Those of us who are totally rooted in Apple’s ecosystem have a lot of batteries to think about; you may have to boot up a MacBook, an iPhone, an iPad, an Apple Watch, and an AirPod, which only consume precious portable power. Instead of constantly jumping between products to see if you need them to access loaders, you can sync all your products in a single widget.
Let me introduce you Cloud battery: The app can be downloaded for free and, when set up, can sync the battery levels of all connected devices in an easy-to-view list. You can use it as an app, widget, menu bar utility, or as an Apple Watch complication.
How to use Cloud Battery
To get started, you’ll need to download the Cloud Battery app to all supported devices. This includes iOS, iPadOS, watchOS and macOS. Note: Although there is a downloadable watchOS app, your Apple Watch should automatically add Cloud Battery as an app when you download it to the connected iPhone. If you don’t see it, open the Watch app on your iPhone, scroll down to Cloud Battery, and activate. “Show the app on Apple Watch.”
Requirements for configuring Cloud Battery
There are some iCloud requirements for this app: You need to have iCloud Drive enabled and iCloud enabled for Cloud Battery. These two iCloud criteria may be met when you download the app to your device, but here’s how to check it:
- iOS: open Settings> iCloud; the lever on the side iCloud Drive should be enabled. Scroll down and make sure the switch next to it Cloud battery is also enabled.
- macOS: open System Preferences> Apple ID> iCloud; the check mark next to iCloud Drive must be selected. Click on “Options …”And make sure the check mark is next to Cloud battery is also selected.
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The app recommends that all devices be on the same iCloud account, but they shouldn’t be. This is only a requirement if you want to receive battery alert notifications. You’ll also need to make sure that the background app update is turned on on all iOS and iPadOS devices; if you normally want to disable this setting, enable it for Cloud Battery from Settings> General> Background Application Update.
How to set up Cloud Battery on your Apple devices
Let’s take a look at what it’s like to start with the iPhone app. When you first turn it on, you give the app permission to use Bluetooth as well as notifications (if you want to receive battery alert notifications). Once I finished clicking on the introductory pages, my connected Apple Watch was already listed on my devices, but it was the only one.
If you don’t see the clock or to add your iPhone to the list, tap the (+) in the upper left. Here you will see your current device, as well as all the devices that the app picks up via Bluetooth, such as AirPods or an Apple Pencil. Tap the device and Cloud Battery will add it to the list of all your connected devices.
The instructions are largely the same on macOS – the app is in the menu bar, where you can see your Mac’s battery percentage at all times. Just choose “Add Device” to add your Mac to the list. Once you’ve added all the devices to each of your Cloud Battery apps, you’ll have a complete list, regardless of which app you’re using.
Bonus and customization functions
Cloud Battery has a widget for macOS and iOS; comes in three sizes (small, medium, and large) that you can place on your home screen and in today’s display (iOS) and notification center (macOS) to keep your battery level tabs devices. You can also change the order of the device list by tapping the arrows at the top of the screen (or “Sort” on macOS) and choosing an option.
On iOS, if you select one of the devices from the list, you can customize its settings. Tap the pencil icon at the top right to rename it; touch the pencil next to it Device type to change the device type; or use the sliders at the bottom of the screen to set battery limits to activate notifications for that particular device. The battery slider alerts you when the device falls below this percentage, and the charge slider notifies you when the device exceeds this percentage.
If you want access to Cloud Battery’s range of UI customizations, as well as an ad-free experience, you’ll have to pay $ 2.99. But if you’re just looking for a reliable way to monitor the battery levels of all your devices, the features that come with the free version are more than enough. And if you ever get stuck, the application developer’s website it is full of details.