How to Show Battery Percentage on macOS Monterey

Nov. 8, 2021

With the battery percentage indicator, it becomes easier to keep track of the battery status and find out exactly how much juice is left in the tank. That means you are less likely to get caught off guard and don’t have to run for the power adapter at the eleventh hour. Surprisingly, macOS Monterey (just like macOS Big Sur) doesn’t show battery percentage in the menu bar by default. However, you can choose to show the battery percentage on macOS Monterey to monitor the battery charge easily. Let me show you how you can enable this feature.

How to Show Battery Percentage on Mac

Since the battery menu bar setting is present under System Preferences, many macOS users might not be aware of the fact that they can easily see the battery percentage in the menu bar. Some might even be left wondering if Apple has completely scrapped the feature in the newest versions of macOS. Before we move ahead, it’s worth pointing out that the steps are the same for both macOS Monterey and Big Sur.

1. Click theAppleiconat the top left corner of the screen and chooseSystem Preferences.

2. Then, selectDock & Menu Bar.

3. Next, scroll down and choose theBatteryoption from the left sidebar.

4. Finally, check the box next to theShow Percentageoption. Do note that you also have the option to show the battery icon with the percentage in the Control Center. If you prefer to use theiOS-style control center to manage basic controlson macOS, you may want to display the battery percentage there as well. To do so, make sure to check the box forShow in Control Center.

From now onwards, you can easily keep track of the remaining battery of your Mac. Check out the battery percentage indicator that appears to the left of the battery icon in the menu bar on your Mac. And if you have ticked the“Show in Control Center”box as well, the battery icon will appear in the Control Center at the bottom.

Now, whenever you click the battery percentage icon in the menu bar, a context menu will open up andshow an accurate estimate of the remaining battery lifein macOS Monterey. It will also reveal the app that’s consuming a significant amount of battery, so you can tame them to extend the battery life. And upon clicking the Battery Preferences option, you will see theredesigned macOS battery settings, which you can customize to extend the battery life of your Mac device.

If you ever wish to hide the battery percentage on macOS Monterey, repeat the steps explained in the above section and then uncheck theShow Percentageoption.

So that’s a pretty straightforward way of adding the battery percentage to the menu bar on macOS Monterey (and Big Sur). Ideally, it would have been better if Apple had made it a default option, considering it’s an essential feature. Just like iOS 15, macOS Monterey has also come up with several notable features, includingMail Privacy Protection,SharePlay,Shortcuts, and more. Unfortunately, the newest desktop OS upgrade seems buggy asa number of macOS Monterey problems, includingunexpected overheatingand Wi-Fi issues, have dampened the excitement. How has your run been with the latest iteration of macOS? Do share your feedback with us in the comments below.

An old school bibliophile who turned a tech nerd out of obsession. When he is not digging into hacks and tracking down stories that are breaking the internet, you may find him reciting poems.