Yellow circle at the top of an Apple Watch: what does it mean?
On an Apple Watch it means Low Power Mode is on.
What Apple says
- Apple Watch — Low Power Mode. Low Power Mode is on.
Source: Apple Support: Check the status of Apple Watch (Apple Watch User Guide) (checked 2026-09-29)
- What it looks like
- A hollow yellow circle, like a thin ring, at the top of the watch face.
- Shown by
- Apple Watch
Telling it apart
A red lightning bolt means the battery is low; the yellow ring means you (or the watch) switched on Low Power Mode.
Icons to compare
Sources
Each meaning above is taken from the watch maker’s own guide, fetched and read on the date shown. The drawing is ours; the real icon on your watch may be drawn a little differently and can change with software updates.
- Apple Watch — Apple Support: Check the status of Apple Watch (Apple Watch User Guide). Covers: watchOS 27, the version the guide opened on; not dated on the page. Checked 2026-09-29.