Sunday, November 14, 2021
Seeing Your iPhone Battery From a Mac
Updated September 2026: in 2021 I wished my Mac could warn me when my iPhone or iPad battery was running low, since I often worked for hours at the Mac and found my phone drained afterwards. I have rewritten it with the ways to see and manage device batteries from a Mac today.
I spend long hours at my MacBook, and my iPhone would often run flat without my noticing. I wanted the Mac to show the iPhone's battery level and notify me when it was low, since the two already worked so closely together.
Can a Mac show your iPhone's battery level?
Yes, in several ways. With iPhone Mirroring, on recent macOS and iOS versions, you can see and use your iPhone's screen, including its battery, from the Mac. When a Personal Hotspot connection is available, the Wi-Fi menu shows the iPhone's battery. AirPods and some accessories show their battery in the Mac's Bluetooth or Control Centre menus.
Is there a battery widget?
The Batteries widget on iPhone and iPad shows connected devices such as AirPods and Apple Watch. On the Mac, iPhone widgets can appear on the desktop with recent macOS versions, which can surface battery information from the phone. Features depend on your devices and software versions.
How do you stop your iPhone draining while you work?
- Charge at your desk: keep a charger or MagSafe stand beside the Mac.
- Use Low Power Mode when you will not be near a charger.
- Check Battery settings for apps using unusual power.
- Use Focus modes to reduce notifications during work.
Can you get a low-battery alert on the Mac?
Not as a standard system notification for the iPhone. A simple workaround is a Shortcuts automation on the iPhone that sends a message or notification when the battery falls below a level, which you will see on your Mac through Messages.
Why does this matter?
Because a dead phone at the end of a work day means missed calls and no access to two-factor codes. A charger at the desk solves most of it; the integrations are a bonus.
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