How to display and to use the "Power Meter" icon in the notification area in Windows XP

This article describes how to display the Power Meter icon in the notification area in Microsoft Windows XP. You may want to display the Power Meter icon in the notification area so that you have quick access to Power Management features.

Note The notification area is located at the far right of the taskbar.

The article also explains how to use some of the features that you can access by clicking the Power Meter icon.

In Windows XP, you can use the Power Meter feature to monitor and manage a portable computer’s battery. You can monitor and manage the computer’s battery only on Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI)-enabled computers and on Advanced Power Management (APM)-enabled computers.

By default, the Power Meter icon appears on the taskbar whenever the computer is operating on battery power. You can configure the computer so that the Power Meter icon appears on the taskbar at all times. This icon gives you direct access to the Power Meter feature and direct access to the Power Options tool in Control Panel. Additionally, you can select the current power scheme.

To add the Power Meter icon to the taskbar, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type PowerCfg.cpl, and then click OK.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Click to select the Always show icon on the taskbar check box, and then click OK.

Note The Power Meter icon image changes from a battery to a plug, depending on the power source that the computer is currently using. The image also changes to indicate that the battery is either charging or fully charged. The display shows the remaining battery capacity when the computer is using battery power.

When you display the Power Meter icon in the notification area in Windows XP, you can use this icon to quickly access Power Management features, as follows:

• You can change the power scheme by clicking the Power Meter icon on the taskbar and then by selecting any one of the available power schemes that appear.
• You can see the status and other details of each battery by right-clicking the Power Meter icon on the taskbar.
• You can open the Adjust Options Properties dialog box by double-clicking the Power Meter icon.

If your portable computer uses multiple batteries, you can also configure the Power Meter feature to display the status of multiple batteries. To configure the Power Meter feature for multiple-battery computers, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type PowerCfg.cpl, and then click OK.
2. Click the Power Meter tab.
3. Click Show details for each battery, and then click OK.

You can set alarms to indicate low-battery and critical-battery levels. You can configure these alarms as notifications that you can either see or hear. You can specify that these alarms initiate either of the following actions:

• Cause the computer to stand by, to hibernate, or to shut down
• Run a program that you specify

To configure alarms to indicate low battery and critical battery levels, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type PowerCfg.cpl, and then click OK.
2. Click the Alarms tab.
3. Click Alarm Action, configure the behavior of an alarm that has been set, and then click OK.