iOS 16 introduced many new features to Apple's smartphone, including the ability to display an iPhone's battery percentage in the status bar. The feature was originally available on all iPhones before the company removed it on the iPhone X in 2017. While Apple never clarified why the feature was removed, it was likely because the reduced space on the status bar, on account of the device's new notched design to house Face ID, necessitated the change.
Over the next few years, all notched iPhones shipped without the ability to show the battery percentage on the status bar, and users had to go to the Control Center to see the exact battery percentage. However, all that changed in 2022, when Apple re-introduced the feature with the launch of the iPhone 14 lineup. Currently, all iPhones running iOS 16 can easily show the battery percentage in the status bar. To do so, open the Settings app, scroll down, and select 'Battery.' Now simply switch on the toggle next to 'Battery Percentage' to enable the feature.
Show Battery Percentage In iPhone Status Bar
Once the option to show the battery percentage is activated, users will see it represented as a number inside the battery icon in the top-right corner of the screen. The method applies to all notched iPhones with Face ID, including the iPhone 14 lineup. In iPhones without the notch, like the iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd-gen) and the iPhone 8 and earlier, the battery percentage is always visible in the status bar. The same applies to all iPads as well, so users won't need to manually enable the feature on these devices.
Only select models running iOS 16 initially received the reintroduced battery percentage indicator. That includes all devices in the iPhone 14 series, along with the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max, as will the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone X. However, with iOS 16.1, Apple also rolled out the feature to a number of other compatible devices, including the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone XR, and iPhone 11.
Apple also offers a second way to quickly check the battery percentage indicator on their device. To do so, users can add the 'Batteries' widget to their device's Home Screen or Today View. Users can also see the battery percentage of their iPhones in the Control Center.
Source: Apple