How to show battery percentage in the Mac menu bar (macOS 27)
By Teekam Suthar · · 3 min read
To show the battery percentage on macOS 27, open System Settings, click Menu Bar in the sidebar, select Battery, click Battery Options and turn on Show Percentage. The number then appears inside the battery icon in the menu bar.
That's the whole fix for most people. The rest of this guide covers older versions of macOS, what to do when your Mac's battery isn't showing in the menu bar, and how to see more than the percentage.
Step by step on macOS 27
- Choose Apple menu › System Settings.
- Click Menu Bar in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down to find it.
- Select Battery, then click Battery Options.
- Turn on Show Percentage, then click Done.
On older versions of macOS
Apple has moved this setting a few times.
| macOS | Where Show Percentage is |
|---|---|
| macOS 27 and macOS 26 Tahoe | System Settings › Menu Bar › Battery |
| macOS 13 Ventura to macOS 15 Sequoia | System Settings › Control Center › Battery |
| macOS 11 Big Sur and macOS 12 Monterey | System Preferences › Dock & Menu Bar › Battery |
Mac battery not showing in the menu bar?
- It's turned off. To add the battery to the menu bar, open System Settings › Menu Bar and turn on Battery under Menu Bar Controls.
- It's hidden next to the notch. On a MacBook with a notch, macOS 27 tucks the icons that don't fit behind an arrow at the edge of the menu bar. Click the arrow to see them, or turn off icons you don't use so the battery fits. Cleaning up the menu bar covers how.
- The whole menu bar is hidden. Move the pointer to the top of the screen. To keep it showing, set the menu bar's auto-hide option to Never in System Settings › Menu Bar.
- It's a desktop Mac. An iMac, Mac mini or Mac Studio has no battery, so there's no Battery icon to show.
See more than the percentage
The percentage is only part of the story. macOS has the rest, in a few different places:
- Charging and what's using power: click the battery icon. While charging, it shows how long until the battery is full.
- Time remaining on battery: the battery menu doesn't show it. Open Activity Monitor, click Energy, and look at the bottom of the window.
- Battery health: open System Settings › Battery.
- Cycle count: hold Option, choose Apple menu › System Information, then click Power.
Battery, Wi-Fi and memory in one icon
If you only want the number, the built-in setting is all you need.
If your menu bar is crowded, DuoBar puts your battery level, Wi-Fi and memory in one icon, so you can turn off Apple's separate Battery and Wi-Fi icons. Click it and the Battery page shows time to full, Low Power Mode, maximum capacity and cycle count together, without a trip to System Information. It's free on the Mac App Store, with a one-time Pro upgrade.
With DuoBar Pro, point at the icon and it unfolds into separate icons, battery included:
FAQ
Why doesn't my Mac show the battery percentage?
Show Percentage is turned off. On macOS 27, open System Settings › Menu Bar, select Battery, click Battery Options and turn on Show Percentage. If the battery icon itself is missing, turn on Battery under Menu Bar Controls in the same place.
How do I add the battery to the menu bar on a Mac?
On macOS 27, open System Settings, click Menu Bar in the sidebar, and turn on Battery under Menu Bar Controls. To show the number too, click Battery Options next to it and turn on Show Percentage.
Where is the battery setting in System Settings on macOS 27?
It's in the Menu Bar pane, not Control Center. Click Menu Bar in the System Settings sidebar, then select Battery and click Battery Options.
How do I see battery time remaining on a Mac?
The battery menu doesn't show time remaining on battery power. Open Activity Monitor, click the Energy tab, and the time remaining is at the bottom of the window.
How do I check my MacBook's battery cycle count?
Hold Option, choose Apple menu › System Information, then click Power in the sidebar. Cycle Count is listed under Health Information.