How to See Your Friends' Battery on iPhone

Quick answer: can you see a friend’s battery on iPhone?

Apple’s built-in tools can’t show a friend’s exact battery percentage. The native battery widget tracks your own iPhone and your paired Bluetooth accessories. It ignores other people’s phones.

To know when a close friend is running out of juice, you need a third-party app. Apps built for close friends show general indicators like Charging or Low battery, which gives you peace of mind without broadcasting an invasive real-time percentage.

How to add the iPhone battery widget to your Home Screen

Apple lets you track your phone and accessories right from the Home Screen.

1. Enter jiggle modeTouch and hold an empty space on your Home Screen until the apps start to jiggle.
2. Open the widget galleryTap the plus button in the upper left corner of your screen.
3. Search for BatteriesScroll down the list or type Batteries into the search bar, then tap the result.
4. Add your widgetSwipe through the three sizes, pick your favorite layout, and tap Add Widget.

The small square shows icons for four accessories. Medium and large sizes add precise battery percentages next to each device name.

Want more layout tips? Read our guide on how to add widgets on iPhone screens.

How to add the battery widget to your Lock Screen

Lock Screen widgets give you a glance at your gear all day without unlocking your phone.

1. Open Lock Screen settingsTouch and hold your Lock Screen, then tap the Customize button at the bottom.
2. Select your Lock ScreenTap the Lock Screen preview on the left side of your display.
3. Open the widget boxTap the rectangular widget area directly under the digital clock.
4. Insert the battery widgetSelect Batteries from the menu, pick a circular or rectangular style, and tap Done.

This space only fits a few small widgets. The circular option shows a dial, while the rectangular banner displays the device name and percentage.

Why iPhone can’t show a friend’s battery percentage

Apple uses strict sandboxing rules across iOS to protect user privacy. An app cannot access system-level telemetry like another person’s exact battery percentage unless that person shares it through a specific service.

Apple’s native Batteries widget talks only to devices paired over local Bluetooth or tied to your personal Apple Account, which covers your Apple Watch, AirPods, Beats headphones, and compatible game controllers.

Nothing in the widget pulls live numbers from another person’s device.

How to see a friend’s battery status with Bobble

Bobble is a free social app where you and your close friends become 3D bobbleheads made from a single selfie. Your bobbleheads live at the top of your screen, showing what everyone is up to instead of dropping pins on a map.

1. Make your 3D avatarHead to getbobble.com/pack in your browser to turn a selfie into your bobblehead with an email code.
2. Join the public betaOpen Bobble on iPhone through the public beta on TestFlight.
3. Add your close friendsSend invites to your inner circle so your 3D figures live on each other’s phones.
4. Check the top of your phoneGlance at your screen to see your friend’s bobblehead change when their phone is charging or low.

Bobble displays simple status flags like Charging or Low battery. You get the context you need without obsessing over exact numbers.

Make your Bobble →

What your friends see

Bobble shows clear, high-level status tags so you stay in the loop without feeling monitored.

Your friends see your 3D bobblehead along with an automated status like gym, asleep, vibing when listening to music, or coffee. When your battery dips low or plugs into a wall, your figure shows Low battery or Charging. They never see a raw percentage. They never see a GPS pin on a map.

If you have an iPhone 14 Pro or newer, you can view your friends using Bobble on the Dynamic Island. Other iPhones display these updates through the Lock Screen and Live Activities on iPhone.

How to stop sharing your battery status

Want downtime? You have simple options.

1. Turn on Ghost modeOpen the app settings and flip on Ghost mode to freeze all updates instantly.
2. Check your figureYour crew will see your 3D bobblehead under a sheet, signaling you are resting.
3. Remove a contactTap on any person in your crew list and remove them if you want to stop sharing completely.

Ghost mode freezes every automated status update until you turn it off. Your friends get nothing about your activity or power status while it runs.

Snapchat battery: what it shows and how it differs

Many people think Snapchat has an actual battery widget for friends. In reality, Snapchat only displays power indicators inside Snap Map under specific conditions.

If you share your live location on Snap Map, Snapchat places a small battery icon next to your Bitmoji avatar when your phone is nearly dead or actively charging. It does not show an exact battery percentage. You also cannot place a standalone widget on your iOS Home Screen that tracks a friend’s battery through Snapchat.

Snap Map also requires you to share your physical location to show those icons. If you prefer to keep your location off, your friends will not see any power indicator on your avatar.

Troubleshooting: widget not updating, widget missing from the list, status not showing

Widget not updating

If your own accessory levels look frozen, toggle Bluetooth off and back on in Settings. Low Power Mode can also pause background widget refreshes to save energy. Plug your iPhone into power or turn off Low Power Mode to let widgets update normally.

Widget missing from the gallery

Batteries not showing in your search results? Restart your iPhone. A quick reboot forces iOS to re-index native widgets. Make sure your device runs an updated version of iOS as well.

Friend status not showing

When friend updates stop refreshing, check your internet connection and verify Background App Refresh is enabled. Both you and your friend must have active accounts and permissions enabled. For more ways to connect with your circle, explore our list of friend widgets.