How to Check How Much Battery Your iPhone Has Left

That little symbol in the corner

You know the feeling. You're heading out to lunch, you grab your phone, and somewhere in the back of your mind a small voice asks: will this thing last me the afternoon?

It's a fair question. And the answer is sitting right at the top of your screen, in a small symbol most of us glance at without really reading. Today, let's read it properly.

What the battery symbol is telling you

Look at the very top-right corner of your iPhone screen. You'll see a little shape that looks like a tiny flashlight battery lying on its side — a rectangle with a small nub on the end.

That rectangle is partly filled in. Think of it like the fuel gauge on your car dashboard. When the rectangle is mostly filled with white or black, your battery is full. When it's nearly empty, you'll see just a thin sliver — and the color turns red when you drop to 20% or less. Red means it's time to plug in soon, the way the gas light tells you to find a station.

If you see a small lightning bolt next to the symbol, that means your phone is plugged in and charging. Good news — no action needed.

Seeing the exact number

The picture is helpful, but sometimes you want a real number — 73%, 41%, that sort of thing. Most newer iPhones show the number right inside the battery symbol. If yours doesn't, you can turn it on in a minute.

Here's how:

Open the Settings app (the gray icon with gears on it).
Scroll down and tap Battery.
Find the line that says Battery Percentage and tap the switch next to it so it turns green.

That's it. Now the number lives inside the battery symbol at the top of your screen, so you'll always know exactly where you stand.

When to plug in

A good rule of thumb: if you're below 20%, plug in when you get the chance. Below 10%, plug in soon. Your phone will warn you with a message on the screen when it gets low, so you won't be caught completely off guard.

You don't have to wait until the battery is empty to charge it — that's an old habit from older batteries decades ago. Today's iPhone batteries are happy to be topped up anytime, the same way you might add a splash of gas to the tank before a trip rather than running it dry first.

To charge, plug the cable into the bottom of your phone and the other end into the wall adapter. You'll see the lightning bolt appear, and if the phone was off, an image of a battery will pop up after a moment to let you know it's working.

One thing to do today

Take a look at the top-right corner of your phone right now. Can you see a number inside the battery symbol?

If not, take two minutes and turn it on using the steps above. Once that number is there, you'll never have to guess again — and you'll know exactly when to reach for the charger.

Need a hand with your technology? We're here to help. Give PorchSwing a call or book an appointment, and we'll walk you through it at your own pace — no rush, no jargon.