One Cool Tip Newsletter

January 21, 2026

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😀Greetings!, Happy Windows Wednesday, Cool Tipper!

Get ready to streamline your digital life with simple, actionable tips delivered straight to your inbox.

Today's Cool Tip Theme: Windows 11 Battery Indicator Colors

IN THIS ISSUE

• 🚨 Minnesota DHS Data Breach Alert
• 🤖 Windows 11 Battery AI Prompt of the Day
• 🔋 Windows 11 Battery Icons Get Smarter
• ✈️ How to Use Airplane Mode to Save Power
• 🌱 Go Green with Windows 11 Energy Saver
• ⚙️ Boost Performance with Efficiency Mode

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• 😂 Laugh with Us! Enjoy our Tech Joke of the Day, Haiku and Cool Tip Comics.



• 🌐 Stay Informed! Check out ICYMI, and our One Cool Tip Video.

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Today's Tech Trivia

Answer at the end of this newsletter.

🚨 Minnesota DHS Data Breach Affects 300K+ Residents 🚨

A breach in the MnCHOICES system exposed sensitive data, including names, birth dates, Medicaid IDs, and partial Social Security numbers, of over 304,000 Minnesotans.

The unauthorized access lasted nearly a month and included detailed demographic info for 1,206 individuals.

What You Should Do

• Review your health care statements for suspicious charges.
• Check your credit reports for unusual activity.
• Report fraud immediately to your provider or credit bureau.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services says there's no evidence of misuse but is monitoring for fraud. Additional safeguards have been implemented, and the incident was reported to federal and state oversight agencies.

Try this Cool AI prompt:

Copy/Paste this AI-powered prompt. Try it in the One Cool Tip AI Companion (free ChatGPT account required) or Copilot, Gemini or ChatGPT:

Act as a Windows 11 battery optimization expert.

Ask me a few quick questions about my device type (laptop or tablet), daily usage (work, travel, meetings, streaming), and how often I’m unplugged.

Then create a personalized battery management plan that includes:

• Recommended Energy Saver or Battery Saver thresholds.
• Screen brightness and sleep settings to adjust.
• Background apps I should review or limit.
• Charging best practices for battery health.
• A “low-battery emergency checklist” for meetings or travel.

Give clear step-by-step instructions with exact Windows 11 Settings paths.

Keep the advice practical, concise, and easy to follow.

Windows 11’s New Battery Colors Make Power Status Obvious At A Glance

Windows 11 is finally giving the tiny battery icon a big usability upgrade, with color cues that tell you exactly how worried you should be about your remaining charge. If you live on a laptop all day, this small change can save you from surprise shutdowns and constant percentage checking.

You have probably stared at that tiny battery icon in the corner of your Windows 11 taskbar, trying to guess whether you have enough juice to finish a meeting or a flight. 

The old monochrome icon did not help much. 

It was small, vague, and forced you to click just to see the percentage.

Here's a Cool Tip:  The New Battery Colors Make Power Status Obvious.

A recent Windows 11 update changes that experience with a more colorful, more informative battery indicator. Green, yellow, and red now signal your power situation at a glance, and a clearer percentage readout makes it easier to plan your next charge. 

It is a subtle change that can have a big impact on how confidently you use your laptop away from an outlet.

Feature Explanation

The new Windows 11 battery indicator is a redesigned taskbar icon that uses color and simple symbols to show your battery state. 

Instead of a flat white or black outline, the icon now shifts between green, yellow, and red, depending on whether you are charging, conserving power, or running critically low. 

The icon itself is also larger, roughly twice the length of the previous version, which makes it easier to see on high-resolution displays.

Green: Appears when your laptop is plugged in and charging. A small lightning bolt overlays the icon while the battery is actively charging. When Smart Charging pauses at around 80 percent to protect long-term battery health, the icon switches to a plug symbol instead of the bolt.

Yellow: Shows when Battery Saver or Energy Saver mode is active. Windows can enable this automatically at around 30 percent, or you can turn it on manually to stretch your remaining power. The old leaf icon is gone; the color does the talking now.

Red: Appears when your battery drops under roughly 6 percent. This replaces the old empty battery icon and is designed to be an unmistakable visual warning that you need to plug in immediately.

Alongside the color changes, the update also adds an option to show the exact battery percentage directly on the taskbar, without opening Quick Settings. 

Once the update is installed, you can toggle this in Settings under System, Power & Battery.

What You’ll Gain

• Fewer surprises: Color cues make it obvious when you are close to empty.
• Faster decisions: A quick glance tells you whether to keep working or find a charger.
• Better battery habits: Smart Charging and clearer indicators encourage healthier charging patterns.
• Less clicking: Taskbar percentage display reduces trips into menus.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here's how to do it.

Microsoft Windows 11 Desktop

fig. 1 - Windows 11 Battery Color Example

Check that your system is updated.

1. Select Start > Settings.
2. Go to Windows Update.
3. Click Check for updates and install any available cumulative updates. 
4. The colorful battery indicator is part of recent Windows 11 builds, including updates based on build 26200.7019 and later, which began global rollout in November 2025.

Turn on battery percentage in the taskbar

1. Open Settings.
2. Select System > Power & battery.
3. Look for Battery percentage and toggle it On.

Configure Battery Saver / Energy Saver

1. In Settings > System > Power & battery, scroll to Battery saver or Energy saver.
2. Choose when Windows should automatically turn it on, such as at 30 percent, or toggle it manually.
3. When active, your battery icon will turn yellow to indicate reduced power usage.

Understand Smart Charging behavior

1. On supported laptops, Smart Charging may stop charging at around 80 percent to preserve battery health.
2. When this happens, the icon shows a plug symbol instead of a lightning bolt, while staying green.
3. Check your device manufacturer’s utility or documentation if you want to adjust Smart Charging behavior.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Instant clarity: Color coding makes it easier to understand your battery state without hovering or clicking, which is especially helpful during presentations or remote calls.
• Better visibility: A larger icon and optional percentage display improve readability on high DPI screens and small laptops.
• Health-aware: Smart Charging visuals reinforce healthier charging habits by making the 80 percent pause obvious.

Cons

• Rollout timing: Not every Windows 11 device receives feature updates at the same time, so some users may not see the new icon yet and will need to wait for their OEM or IT department to approve updates.
• Color reliance: Users with certain types of color vision deficiency may still prefer numeric percentages or accessibility tools, since red and green can be hard to distinguish.
• Limited customization: Windows does not currently offer built-in options to change the color thresholds or icon style beyond the default behavior.

Feature Access

The colorful battery indicator and enhanced percentage display are part of recent Windows 11 updates, including builds in the 26200.7019 range and later. 

This update began a global rollout in November 2025 as part of a Patch Tuesday release, after spending time with Windows Insiders.

Key points:

• Platform: Windows 11 on supported laptops and tablets.
• Edition: Available on standard consumer and business editions that receive regular cumulative updates.
• Rollout status: Currently rolling out through Windows Update. Some managed or enterprise devices may receive it later, depending on IT policies and OEM schedules.

Score

Criterion | Score (0–10) | Justification

Value 9

Delivers a clear usability boost for anyone who relies on a laptop battery daily.

Usability 8

Works automatically with intuitive colors, though some users may still rely on percentages.

Wow Factor 7

It is not flashy, but the change feels surprisingly satisfying in everyday use.

Total: 24/30 👍 Good

A small visual tweak that quietly turns the Windows 11 battery icon into a genuinely useful status tool, similar in spirit to the iOS Low Power Mode indicator but better integrated into the desktop taskbar.

Key Takeaways

Windows 11’s new battery colors make it much easier to understand your power situation without clicking or guessing. 

Combined with Smart Charging and a visible percentage, the feature encourages healthier charging habits and fewer surprise shutdowns. 

If you live on a laptop, this is one of those quality-of-life updates that quickly becomes hard to give up.

Cool Tip Snapshot

• Feature Name: Windows 11 Color-Coded Battery Indicator
• Platform(s): Windows 11 laptops and tablets
• Quick Benefit: Instantly see whether you are safely charged, conserving power, or in the danger zone.
• Access Type (Free, Subscription, Beta): Free feature in current Windows 11 updates, currently rolling out via Windows Update.

Try It Yourself

Open Windows Update, install the latest patches, then turn on the battery percentage in Power & battery and watch how the icon shifts between green, yellow, and red throughout your day. 

If you find it helpful, share this One Cool Tip with your team, family, and friends, and subscribe to the One Cool Tip newsletter for more practical upgrades you can actually use.

READ MORE

• New Windows 11 Keyboard Shortcut for En and Em Dashes
• New Windows 11 Themes Bring Personal Style to the Microsoft Store
• “Hey Copilot” on Windows 11: Hands-Free Help That Actually Saves Time
• MORE Windows Wednesday Cool Tips!

Read the Full Cool Tip.

🆒Tell Me More

• The battery icon now shows a plug symbol when Smart Charging pauses at 80%.

• Yellow replaces the old leaf icon for Energy Saver mode.

• Red appears at 6% or lower to signal critical battery.

• The icon is now twice as wide for better visibility.

• You can toggle battery percentage in Settings > System > Power & Battery.

⏩Quick Tips

• 🔋 Watch the Color: Green means charging, yellow means saving, red means plug in now.

• 📊 Show Percentage: Turn on battery percentage in Settings > System > Power & Battery.

• 🧠 Smart Charging Clarity: A plug icon means charging paused at 80%.

• 🛑 Red Alert: Save your work immediately when the icon turns red.

• 🌙 Energy Saver: Enable manually or set it to auto-activate at 30%.

✅ More Must-Read Tech Tips

👀 How Do I Enable or Disable Airplane Mode on Windows 11 and Windows 10?

Have you ever tried to connect to Wi-Fi on a flight only to be told to “switch to Airplane Mode”? 

Airplane Mode instantly disables all wireless communications on your device: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular (if available). 

It’s designed to prevent interference with aircraft systems, but its utility extends far beyond airports.

Windows 11

1. Click the network/volume icon in the lower-right taskbar or press Windows key + A.
2. Select the Airplane Mode (airplane icon) to toggle it on or off.
3. Optional: Re-enable Wi-Fi or Bluetooth individually while Airplane Mode is active.

Windows 10

1. Press Windows Key + A to open the Action Center.
2. Click the Airplane Mode tile.
3. Toggle again to turn it off.

Airplane Mode in Windows isn’t just for flights, it’s a fast way to conserve energy and reset your wireless radios. 

Discover more HERE. 

🤔 Have You Ever Wondered How to Go Green with Windows 11?

Have you noticed your energy bills creeping higher or your device's battery life dwindling faster than you'd like? 

The Energy Saver mode replaces the existing Battery Saver mode, extending its benefits beyond laptops to include desktops. 

Accessible via the new Energy Saver button in your Quick Settings menu, it offers a more robust solution for cutting power consumption.

Here's how to do it.

1. Ensure you have the Windows 11 24H2 update installed.
2. Click on the Quick Settings menu in the bottom-right corner of your screen.
3. Click on the new Energy Saver button to activate the mode.
4. For further customization, go to Settings > System > Power & battery. Fine-tune how much power your device draws when plugged in or on Energy Saver mode.

By taking a few simple steps to enable and configure this feature, you can make a meaningful impact on both your wallet and the planet.

Find out more HERE.

🙋‍♂️ Here's How to Use Windows 11 Task Manager's Efficiency Mode.

Ever wondered how to squeeze the most out of your computer’s performance without resorting to hardware upgrades? 

Windows 11’s Efficiency Mode is a game-changer for anyone looking to optimize system performance.

Efficiency Mode allows you to manually lower the priority of a running process. 

Here's how to do it.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc (keyboard shortcut) to open the Task Manager.
2. Navigate to the “Processes” tab.
3. Select the process you want to enable Efficiency Mode for.
4. Right-click on the selected process and click “Efficiency mode”.

Windows 11’s Efficiency Mode is a powerful tool to help users optimize their systems without additional hardware. 

Learn more HERE. 

❓Did you share this newsletter with three friends yet?

😎 Cool Facts

• 20%: 20% is the default automatic threshold for Battery Saver behavior (and users can change it). Source.

• 300-500: Many lithium-ion batteries are commonly estimated at roughly 300–500 charge cycles (or around 2–3 years) depending on conditions and usage. Source.

• 65W: A laptop-capable multi-device charger commonly advertises up to 65W single-device output, which is a practical baseline for many ultraportables. Source.

⌨️Today's Cool Keyboard Shortcuts

• Win + A: Open Quick Settings to check battery status.

• Win + I: Open Settings quickly to adjust Power & Battery.

• Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open Task Manager to close power-hungry apps.

😜 Tech Joke of the Day 😅

Why did the battery break up with the charger?

It felt drained.

🔎 Do you have a Cool Tip or tech question? Email us at onecooltip.com@gmail.com.

Cool Tip Haiku

Battery glows green,

Yellow whispers, "Save your work."

Red screams, "Plug me in!"

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Google Search Just Added a Plus Button

How to Use the Windows 11 File Explorer Gallery

Ever wondered how to make the most out of your Windows 11 experience? 

Do you want to view and manage your stored photos?

Watch

Nothing bonds a team faster than watching someone negotiate a power crisis in real time.

Trivia Answer: C) Windows 10

Battery Saver debuted in Windows 10 as part of Microsoft’s push toward mobile-friendly features.

It automatically reduces background activity and screen brightness when battery levels drop below a set threshold.

Windows 11 renamed it "Energy Saver" and added color-coded indicators to make it more intuitive.

Image Credit Exhibition Invites, ethw.org

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Tomorrow's Cool Tip is waiting to amaze you.

Until then, go forth and conquer the tech world with your newfound knowledge!

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Enjoy!



Rodger

Chief Cool Tipper

onecooltip.com@gmail.com

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