The beauty of owning a laptop is the convenience that it provides. Being able to work from anywhere using your PC is a major perk. But what happens when the battery icon doesn't show on the taskbar? The battery icon helps you keep track of the remaining battery life in your device.
However, when it's not visible, you may not be able to tell how much battery life is remaining. And this can be frustrating, especially when working remotely during a blackout.
If the battery icon is not visible on your Windows PC taskbar, it may be disabled or hidden. This guide will show you how to fix the battery icon not showing on your PC's taskbar.
1. Check If the Battery Icon Is Hidden
When your PC's battery is not visible on the taskbar, your first course of action should be to check if the icon is hidden;
Step 1: On the left-hand side of your screen, click Up Arrow to display the invisible system tray icons. If the battery icon is visible from here, proceed to the next step. If not it's not visible, try the following method.
Step 2: Choose any unused area on the taskbar, and right-click on it to bring up the menu. On the new menu, choose Taskbar Settings.
Alternatively, click the Windows icon and choose Settings > Personalization > Taskbar.
Step 3: While at the Taskbar settings, navigate downwards to the notification part and click Select which icons appear on the taskbar.
Step 4: Scroll through the list till you find a battery symbol named Power. Move the toggle switch to an On.
The battery icon should now be visible on your taskbar; if not, it's disabled. You should enable it;
2. Turn on the Battery Icon
Proceed to this procedure if the battery icon isn't in the group of hidden icons when you click the up arrow on the system tray.
Step 1: Navigate to the Taskbar Settings using either of the methods narrated in step 1 above.
Step 2: Scroll downwards to the Notification area and choose Turn system icons on or off.
Step 3: Navigate down the screen and click the Power to turn it on.
Step 4: You should now be able to see the battery icon.
Note: The above steps should enable the battery icon on your taskbar. However, if it's still not visible, you may need to update your PC drivers. If non of the methods works, consider troubleshooting the power settings.
3. Troubleshoot Power Settings
If the battery icon still doesn't display on your taskbar after trying the steps above, there is a possibility that your PC's power settings are preventing it from appearing. In this case, you have to troubleshoot the power settings;
Step 1: Click the Start button or tap the Windows key.
Step 2: On the Start Menu, click PC Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
Step 3: Navigate down and choose the Power option and click Run the troubleshooter.
The troubleshooter will run and display that it is sorting out the issue. When it completes, check if it has solved the issue. If not, try the next method;
4. Restart or Reinstall Battery Drivers
If your computer's battery drivers are not in their best state, the battery icon will not display on the taskbar. To solve this problem, restart or reinstall the battery drivers;
Step 1: Restart your battery drivers by pressing Windows Key + X, and in the pop-up menu, select Device Manager.
Step 2: On the new window (Device Manager), double-click the Batteries
Step 3: Two opinions will appear Microsoft AC Adapter & Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery. Right-click on each of them and select Disable device.
Step 4: Once you disable them, right-click again on each and choose Enable device.
Step 5: Restart your PC to see if the battery icon will be visible on the system tray.
If restarting the battery drivers doesn't work, uninstall them. To uninstall the battery drivers;
Step 1: Right-click on each driver and click Uninstall device.
Step 2: Under Device Manager, choose Scan for hardware changes.
Step 3: Restart your computer, and the system will reinstall the battery drivers.
The missing battery icon should now be visible in the system tray. If not, your computer could be having some hardware problems. Contact a technician to inspect it.
FAQs
Q. Why does the battery icon in my taskbar keep disappearing?
There are several reasons why the battery icon may disappear. The battery icon may be hidden or disabled. You will need to unhide or enable the icon. The battery drivers may also be malfunctioning; in such a case, restarting or reinstalling them will help.
Q. Can I make my battery icon permanently visible on the taskbar?
No, the battery icon should only be visible when the PC is charging or in use.
Conclusion
The battery icon not appearing on the taskbar can be a nuisance. However, the solutions listed in this article should help fix the problem.
