The quick answer
On a Mac laptop with macOS 27 Golden Gate or macOS Tahoe 26, open System Settings > Menu Bar, select Battery, click Battery Options and turn on Show Percentage. The number appears next to the battery icon at the top right of the screen.
In macOS Ventura 13, Sonoma 14 and Sequoia 15, the switch is in System Settings > Control Center > Battery. In Monterey 12 and Big Sur 11, it's in System Preferences > Dock & Menu Bar > Battery.
A Mac laptop shows a battery icon in the menu bar, which gives a rough idea of the charge but not the exact number. Turning on the percentage takes about a minute once you know where your version of macOS keeps the switch. Apple has moved it more than once, so it’s easy to lose track of after an update.
Where the setting is in your version of macOS
The Show Percentage switch has moved twice since macOS Big Sur, so check your macOS version first: open the Apple menu at the top left and choose About This Mac.
The steps below are for the newest version, macOS 27 Golden Gate, and for macOS Tahoe 26. On anything older, the table gives you the path.
| macOS version | Where to turn on Show Percentage |
|---|---|
| macOS 27 Golden Gate, macOS Tahoe 26 | System Settings > Menu Bar > Battery > Battery Options > Show Percentage |
| Sequoia 15, Sonoma 14, Ventura 13 | System Settings > Control Center > Battery > Show Percentage |
| Monterey 12, Big Sur 11 | System Preferences > Dock & Menu Bar > Battery > Show Percentage |
| Catalina 10.15 and earlier | Click the battery icon in the menu bar > Show Percentage |
If you can’t find the option anywhere, check what kind of Mac you have. It only exists on Mac laptops, because an iMac, Mac mini or Mac Studio has no battery to show.
Step 1: Open Menu Bar settings
Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Menu Bar in the sidebar (you may need to scroll down to see it). Under Menu Bar Controls you’ll see the items that can sit at the top of your screen, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Battery.
Step 2: Turn on Show Percentage
Select Battery, so the battery icon shows in the menu bar. Then click Battery Options next to it and turn on Show Percentage. That second click matters, because the switch isn’t on the main page.
Step 3: Check the menu bar
The battery icon at the top right of your screen now has the charge level next to it, for example 80%.
Click the icon and the Battery Status menu also shows the power source and any app that’s using a lot of energy, which helps when the charge drops faster than you expect. Plugged in, it shows how long until the battery is full, unless you’ve set a charge limit below 100%.
Steps for older versions of macOS
On older versions the path in the table is all you need, as long as the battery icon is already in the menu bar. If it isn’t, turn the icon on first.
Ventura 13, Sonoma 14 and Sequoia 15. In System Settings > Control Center > Battery, turn on Show in Menu Bar, then Show Percentage.
Monterey 12 and Big Sur 11. Go to System Preferences > Battery, click Battery again and select Show battery status in menu bar. Then select Show Percentage under Dock & Menu Bar > Battery.
Catalina 10.15 and earlier. Go to System Preferences > Energy Saver and select Show battery status in menu bar, then click the icon and choose Show Percentage.
Show the percentage in Control Center instead
In macOS 26 and 27 you can put Battery in Control Center, and Apple says the percentage always shows there, with no extra switch.
That suits you if you’d rather keep the menu bar tidy and only check the charge now and then. Click the Control Center icon in the menu bar, click Edit Controls, drag Battery into Control Center and click Done.
Other ways to check the exact charge and time left
You can also see the charge level in System Settings, Activity Monitor and Terminal, and Activity Monitor is the easiest place to see how much time is left on battery.
In System Settings > Battery, the current level sits above a graph of the last 24 hours, so you can see how fast the charge has been going down. In Activity Monitor (Applications > Utilities), the Energy tab shows Remaining charge at the bottom, plus Time remaining when you’re unplugged or Time until full when you’re plugged in.
For the bare number, open Terminal and type:
pmset -g battOn our MacBook Pro, plugged in, it printed:
Now drawing from 'AC Power'
-InternalBattery-0 (id=36503651) 80%; AC attached; not charging present: trueThe first line is the power source, and the second gives the exact charge and whether the battery is charging. This Mac was plugged in but holding at 80%, which is what Optimized Battery Charging or an 80% Charge Limit does. If yours does the same, the FAQ below on why a Mac stops charging at 80% explains it.
If something does not work
Why is there no battery percentage option on my Mac?
Most likely you're on a desktop Mac, such as an iMac, Mac mini or Mac Studio. They have no battery, so there is no Battery item in Menu Bar settings. On a Mac laptop with macOS 26 or 27, the option isn't on the main page. Select Battery first, then click Battery Options to find Show Percentage.
Why does my Mac stop charging at 80%?
Usually because of Optimized Battery Charging or Charge Limit. Optimized Battery Charging learns your routine and delays charging past 80% when it expects you to stay plugged in for a long time, and the battery menu says "Charging On Hold". Charge Limit, in macOS Tahoe 26.4 or later on Apple silicon Macs, caps the charge at a level you pick between 80% and 100%, and the menu says "Charged to [%] Limit". To fill up anyway, click the battery icon and choose Charge to Full Now. If both are off and it still stops at 80%, the battery may be too warm. Move the Mac somewhere cooler.
Why does my Mac sometimes charge to 100% even with a charge limit?
Apple says a Mac with Optimized Battery Charging or Charge Limit turned on still charges to 100% now and then, to keep its battery percentage estimate accurate. With a charge limit set, charging also starts again if the level drops more than 5% while the Mac is plugged in.
Why does my Mac say "Not Charging" when it's plugged in?
Your Mac may have paused charging to protect the battery, and it can let the battery drain to 93% or lower before it charges again. It can also happen with a power adapter that's too weak to charge the battery, or when a heavy app such as a video editor or game uses more power than the adapter supplies.
How do I check my Mac's battery health?
Open System Settings, click Battery in the sidebar and look at Battery Health. Normal means the battery is fine. Service recommended means it holds less charge than when it was new. On most models, clicking the info button next to it shows Maximum Capacity, the battery's capacity compared with when it was new.
How do I see my Mac's battery cycle count?
Hold the Option key, click the Apple menu and choose System Information. Under Hardware, click Power, and the Cycle Count is listed under Battery Information. Apple rates every MacBook Air and MacBook Pro from late 2010 on, and the MacBook Neo, for 1,000 cycles. At that count, the battery is designed to keep up to 80% of its original capacity.
Sources
- Apple Support, Monitor your Mac laptop's battery (macOS 27, macOS Tahoe 26, Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey and Big Sur versions)
- Apple Support, Change Menu Bar settings on Mac
- Apple Support, Use Control Center on Mac
- Apple Support, What is the Battery Status menu on Mac?
- Apple Support, Change Battery settings on a Mac laptop
- Apple Support, View energy consumption in Activity Monitor on Mac
- Apple Support, Find out which macOS your Mac is using
- Apple Support, About Optimized Battery Charging and Charge Limit on Mac
- Apple Support, If your Mac battery won't charge completely
- Apple Support, If your Mac battery status is "Not Charging"
- Apple Support, Check the condition of your Mac laptop's battery
- Apple Support, Determine battery cycle count for Mac laptops
- Apple Support, Monitor your portable Mac computer's battery (macOS Catalina 10.15)
- pmset(1) manual page (Apple's man page, mirrored by xcode-man-pages; -g batt)