Windows XP shows a power meter whenever your laptop is running off of batteries so you can see, at a glance, how much power is remaining before you would have to shut down the computer. When you plug your computer into AC power, however, this meter disappears unless you force it to stay available all the time. By keeping it always available when plugged in, you can see if your battery is still recharging.

1. Click "Start" and choose "Control Panel".
2. Select "Power Options".
3. When the "Power Options Properties" multi-tabbed dialog box appears, select the "Advanced" tab.
4. Check "Always show icon on the taskbar".
5. Click "OK" to close the dialog box.

Print This Tip

Get E-Mail When New Tips are Online

Return to the Windows XP and Laptops page.