Picture of the glowing blue light ring on the Sony SRS XB20 speaker.

Sony SRS XB20 Charging Indicator

The Sony SRS XB20 Charging Indicator is a small LED on the top of the speaker. Fins it just above the Power button. It displays charge status. E.g. Whether it’s draining or charging, or whether it’s critically low or not when discharging.  But it neither reads out charging progress, nor exactly how full the battery is. But it does flash orange when the speaker hits near-dead. In this post, we explain how to read the Charging Indicator lamp on the XB20.

To get a more precise readout of charge percentage, see below.

Sony SRS XB20 Charging Indicator: How to Read the Light

1. The Lamp is OFF 

The charging indicator lamp is dark in the following situations:

    1. When you power down the XB20 with no charger connected.
    2. When the charger IS present but the speaker is full.
    3. And finally, this light is OFF when the speaker ON, but the XB20 is not low. The lamp is dark as long as the battery does not yet need charging.
Picture of the dark CHARGE light on the Sony SRS XB20.
The Sony SRS XB20, showing a dark CHARGE lamp.

2. The Sony SRS XB20 Charging Indicator Blinks Orange

With the charger unplugged, the XB20 running, and the speaker having very little energy remaining, this light starts flashing orange.  This means that the speaker will soon power off due to the battery dying. So to keep the play going, you should put it on the charge soon.

3. This Lamp Doubles as a Charging Light

This lamp also lights up solid orange (no flashing) as the XB20 charges, as we see in the next picture.   On this speaker, the light glowing is the only visual way of telling that recharging is occurring.  But it does not show how far along the recharging is, until it actually goes out.

Picture of the glowing CHARGE light on the Sony SRS XB20.
The Sony SRS XB20 -CHARGE- lamp glowing.

Also note that this light should never blink on and off during recharging.  If it does, then either your charger is not operating well or your USB cable is bad. Or some the speaker itself may be faulty.

4. When the Light Goes Dark While Charging, Then Charging is Complete

As speaker charging continues, the light keeps glowing.  But eventually, recharging finishes. Then the lamp goes out to show this.  It is OFF in this case whether the speaker itself it ON or OFF.

5. The Sony SRS XB20 Charging Indicator Is Not a Charge Remaining Readout

When unplugged from the charger, this light becomes the charge left indicator.  Well sort of.  So if it is dark when the speaker is ON, then the speaker has some playtime remaining. However you cannot tell just how much by reading the Charging Indicator lamp.

Reading Charge Percentage

However, on this speaker, you can get a reading on the percentage of charge left.

Picture of the PHONE-BATT button on the Sony SRS XB20 speaker.
The Sony SRS XB20 speaker PHONE-BATT button.

Just press and hold the Phone-BATT button until the speaker says the remaining power percent value in a female voice.

Other Sony SRS XB20 Posts

    1. How to Check Sony SRS XB20 Battery
    2. Charging Instructions
    3. Bluetooth Pairing Instructions
    4. General Specifications
    5. Hard Reset Procedure

References

    1. Official Sony SRS XB20 Support Page
    2. Where to Buy the Sony SRS XB20