Laptops are Charging but Taskbar doesn't say "Charging"

starchase · Jan 30, 2022

HP Spectre x360 - Win11 Home, ver 21H2 build 22000.469
Samsung RV711 - Win11 Home, ver 21H2 build 22000.438

2 laptops I updated a week ago (out of approval but Activated) display this characteristic. I'm certain before I upgraded the power icon displayed the word "charging" with the time to full or percentage. As well as after perhaps, I don't now recall. But I just noticed today the icon just reads "Battery status 90% available (plugged in)" (or whatever % it is at the time.) The laptops do charge-up as I check the amount from time to time, to a full battery charge.

Is this normal for this new Windows 11? Is that something MS changed? This morning I did a lot of searching on the web and the machine for this issue in order to return the taskbar to the "former" setting to no avail. So perhaps that is just the way this works now! It seems a step backward rather than forward for an operating system.

John

CornishRattler · Jan 30, 2022

It's not something that MS would change, my Daughter has an Acer laptop that has a battery optimization/protection thingy that only permits the battery to charge to 80% on a certain setting. Do any of yours have this or something like it?

glasskuter · Jan 30, 2022

One of the suggestions in this article may help you. https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-restore-missing-battery-icon-windows-10/

Mark Phelps · Jan 31, 2022

starchase said:
HP Spectre x360 - Win11 Home, ver 21H2 build 22000.469
Samsung RV711 - Win11 Home, ver 21H2 build 22000.438

2 laptops I updated a week ago (out of approval but Activated) display this characteristic. I'm certain before I upgraded the power icon displayed the word "charging" with the time to full or percentage. As well as after perhaps, I don't now recall. But I just noticed today the icon just reads "Battery status 90% available (plugged in)" (or whatever % it is at the time.) The laptops do charge-up as I check the amount from time to time, to a full battery charge.

Is this normal for this new Windows 11? Is that something MS changed? This morning I did a lot of searching on the web and the machine for this issue in order to return the taskbar to the "former" setting to no avail. So perhaps that is just the way this works now! It seems a step backward rather than forward for an operating system.

John

I noticed this myself today on my Envy x360 running Win11. I got it running Win10 and regularly noticed the charging icon animation in the bottom right corner of the screen. When I hovered the mouse over it, it would say it was charging and tell me how much longer until 100%.

I updated the laptop last month to Win11 but have not used it much since,

Then today, I noticed the icon was not animated anymore, It no longer says anything about charging -- so I left it hooked up for a while and noticed the charge level did increment from 68% to 74% so it clearly IS charging.

I have not changed any settings to cause this to happen -- this is something Windows has done on its own.

fmw · Feb 1, 2022

I have fairly new Acer laptop. It shows an icon on the task bar with a graphical indication of battery charge. I can click on it to get details. It works the same on 11 as it did on 10.

The-Hive · Feb 1, 2022

I replaced mine with battery mode but it may only work with apps that use the win 10 style taskbar

barman58 · Feb 2, 2022

There are many manufacturer's, who add their own items to Windows, such as a battery charge utility. This usually will be performed by using a special driver written for the specific laptop, By the manufacturer.

When updating to a new OS you have to check if the manufacturer has written a suitable driver for the new OS for the older hardware. This will usually be dependent if they have stated that the older hardware is fully compatible with the new OS. If it is not compatible then it may be possible to use driver from a current laptop that is compatible but this will usually take some time to become available, (and the driver may need hacking to make it work with the older hardware.

For a specific manufacturer such as Dell or HP Etc. you need to check with them as to the status