Since the launch of iOS 16, Apple has published two beta versions of iOS 16.1. These upgrades address the most common issues that users have had with the new battery icon support and design. In 2017, with the release of the iPhone X, Apple removed the percentage of battery life from the status bar to make room for new sensors like the camera and microphone. With iOS 16, however, Apple reinstated the feature.
Yes, it seems to be making a comeback. However, many iPhone owners aren’t pleased. To start, the updated battery % meter did not get to all iPhones. Second, some customers are unhappy with the new layout. It seems that Apple has been paying attention to both of these communities.
What’s the deal with the battery status meter on the iPhone?
It used to be that in the status bar of your iPhone, it would show you exactly how much battery life you had left. However, Apple removed the battery % from the status bar after the release of the iPhone X, which introduced the notch (the black strip at the top of your device that houses a speaker and camera).
While you may check the precise % by swiping down from the top right of your iPhone, this prevents you from getting a quick glimpse at the battery life from anywhere in an app or on the home screen. If your iPhone’s battery is low, you probably won’t be able to tell how much juice is left merely by looking at the symbol.
With iOS 16, the battery percentage has been restored to the status bar within the existing battery icon.
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- The New iPhone Features in Apple’s iOS 16
Which iPhone models won’t get the battery percentage feature back?
While the new battery % feature in iOS 16’s status bar is a welcome addition for many, it remains hidden from view for some users. A formal explanation for why some devices can’t access the function has yet to be released, but it appears to have something to do with the lower pixel density of those gadgets and the lack of available real estate on those that can.
According to this Apple support page, the following models don’t support the feature:
If your iPhone doesn’t have the new functionality, you can still see how much juice you have left by swiping down from the top right of the screen or by adding a battery widget to the lock screen or home screen (instead of inside it).
The new battery % functionality, however, will be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone 11, and iPhone Minis with the release of iOS 16.1 to developers last week. The instructions for doing so can be found on this page, and it will likely be made available to the public shortly.
Even some people who do have the feature are frustrated with its design
The new battery % icon has been met with some criticism for its aesthetics. Even though the battery percentage is always viewable in the status bar, the battery icon on compatible devices always displays as full, whether the phone is idle, charging, or in low power mode; only the color changes. So, it’s not quite clear at first glance.
The only major visual shift occurs when the battery level drops below 20%, at which point the battery icon becomes depleted (or approximately a fifth full) and becomes red.
Mikael Johansson made a prototype on Twitter in which the battery indicator morphs in response to the level of charge. The tweet has been liked by thousands, and many people have commented that they agree it’s a big step up from where we’re at now.
Nothing wrong with what Apple released but I think I might’ve preferred something like Alternative A for the battery indicator pic.twitter.com/a44879RIFk
— Mikael Johansson (@michaelnevernot) August 10, 2022
Apple listened and is redesigning the battery percentage icon with iOS 16.1v
The second developer beta of iOS 16.1 was recently released, and it appears that Apple has responded to consumer complaints over the battery % icon by redesigning it. Many users, as evidenced by the responses to Mikael Johansson’s mockups, favored a draining battery icon beside the percentage.
Indeed, as can be seen in the tweet below from Federico Viticci, Apple is transitioning the battery icon to look like this. The battery icon’s appearance also changes when the percentage of available battery life decreases, making it clearer than ever to know exactly where you stand.
Unfortunately, Apple has not yet made iOS 16.1 available to the public. Here’s the link to the beta version for developers if you need it immediately.
Nothing wrong with what Apple released but I think I might’ve preferred something like Alternative A for the battery indicator pic.twitter.com/a44879RIFk
— Mikael Johansson (@michaelnevernot) August 10, 2022
How to get the battery percentage back in the status bar on iOS 16
No matter how you feel about the overall look, if your iPhone is capable, you should try out the battery percentage feature.
With the iOS 16 update, the iPhone status bar now displays the battery percentage. The iPhone will notify you with a pop-up, or you can manually initiate an update by visiting
Settings > General > Software Update.
Once you’ve installed the update, you’ll be able to check the battery % at any time by tapping the battery icon in the upper right corner of your iPhone’s screen. You’ll know exactly when your iPhone’s battery is low and needs recharging, and you won’t waste time waiting around.
Even though it’s already enabled by default, you may double-check its functionality by toggling the Battery Percentage setting in Settings > Battery. The battery icon will be green when charging and completely yellow when in Low Power Mode, both of which display the remaining battery life as a percentage.
Preorders for iPhone 14 are open, and the phone itself will be available Friday, Sept. 16. For more, learn everything Apple unveiled at its “Far Out” event last week.
7 Hidden iOS 16 Features We Were Surprised to Find
Apple’s newest mobile software update, iOS 16, has been available for download for over a week, and it contains several features worth investigating.
One of the most notable updates is a new lock screen that can be personalized, as well as the option to unsend and modify texts and the capability to quickly and easily crop unwanted persons, pets, or objects out of images. (Take a look at all the news that was dropped at Apple’s “Far Out” event.)
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Still, those are just the tip of the iceberg of what’s new in iOS 16. You’ll be thrilled to hear that your iPhone’s capabilities extend beyond what you’re currently using them for.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re interested in exploring some of iOS 16’s more obscure features, such as secured photo albums and quick access to Wi-Fi passwords.
Read more: Will Your iPhone Run iOS 16? Some Won’t Be Compatible
Want to learn more about Apple’s latest mobile operating system? We’ve got new iOS 16 features that you’ll love and a couple of Apple Maps features that will improve how you travel.
You can also get your hands on iOS 16.1 right now. Check out how to download and install the developer beta version on your iPhone
Pair Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons with your iPhone
For quite some time, Apple has allowed the pairing of third-party controllers, such as the PS5 Sony DualSense and Xbox Core Controller, to the iPhone and iPad to improve the playing experience of mobile video games like those in the Apple Arcade library, Minecraft, and Call of Duty. You can now add even another gamepad to that collection.
Joy-Con controllers for the Nintendo Switch may be paired with iOS 16 devices. To begin, press and hold the Joy-small Con’s black pairing button until the green lights begin to flash rapidly back and forth. When you see this, you know the device is ready to pair. The next step is to open your iPhone, navigate to Settings > Bluetooth, and then pick the Joy-Con from the list. Swap out one Joy-Con for another and repeat the process.
Hidden and Recently Deleted albums are now password protected
The Photos app’s Hidden album is useless, as it can be accessed by anyone with the app. Because of this, it’s not feasible to adequately conceal personal photographs or movies. Even though you have the option on your iPhone to make your Hidden album invisible, anyone with access to your device can simply turn on the option again.
With iOS 16, you can protect your private photos in the Hidden album. In practice, activating this option requires zero action from you. To view it, open the Photos app and click the Albums tab at the app’s bottom. To view Hidden and Recently Deleted albums, scroll down until you see a small lock. You’ll need to log in with Face ID or a passcode to see the photos in those albums.
View and share saved Wi-Fi passwords
iOS devices could share Wi-Fi passwords for some time, but only when they are physically close together. If that function didn’t activate mechanically, you couldn’t find the password in the configuration options. More so, you had to remember the password if you wanted to share a saved Wi-Fi password with another person, say, an Android user or a computer user. Up until this point, that is.
Read more: You Can Finally See Your Saved Wi-Fi Passwords on an iPhone
Access the network’s password by going to Settings > Wi-Fi and tapping the tiny information button to its right. A network’s password can be viewed by tapping the Password area, then authenticating with Face ID or a passcode. To save the password to your clipboard for later use, simply tap the Copy button.
Find and remove duplicate photos and videos
The duplicates in your photo album are probably the consequence of you saving the same photo several times or downloading the same video many times. If you have plenty of storage space, this might not be a problem, but if you’re getting low, iOS 16 makes it simple to delete duplicates.
To find the duplicate album, go to Photos > Albums and look for the new Duplicates album under Utilities. After Apple has scanned all of your photos, it will display any duplicate images or videos that have been stored in the same album. Then, you can either manually eliminate the duplicates or press Merge to have only the highest-quality image (and associated data) remain.
It’s recommended that you manually inspect each group of duplicates to be sure they’re truly carbon copies and not just visually similar images, but you can simply press Select > Select All > Merge to delete everything Apple has flagged as a duplicate in one fell swoop.
Copy and paste a photo and video edits
You can now copy and paste adjustments like saturation, contrast, and brightness from one photo to another within the Photos app’s editor tool. When you’ve finished customizing the look of one photo or video and are satisfied with the results, you can copy and paste those adjustments to any other image or video on your camera roll.
To do this, open a previously altered photo in full-screen mode from within the Photos app. Then, select Copy Edits from the menu that appears when you tap the three dots in the upper right. Only photos that have been modified in Photos, and not in a third-party app, will have this option available. At last, select the image you’d like to copy the adjustments to, tap the menu button (three dots), and select Paste Edits. After a brief delay, your edited photos should load.
Bring haptic feedback to your keyboard
The iPhone has long had haptic feedback. It’s what you feel underneath your fingertips whenever you attempt to delete an app from your home screen or enter the incorrect password on your lock screen. Strangely enough, haptic feedback has never been available for the stock iOS keyboard — until now.
If you want to enable a slight vibration for every single key you type in, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Keyboard Feedback and toggle on Haptic. The sound option you see is the loud and annoying clacking sound you might hear when you type in something and your phone isn’t on silent mode, so you can keep that disabled.
Pin your favorite tabs in Safari
If you have more than 500 tabs open in Safari, it may become difficult to locate the specific tab you need. You might spend forever scrolling, but now there’s a faster and more reliable way to locate the specific tab you need.
When using Safari, you can now pin open tabs by pressing and holding on the tab. When you do this, the selected tab will be pinned to the top of Safari and will appear as a small tab preview that you may tap to open.
When you unpin a tab by pressing down on it, it will be shuffled to the front of your grid of open tabs.
For more on iOS 16 and the iPhone, see why some aren’t happy with the new battery icon and discover the three things you should do first after installing iOS 16.
iOS 16 Won’t Revive the Battery Icon for Every iPhone
As many new features are included in Apple’s iOS 16, the battery life symbol in the status bar is one that has been sorely missed. Once an update is installed, every iPad, even the brand-new iPad Pro, will also have this capability enabled by default. However, even if your iPhone is compatible with iOS 16, not all iPhones support the new battery icon function.
An Apple support website from last Monday said that the battery icon will not appear in the status bar of the iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, and iPhone 13 Mini. Instead, users will need to use the same method they’ve always used to check their battery life: swipe down to the Control Center.
There is no information as to why these iPhone models were excluded. When asked if the battery icon would be added to iOS devices in the future, Apple did not provide a remark.
Read more: iOS 16 Cheat Sheet: Your Complete Guide to the iPhone Update
The iPhones that don’t get the battery icon update still appear to have access to the other intriguing features of iOS 16, such as the ability to edit and unsend messages, create unique lock screens, and confirm that your AirPods are authentic AirPods.
If, after installing iOS 16, you still don’t see the battery life display on your iPhone (and you don’t have one of the supported models), head to Settings > Battery and toggle on Battery Percentage.
This New, Hidden iOS 16 Feature Will Make Using Your iPhone Keyboard So Much Better
Your iPhone’s haptic feedback technology makes things feel more real. When you swipe your finger across the screen to uninstall an app or activate the flashlight from the lock screen, you feel a slight vibration. Those sensations are known as haptic feedback.
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With haptic feedback on an iPhone, you may have a more immersive experience without the use of any sound. If you enjoy using this function, you’ll be pleased to know that iOS 16 brings haptic feedback integration to even more areas of your iPhone.
Now, with iOS 16, the iPhone’s on-screen keyboard will provide you with tactile feedback as you type. Every time you strike a key on your virtual keyboard, whether it’s to compose an email or send a text message, you’ll feel a small but delightful vibration.
To make use of the keyboard’s haptic feedback in iOS 16, you must first manually enable it. What follows is the crucial information.
If you haven’t already, update to iOS 16 now to take advantage of its many improvements, such as the ability to undo a sent text message or delete unwanted subjects from a photo. iOS 16 is available for download and installation now, and we’ve uncovered seven features that even Apple wasn’t expecting.
How to enable haptic feedback on your iPhone keyboard
Please update your iPhone to iOS 16 before continuing. You should look into which iPhones are supported and how to set everything up.
To enable your keyboard’s haptic feedback:
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go to Sounds & Haptics.
3. Tap on Keyboard Feedback.
4. Toggle on Haptic.
When you tap your keyboard, whether to hit space, enter a character, or delete a character, a little pulse will be felt as soon as haptic feedback is activated. Even if your phone is set to mute, haptic feedback will continue to function.
On the Apple support website for haptic feedback, it is mentioned that “Turning on keyboard haptics can decrease the battery life of your iPhone.”
It appears to be a serious enough problem that Apple felt the need to make a comment about it, but Apple does not provide any other information, such as how much battery life the function may truly use. Given that entering Low Power Mode does not turn off haptic feedback on the keyboard, it may be a good idea to keep it switched off if you’re concerned about battery life.
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Skip the iOS 16 FOMO: Download the iPhone Update Today
Apple’s newest mobile operating system, iOS 16, has here, and it brings with it a slew of exciting new capabilities. Even though there are a few nagging features, you can always turn them off if you so choose. The most recent mobile software update brings back the battery percentage, allows you to unsend and modify texts, adds a customized lock screen, and intelligently crops photographs. However, until you update to iOS 16, you won’t be able to test them out.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of updating your iPhone to iOS 16 from scratch. (And if you’re the anxious type, you might want to hold off on updating to iOS 16 for these reasons.) Also, have a look at some of the most impressive iPhone 14 covers available now.
Before you start, is your iPhone even compatible?
Not all iPhones will get the iOS 16 upgrade. With iOS 16, you’ll need at least a 2017 iPhone 8 to use it. All iPhones from the X through the newest iPhone 14 are included in this definition.
Next, back up your iPhone
Although it’s always wonderful to get your hands on brand-new software, there are some safety measures you should take before installing any updates. You should back up your iPhone before updating to iOS 16 in case you find that you don’t like some of the new features (even though you can repair the most unpleasant ones).
By default, whenever your iPhone is plugged into power and connected to Wi-Fi at night, it will do a backup. But if you’ve turned off automatic backups, you can still back up your smartphone by going to Settings > Your Name > iCloud > iCloud Backup and then tapping Back Up Now.
You can additionally back up your iPhone by using the Finder application on your Mac. To generate a backup of your device, connect it to your computer, launch Finder, select your device, and click the Backup button. Apple suggests you archive your backup so it won’t be overwritten in the future.
Also, make sure to do these three things
If you want everything to run smoothly during the download and installation, you need to perform the following:
- You must ensure that your iPhone is powered on. If your iPhone’s battery is below 50%, you won’t be able to install iOS 16, so make sure to plug it in before updating.
- Get online using Wi-Fi. Connect to a reliable Wi-Fi network if you want to download iOS 16, as you can’t do it using cellular data.
- Get your storage situation in order. As the iOS 16 download is about 5GB in size, you’ll need to make some space on your device’s storage before beginning the process. Delete huge files and programs by tapping General > Storage in the iPhone’s Settings menu.
How to download and install iOS 16
Then, once everything is ready, open your iPhone, navigate to Settings > General > Software Update, and tap Download and Install for iOS 16.
If you see an option to download and install iOS 15.7, instead of iOS 16, click the Upgrade to iOS 16 button at the page’s bottom. To start the upgrade process, enter your password.
A loading meter and an approximate time remaining for the download should then appear. Restart your device after the download is finished, and iOS 16 will begin installing automatically. Once your iPhone has booted up and you’ve followed any on-screen prompts, you should be running iOS 16.
Here’s a rundown of the new OS, including a look at the best additions and some unique tricks you might not know about.
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