If you have installed Windows operating system on a netbook, notebook, tablet or desktop computer with Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), you probably are familiar with the small battery icon that appears in the system tray area of the taskbar.
The battery status icon comes very handy for users who don’t keep their notebooks or netbooks connected to the power supply always. Hovering mouse cursor over the battery icon shows the remaining battery time and percentage.
Right-clicking on the battery icon provides quick access to Power Options, Windows Mobility Center, and Adjust screen brightness. One can quickly switch between power plans by clicking on the battery icon.
While this battery icon always appears in the system tray area of the taskbar, sometimes you might find that the icon is missing from the taskbar. If the battery icon isn’t appearing on the taskbar, you can try out the following solutions to restore the missing battery icon in Windows.
Solution 1 of 4
Check if the battery icon behaviour has been changed
Instructions for Windows 10 (scroll down for Windows 8/7 instructions)
Step 1: Open the Settings app either by clicking its icon in the Start menu or using Windows logo + I hotkey.
Step 2: Navigate to Personalization > Taskbar. This will open taskbar settings page.
Step 3: Click Select Which icons appear on the taskbar link.
Step 4: Turn the switch next to Power icon to On position.
That’s it!
Instructions for Windows 8/7
Step 1: Perform a click on the small arrow visible on the taskbar and then click Customize option available in the resulting box to open Notification Area Icons window.
Step 2: Here, check if the behaviour of Power icon has been set to Hide icon and notifications. If yes, select Show icon and notifications from the drop-down menu to and then click OK button to restore the icon.
Solution 2 of 4
Scan for hardware changes
Step 1: Open the Device Manager. To do so, you can right-click on the Start button (Windows 8.1 only), and then click Device Manager. If you are on Windows 10/8/7, open Run command by simultaneously pressing Windows and R keys, type Devmgmt.msc and then press Enter key to open Device Manager.
Step 2: In the Device Manager, expand Batteries. Right-click on Microsoft AC Adapter entry and click Uninstall button. Click OK button when you see the warning message to continue uninstalling the driver.
Step 3: Next, click on Action menu and then click Scan for hardware changes option to restore the missing battery icon.
Solution 3 of 4
Try repairing system files
Step 1: Open elevated Command Prompt. To do so, type CMD in Start screen or Start menu, and then simultaneously press Ctrl + Shift + Enter keys to run Command Prompt as administrator.
Step 2: In the Prompt, type sfc /scannow and then press Enter key to run System File Checker. This will take some time scan all system files and will automatically repair corrupted operating system files, if any.
You may need to reboot your PC once after running System File Checker.
Solution 4 of 4
Use Refresh PC feature or Reset PC
The Refresh PC feature in Windows 8 and 8.1 lets you reinstall your Windows without erasing your files, settings and apps installed from the Store.
On Windows 10, you can use the Rest PC feature. Please refer to our how to reset your Windows 10 PC or how to reset Windows 10 to factory settings guide for detailed instructions.
Goy-h8ter goldstein says
When I would follow the steps to add system icons my battery icon was greyed out, and when I would go to “select which items appear on taskbar” the power Icon was an option to toggle but it was just an empty blue box with no thumbnail or anything. I followed your steps with the drivers and nothing happened. That is, until my icon suddenly reappeared on its own.
Waco John says
Solution 2 fixed the problem for me. W10-32 laptop. Thanks for the article.
Bill Rudge says
Utterly useless. I went through instructions for Windowes 10 (Settings, Personalization, Task bar) and there is NO “Power” icon to switch on !
shery says
after uninstall and reinstall the battery driver it fixed the issue and then again when I shut down my computer and restart it the problem comes back again.I have windows 10 on HP Laptop
Lee G says
Thanks for these solutions. I just disabled the ac battery adapter and re-enabled it again and the icon came back. There was no need to delete and install again.
George says
I have found my Battery Icon missing, where did it go? Well mine went to the Hidden Icon box twice now. I clicked on it and dragged it back into the Task Bar which worked! I don’t know if am accidentally dragging it there with this touch mouse pad laptop or what? Anyway that’s how I undid the disappearing act.
Gene says
I toggled then on | off power button. Still wasn’t working so I restarted the machine ( Asus)… The power button then appeared
Rohit Kumar Sahu says
Thanks a lot
Kriss says
My icon isn’t showing so i right-clicked on the taskbar, clicked on ‘Taskbar-Settings’ and went down to where i can change which icons show on taskbar. The power icon is turned ‘on’ however it and several other icon options don’t display the icon even in those settings..so..how do i fix this?
I am currently trying the CMD prompt option, having tried all the previous which didn’t help. I am on 48% but since it’s taking so long and just in case it doesn’t fix the problem..can anyone suggest anything else?
If the CMD option helps i will delete this or simply mention that it helped.
Thanks.
Britt says
The easiest way that worked for me is to RESTART your computer. It instantly comes back. I tried disabling and enabling the button like some people suggested but that didn’t work…
Dave says
Disabling and re-enabling the battery driver worked immediately. Don’t know if it’s a long-term fix. I am curious as this has happened twice now in the last month. Don’t know what’s causing it, but at least this is a quick fix.
Mike says
I disable the Microsoft AC- adaptor to re-able it later on in order to get the power bar Icon, suddenly the laptop shut down and I can not turn it on anymore. (dell laptop ) what is the solution?
muhammad sadiq says
@Andy Frey December 13, 2016 at 4:55 pm
Thanks that worked for me..
Instead of end task and new task…I just restarted windows explorer
Don Gollahon says
You don’t have to reinstall the Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery device. Just disable it then enable it. Battery icon then reappears.
TB says
Recent builds of 10 (creators update?) have removed the “Power” entry from the “Which icons appear” settings list…. Although this may only effect non-battery systems. I’ve only gone looking for it on desktop machines – the laptops I use have the icon there, so I haven’t felt a need to check the settings.
ifedi Ohiaeri says
Solution 2 worked for me after I rebooted. Thanks so much!
Jennifer says
Dell Inspiron laptop with Windows 10. Solution 1 worked for me. Thank you!
Frankie says
When you don’t want to reboot, the modified (as below) solution 2 is the way to go (Win 7 Home):
KIst says
February 13, 2017 at 3:33 pm
Brian Fear you are my hero, Admins please change solution 2.
KIst says
Brian Fear you are my hero, Admins please change solution 2.
ruth says
this has not helped me at all. I am running windows 10 on my laptop and I cannot locate the battery status icon. it does not appear in the task bar options in settings, personalisation.
Brian Fear says
In the second fix, you recommend reinstalling the Microsoft AC Adapter. While that didn’t work, I discovered a related fix: reinstall the Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery device instead. This is for the current version of Windows 10 at the time of this comment. Thanks for the fix!
admin says
@ Henry, thanks for the heads up. I have updated the guide.
Henry Cloads says
Just a heads-up that ‘Solution 1’ for Windows 10 does not work as per the screen captures in the instructions. If I go to ‘Settings > System > Notifications and actions’ [either by clicking the ‘Settings’ icon in the Start menu or using Windows logo + I hotkey] I *do not* get the ‘Select which icons appear on the taskbar’ option, nor do I see a ‘Turn system icons on or off’ link as per the screen capture up top.
But I do see 3 options when I follow the instructions:
* ‘Quick actions’ [with an ‘Add or remove quick actions’ link at the bottom];
* ‘Notifications’ [5 options with on/off toggle buttons]; and
* ‘Get notifications from these senders’ [12 options with on/off toggle buttons].
However…. if I right click the task bar and hit the ‘Options’ icon I *do* get the ‘Select which icons appear on the taskbar’ link.
Like I said, just letting you know. Either my OS is slightly on the fritz [after all, the ‘Battery’ icon suddenly disappeared for no reason]…. or the instructions are wrong [probably because there have been numerous updates since this article was written, and Microsoft, in their wisdom, have changed things].
Andy Frey says
If none of these are working for you, you can also try restarting Windows Explorer!
1. Open up Task Manager and find Windows Explorer.
2. Right click and choose “End task.” Everything on your screen will disappear except for the Task Manager. Don’t worry! This is normal!
3. In Task Manager go to File and choose “Run new task”
4. Type “explorer.exe” in the box and press Okay.
Your desktop will come back to life and should now have all the icons in it that it is supposed to! This solution usually works for me. Hopefully it will work for you too.
Derville says
HP 250 G4 Notebook PC
Windows 10
Go to Settings
Notifications & actions
Select which icons appear on taskbar
Look for Power then toggle it off and on. Leave it on then turn on “Always show all icons in the notification area”
Wait for all the icons to appear, battery icon may or may not be there
Wait a few seconds and then turn off “Always show all icons in the notification area. ”
Restart your laptop
Log in to your user account
Battery icon should be back
Himanshu Punjabi says
Solution 2 worked for me if i uninstalled Microsoft ACPI- Compliant Control Method Battery instead of the AC Adapter, as Bali said. However, it disappeared after a system restart.
Thank you for the input.
Ruth Calero says
Lost the icon after an abrupt shut down of my Asus T100 while was pluged, Win 8.1, Solution 1 didn’t work but solution 2 did! I haven’t restart it yet, hope it doesn’t dissapear again like happened to others, thank you!
Brian says
Like Blitz – Solution 2 worked … but disappeared again on reboot ASUS / Window 10
Brian Firth says
Windows 10 – Solution 2 works but goes again after reboot ? Any tips for permanence ?
yogeswar says
solution 2 worked for me thanks a lot mate…
Kjetil Dybdahl says
Searched for new hardware in device manager/batteries. Battery indicator showed up but was gone after reboot. My fix was to update my BIOS.
BAli says
Solution two worked for me if i uninstalled microsoft ACPI- Compliant Control Method Battery instead of the AC Adapter.
uninstall it and then scan for any hardware changes
and wala
your battery icon is back :)
hope the works for you
Nils says
It did not work as the power icon could not be turned on from off.
However I took out the battery from my laptop HP Pavilion, then “shut down power” in the laptop, turned the power off in the mains.
After a few minutes, put back the battery, turned on the power from the mains and then started the laptop.
This worked and now I can see the battery icon in the tray bottom right near the notifications,.
Hope this helps others
Nils
Melinda Kucsera says
solutions didn’t work, running windows 10. The battery icon is grayed out in the “turn on and off system notifications screen” wtf? It was there five minutes ago before photoshop crashed. Another solutions?
sumit kumar says
awesome man liked that scan for hardware changes
Kevin says
Solution 1 did NOT work.
Solution 2 did NOT work.
Solution 3 did NOT work.
As I am running Windows 10, could NOT try Solution 4.
Sam says
Since my battery icon randomly disappear in my computer
Wow, for me solution 2 worked.
Btw, mine is window 10
Thank You !!
m5racer says
HP Pavilion dv6 laptop, windows 7 pro…tried everything else…solution 3 did the trick…after rebooting the icon is back. into windows had the right fix.
Blitz says
#2 works temporarily. After the computer is restarted, it disappears again. Is there a permanent fix?
jimmie says
thnx method 2 worked had to do Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery though
zak says
solution 2 worked for windows 10!
Vanessa says
After 2 days of trying every fix I could find online I fixed it with something so easy it’s stupid.
Go to your device manager
open batteries
click Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery
in the box it will say “this device is disabled, click enable to turn on”
click “enable device”
about 15 seconds later- it will show up….
yeah….that’s it.. I know right…
Dazbert says
Solution 2, but I had to uninstall Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery.
The AC Adaptor didn’t do it for me.
Archit says
solution 2 worked perfectly for me.
Aditya says
Solution 2 did the job for me. Thank you!
Paulo says
thanks a lot.