Just swipe down from the top-right corner of your display. With iOS 16, you can turn on the battery percentage so it appears in your status bar. Go to Settings > Battery, and turn on Battery Percentage.