Why does my Mac not show the battery level of my Bluetooth headphones?

Some headphones do not report a level to macOS. A connection is not enough. The headphones must also send their battery level in a form that macOS reads. Owners of some Sony and EarFun models report that macOS shows no level for them.

Where does a Mac show the battery of a Bluetooth device?

In Control Center under Bluetooth, in System Settings under Bluetooth, and in the Batteries widget. Each one lists only devices that are connected to this Mac.

Why do Bluetooth battery levels show only sometimes?

macOS can take a minute or more to get a level after a device connects, and people report that levels are missing after the Mac wakes from sleep. Keep the Bluetooth settings open and wait, or turn the device off and on.

Why does my mouse show no battery level when it works fine?

It is probably on a USB receiver, such as a Logi Bolt or Unifying receiver or a 2.4 GHz dongle. A device on a receiver is not a Bluetooth device to the Mac, so the Bluetooth lists leave it out.

Can I make macOS show a level for a device that does not report one?

No. No setting in macOS adds it. Some devices report a level in a way that macOS does not show, and an app like BatteryBud can read that.

Is there a Terminal command for Bluetooth battery levels?

Yes. Type pmset -g accps. It lists the accessories that report a battery level to macOS, with their percentages.

Bluetooth battery level not showing on a Mac. Causes and fixes

A Mac shows the battery level of a Bluetooth device only when three things are true. The device is connected to this Mac, it is connected over Bluetooth, and it reports its level in a form that macOS reads. When a level is missing, one of the three is not true. Here is how to find which one.

Where the level should be

Click the Control Center icon in the menu bar.
Click Bluetooth.
Look next to the name of the device.

The level is also in System Settings, under Bluetooth, and in the Batteries widget. See how to add a battery widget on a Mac.

To make the menu one click, open System Settings, click Menu Bar, and select Bluetooth. In macOS Sequoia or earlier, go to Control Center and set Bluetooth to Show in Menu Bar.

The causes

Cause	How to tell	What to do
The device is connected to another device	It is in the list, but it does not show Connected	Connect it to this Mac
The level has not arrived yet	The device connected a moment ago, or the Mac just woke up	Keep the Bluetooth settings open for a minute or two
The device is on a USB receiver	A small USB dongle is in the Mac or the hub	Pair it over Bluetooth, or use an app that reads the receiver
The device does not report a level to macOS	It is connected, and the level never appears	Use the maker’s app, or an app that reads the device directly
The device is an iPhone, an iPad or an Apple Watch	They are not Bluetooth accessories of the Mac	Use Find My, or a battery monitor
The AirPods case is closed	The buds show, and the case does not	Open the lid with a bud in the case

Fixes to try, in order

Wait. Open System Settings, click Bluetooth, and keep the window open. People report that a level can take minutes to appear, and that it can be missing after the Mac wakes from sleep.
Turn the device off and on. It connects again and sends its level again.
Turn Bluetooth off and on. Use the switch at the top of the Bluetooth settings.
Restart the Mac.
Pair the device again. In the Bluetooth settings, click the info button next to the device, then click Forget This Device. Put the device in pairing mode and connect it again.

If the level is still missing after step 5, the device does not report one to macOS, and no fix on the Mac changes that.

Check with Terminal

Open Terminal and type this command.

pmset -g accps

The output lists each accessory that reports a battery level to macOS, with its percentage. If your device is not in the output, macOS does not get a level from it.

Devices that macOS never lists

A mouse, keyboard or headset on a USB receiver. This includes Logi Bolt and Unifying receivers and the 2.4 GHz dongles of gaming mice and headsets. See how to check a Logitech mouse battery on a Mac and how to check a gaming headset’s battery on a Mac.
A device that is connected to your iPhone. AirPods that play from the iPhone are not connected to the Mac.
An iPhone, an iPad or an Apple Watch. See how to check your iPhone battery from a Mac and how to check your Apple Watch battery on a Mac.
The AirPods case, most of the time. The case reports through the buds. See how to check AirPods case battery on a Mac.

Show the levels that macOS leaves out

BatteryBud is a battery monitor for Mac. It reads devices in more ways than the Bluetooth menu does.

Bluetooth devices that macOS shows no level for. From version 1.2.0, Bluetooth mice, keyboards and headphones appear when they report a level, including ones that macOS itself shows nothing for.
Devices on USB receivers. Logitech devices on a Unifying, Bolt or Lightspeed receiver, wireless Razer devices, and supported headsets from Corsair, SteelSeries, HyperX and Logitech.
AirPods that are connected to your iPhone. BatteryBud reads the Bluetooth broadcasts they send while they are near your Mac, also in a closed case.
iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Over Wi-Fi, after a setup that needs a cable once.

A device that reports no level at all stays missing. To find out, open Settings, then Devices, in BatteryBud. A button there makes a short report of what is connected, which you can send to us.

Bluetooth battery level not showing on a Mac