Skip to main content

The latest iOS 16 beta just added back one of my favorite features

The notch on the iPhones changed some things forever. It changed the way the iPhones looked. It changed the way we unlock our phones. But it also removed one of the features that we didn’t know we needed until it was gone. We are talking about the battery percentage level, which used to be shown in the iPhone status bar. Well, guess what? It is making a comeback in iOS 16 beta 5.

The latest iOS 16 beta adds the feature of showing battery percentage in the status bar within the battery icon. For reference, the feature has been absent from all the iPhones with Face ID because the presence of the notch didn’t give Apple enough space for adding the battery percentage – up until iOS 16 beta 5. To recall, iOS 15 and previous versions used a battery icon to show the battery level. Since iOS 15 is still the current stable version of iOS, most people are using it. And it doesn’t clearly display the battery percentage left on your iPhone.

Battery percentage on iPhone 12.
Prakhar Khanna/Digital Trends

But the feature that gives us a better idea of battery status at a glance is now here. It was intriguing to see if Apple added it just for the iPhone 13 series, which has a smaller notch compared to predecessors, or the iPhone 12 and earlier models as well. So I installed the iOS 16 beta 5 on my wide-notched iPhone 12. And I’m happy to report that it’s working on iPhone 12 as well! To enable the feature, you need to go to Settings > Battery and toggle on the Battery Percentage option.

Recommended Videos

https://twitter.com/Parkyprakhar/status/1556710524062408705?s=20&t=c54nDyYQ2850ezG8fmywQA

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Going into the details, the battery icon colors are based on the status of the battery and the iPhone’s background. For instance, it is green while the phone is charging, white or black when in normal use, and yellow when the low-power mode is turned on. While iOS 16 is currently available in public beta and beta 5 is only for developers, you are likely to get the stable version with the launch of the iPhone 14 in September.

It should be noted that beta features are sometimes removed from the stable build due to various reasons. A new feature in an iOS beta isn’t a 100% guarantee it remains in the public build. But we hope this one stays, especially because Apple received so much backlash when it was removed with the iPhone X. Having to wait this long to get the battery percentage indicator back isn’t ideal, but we’re just happy it’s finally returned.

Prakhar Khanna
Prakhar writes news, reviews and features for Digital Trends. He is an independent tech journalist who has been a part of the…
WhatsApp for iPhone may soon let users have multiple accounts on one device
WhatsApp logo on a phone.

If you use the popular messaging app WhatsApp on an iPhone, there may be times when you wish you had the ability to add more than one account. The good news is that a recent update for WhatsApp, released via Apple’s TestFlight beta program, includes the feature, suggesting that it could be rolled out soon for everyone using WhatsApp on an iPhone.

Android users will be scoffing at this news, as the feature has been available for WhatsApp on that platform since 2023. But hey, better late than never.

Read more
Government demands answers from Apple over iOS 18 performance problems
A person holding the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Soon after Apple began the public rollout of iOS 18 — loaded with the Apple Intelligence stack — there were plenty of negative reports documenting sluggish performance, camera woes, UI status, and more.

Today, Apple has received a stern notice from India’s consumer watchdog over the performance issues encountered by iPhone users after installing the update. It is not quite the same as “Apple deliberately slowing down old iPhones,” because the iOS 18 woes also affect the latest iPhone models. The notice was issued by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), a regulatory agency that oversees consumer grievances and violations of their rights, while also conducting investigations and issuing orders related to recalls.

Read more
iOS 18.3: What to expect in the next iPhone update
ios 18 3 what to expect in the next update genmoji

Apple has released the iOS 18.3 Release Candidate (RC) to developers and its public beta community members. This indicates that the final update will likely be available to users with the best iPhones on Monday, January 27.

While this update doesn't introduce as many new features as iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.2 did, some elements will still interest everyone. Here's what's coming.
The biggest new feature
Once you install iOS 18.3 on your iPhone, you will quickly notice one of its most significant updates: improved Notification Summaries. Initially launched with iOS 18, this feature aims to simplify reviewing incoming messages, news headlines, and other notifications using Apple's technology. However, the summaries have faced considerable criticism for their shortcomings.

Read more