diff --git a/crates/modules/src/battery.rs b/crates/modules/src/battery.rs
index b835676..342b2f5 100644
--- a/crates/modules/src/battery.rs
+++ b/crates/modules/src/battery.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 //! Battery module: Android-style battery icon fed by the battery service.
 
-use iced::widget::{container, row, text};
-use iced::{Border, Color, Element, Length, Task, Theme};
+use iced::widget::{container, row, stack, text};
+use iced::{alignment, Border, Color, Element, Length, Task, Theme};
 
 use common::{BarModule, BatteryEvent, BatteryMsg, BatteryStatus, ModuleEffect, Service, Wire};
+use serde::Deserialize;
+use toml::Table;
 
 /// Icon shell size (logical px); fill scales inside it.
 const SHELL_W: f32 = 28.0;
@@ -14,13 +16,27 @@ const PAD: f32 = 2.0;
 pub struct Battery {
     percent: Option<i32>,
     status: BatteryStatus,
+    numbers_in_icon: bool,
+}
+
+/// `module.battery` table; everything optional.
+#[derive(Deserialize, Default)]
+struct BatteryConfig {
+    /// Render the percentage as a number centered inside the icon shell.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    numbers_in_icon: bool,
 }
 
 impl Battery {
-    pub fn new() -> Self {
+    pub fn new(config: Option<Table>) -> Self {
         Self {
             percent: None,
             status: BatteryStatus::default(),
+            numbers_in_icon: config
+                .and_then(|table| table.get("battery").cloned())
+                .and_then(|battery| battery.try_into().ok())
+                .map(|cfg: BatteryConfig| cfg.numbers_in_icon)
+                .unwrap_or_default(),
         }
     }
 
@@ -75,17 +91,36 @@ impl BarModule for Battery {
 
     fn view(&self, _window_id: Option<iced::window::Id>) -> Element<'_, Wire> {
         let status = self.status;
+        let shell = container(
+            container(text(""))
+                .width(Length::Fixed(self.fill_w()))
+                .height(Length::Fill)
+                .style(solid_style(status)),
+        )
+        .width(Length::Fixed(SHELL_W))
+        .height(Length::Fixed(SHELL_H))
+        .padding(PAD)
+        .style(shell_style(status));
+        // Optional percentage readout centered over the fill, in the bar's
+        // background color — legible on the light fill, dim where unfilled.
+        let shell: Element<'_, Wire> = match (self.numbers_in_icon, self.percent) {
+            (true, Some(percent)) => stack![
+                shell,
+                container(
+                    text(format!("{percent}")).size(9).style(|theme: &Theme| text::Style {
+                        color: Some(theme.palette().background),
+                    }),
+                )
+                .width(Length::Fill)
+                .height(Length::Fill)
+                .align_x(alignment::Horizontal::Center)
+                .align_y(alignment::Vertical::Center),
+            ]
+            .into(),
+            _ => shell.into(),
+        };
         let icon = row![
-            container(
-                container(text(""))
-                    .width(Length::Fixed(self.fill_w()))
-                    .height(Length::Fill)
-                    .style(solid_style(status)),
-            )
-            .width(Length::Fixed(SHELL_W))
-            .height(Length::Fixed(SHELL_H))
-            .padding(PAD)
-            .style(shell_style(status)),
+            shell,
             // Nub cap on the right edge.
             container(text(""))
                 .width(Length::Fixed(2.5))
@@ -94,10 +129,18 @@ impl BarModule for Battery {
         ]
         .spacing(2)
         .align_y(iced::Alignment::Center);
-        row![icon]
-            .spacing(6)
-            .align_y(iced::Alignment::Center)
-            .into()
+        if self.numbers_in_icon {
+            icon.into()
+        } else {
+            let label = match self.percent {
+                Some(percent) => text(format!("{percent}%")),
+                None => text("--"),
+            };
+            row![icon, label]
+                .spacing(6)
+                .align_y(iced::Alignment::Center)
+                .into()
+        }
     }
 
     fn update(&mut self, msg: Wire) -> Task<ModuleEffect> {
diff --git a/crates/modules/src/lib.rs b/crates/modules/src/lib.rs
index 4e20107..6cc7820 100644
--- a/crates/modules/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/modules/src/lib.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ pub use weather::*;
 pub fn all(module_config: Table) -> Vec<Box<dyn BarModule>> {
     vec![
         Box::new(audio::Audio::new()),
-        Box::new(battery::Battery::new()),
+        Box::new(battery::Battery::new(Some(module_config.clone()))),
         Box::new(clock::Clock::new(Some(module_config.clone()))),
         Box::new(weather::WeatherModule::default()),
         Box::new(workspaces::Workspaces::new(Some(module_config))),