Microsoft held a video conference on March 4, 2025 to discuss new developments in the Insider program. These Windows Insider program webcasts typically take place every few months, and we found the most recent session discussing the battery icon makeover in detail.
Windows 11's battery icon update was supposed to be released to all users last month, but Microsoft delayed the release due to a last-minute error. However, we now have more details, including a better battery icon.
Windows users had endured the uncomfortable battery icon for several years before Microsoft finally decided to replace it. Before we go any further, let’s take a look at the old and new icons.
There are seven new icons and no additional icons have been introduced. So the focus is just on improving, not confusing you:
Battery (when the computer is not plugged in)
Energy Saver (filled in orange when the function is activated)
Charging (green filled lightning bolt icon)
Smart charging (battery protection status)
Slow charging (error icon filled with solid color)
The battery is low (the thin red bar indicates that the battery is between 1-5%)
Battery charge unknown (a cross icon indicates that the battery is not present)
First of all, we will find that the new icon is longer than before.
Yes, we agree it's a bit iOS-esque, but we're going for usability rather than uniqueness. The longer battery icon shows the percentage clearly, so you don't have to guess what it's trying to say.
Secondly, the mini icon within the battery icon becomes more prominent in the new design. The developer mentioned that the sub-icon is located in the upper right corner of the old icon and is barely visible.
Now, the sub-icon takes center stage. For example, the "Plugged" icon displays the pin in the center and is large enough to understand its status. Likewise, the slow charging icon displays the error icon in the center and aligned at the bottom.
The next step is the icon color. If you remember the previous icon, you know that it displayed nothing but black or white.
Now, if Energy Saver is active, you will see an orange filled icon. If the battery is low, a small red bar will appear; if the battery reaches 80%, a green fill icon will appear.
100% battery will still appear black (if you have a light theme) and white (if you have a dark theme). The display bar will be progressive to help you visually see that the battery is decreasing little by little.
Finally, the developers discussed introducing a battery percentage label. Because an icon can only describe so much, sometimes it's better to show it in the system tray rather than hovering over it.
These icons and changes will appear on Windows 11’s taskbar.
What do you think of these changes? Do the icons look a lot like iOS, and does the design need further tweaking?