Windows 11 Battery Percentage Indicator Update: Finally Here!

Windows 11 Gets a Long-Awaited Battery Percentage Indicator

In a noteworthy shift from its predecessors, Windows 11 has largely lacked a direct battery percentage indicator on the taskbar, contrasting with both mobile and desktop operating systems. Users seeking accurate battery life data had previously to hover over the battery icon or rely on third-party applications, such as Battery Flyout. However, recent developments suggest that Microsoft is taking steps to rectify this gap.

Updates in the Latest Windows 11 Dev Build

Enthusiastic users uncovered that the latest Dev build of Windows 11, which introduced significant features for Copilot+ enabled PCs, also included enhancements to the battery indicator. Notably, alongside a redesign first observed in early December 2024, Microsoft is set to roll out a functional battery percentage display directly adjacent to the battery icon in the taskbar.

The updated battery indicator in Windows 11

Customizable User Experience

Recognizing that some users might prefer a less cluttered taskbar, Microsoft is providing the option to toggle the battery percentage indicator on or off. This feature can be conveniently found in System > Power > Battery Percentage.

Accessing the New Feature Before Official Announcement

Though Microsoft has yet to officially announce this updated battery indicator, those eager to experiment with it can enable the feature using the ViVeTool application. Follow these simple steps:

Ensure your system is updated to build 26120.2992. You can verify your build version by navigating to Settings > System > About > OS build.
Download ViVeTool from GitHub and extract the files to a convenient location.
Open Command Prompt as an Administrator.
Use the CD command to change the directory to where you extracted ViVeTool. For example, if it’s in C:\Vive, enter CD C:\Vive.
Type vivetool /enable /id:48822452,48433719 and press Enter.
Restart your computer to apply the changes.