NotchMindYour iPhone shows AirPods battery the moment you open the case. On a Mac it’s a little more hidden. Here’s where to find it.
1. The Bluetooth menu
Click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar. With your AirPods connected, the battery level shows under their name. If you don’t see the icon, turn it on in System Settings → Control Centre → Bluetooth → Show in Menu Bar.
2. Control Centre
Click Control Centre in the menu bar, then the arrow next to Bluetooth. Connected AirPods show their battery there too.
3. The Batteries widget
Add the Batteries widget to your desktop or Notification Centre: click the date in the menu bar, choose Edit Widgets, and drag in Batteries. It shows your Mac and connected devices, including AirPods, at a glance.
4. The notch, the moment they connect
NotchMind, which I make, shows your AirPods in the MacBook notch as soon as they connect, with their battery as a percentage or a ring. It works for other Bluetooth headphones, keyboards and mice that report a battery level too. Then you can send your Mac’s sound to them with one click from the notch’s music player. See AirPods and Bluetooth in the notch.
Why doesn’t my headset show a battery?
Apple and Beats headphones report their battery to macOS. Many third-party headphones, keyboards and mice don’t, so no app can show it, not even the Bluetooth menu.