- Microsoft is building a battery widget for Windows 11 that shows your PC and connected wireless devices.
- The widget could appear on both the Widgets board and the Lock Screen.
- It can show battery percentages, charging status, and Energy Saver status.
- The feature is still in development, with no confirmed release date.
As part of the Windows K2 initiative, Microsoft is working on a new battery widget for Windows 11 that can show the battery status of your computer and connected wireless peripherals. References to the feature have surfaced in the latest preview builds of the operating system, where it’s still under development.
The widget is designed for both the Widgets board and Lock Screen. This makes it more useful than another feed of headlines because it gives users a quick way to check whether their laptop, mouse, keyboard, headset, or other wireless device needs charging.
Windows 11 battery widget is still in development
The feature isn’t available yet (via Windows Central and Discord), but strings and visual assets in the latest preview builds suggest how the company is building it.
The widget will support light and dark themes and display devices in a vertical list. Your device’s battery appears first, followed by peripherals. Each entry can show an icon, device name, and battery percentage.
Microsoft is also preparing status indicators for charging and Energy Saver. That could make the widget more useful than simply showing a percentage.
This feature is still under development, so Microsoft could change its design or behavior before release. There is no indication yet of when it will reach general availability.
Microsoft is giving Widgets a more useful system role
Battery widgets aren’t new. Android and iOS have offered similar ways to monitor phones and connected accessories for years.
Windows 11 has been slower to make the Widgets board useful for system information. Since its debut in 2021, the platform has gained some useful additions, but it still hasn’t become an essential part of the operating system.
A system-level battery widget is a better fit than many content-focused widgets the company has promoted. It answers a simple question without requiring users to open Settings or another app.
It also points to an opportunity Microsoft hasn’t fully explored. Processor and memory monitoring widgets, for example, could make the Widgets board useful to people who manage their computers.
Pureinfotech’s Take
I’ve never had much reason to open the Widgets board, but this battery widget could change that.
Would you use a battery widget on Windows 11?
Voting closes: September 14, 2026 1:00 pm
I like the idea of putting useful system information there instead of more content. The system already knows the battery levels of the computer and connected devices, so showing that information at a glance makes sense.
Putting the widget on the lock screen is a nice touch, too. I can check my battery and accessories without even signing in.
This won’t suddenly make Widgets essential, but it’s a step in a better direction. I’d rather see the company make the board more useful than give me another place to read things I don’t need.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert and founder of Pureinfotech in 2010. With over 23 years as a technology writer and IT Specialist, Mauro specializes in Windows, software, and cross-platform systems such as Linux, Android, and macOS.
Certifications: Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), VMware Certified Professional (VCP), and CompTIA A+ and Network+.
Mauro is a recognized Microsoft MVP and has also been a long-time contributor to Windows Central.
You can follow him on YouTube, Threads, BlueSky, X (Twitter), LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].
