diff --git a/extra-files/draft/icons/batteryIcon.png b/extra-files/draft/icons/batteryIcon.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bab563f
Binary files /dev/null and b/extra-files/draft/icons/batteryIcon.png differ
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index afb5ae0..1954948 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -1,12 +1,62 @@
 #include <QtQuick>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <cstdlib>
 //#include <QtGui>
 //#include <QtPlugin>
+#include <QTimer>
+#include <QDebug>
 #include "mainview.h"
 #include "options.h"
 #include "handler.h"
 
 Q_IMPORT_PLUGIN(QsgEpaperPlugin)
 
+MainView *VIEW;
+int _qSize = 1404;
+
+
+int readInt(std::string path) {
+
+    QFile file(path.c_str());
+    if (!file.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly | QIODevice::Text)) {
+        qDebug() << "Couldn't find the file " << path.c_str();
+        return 0;
+    }
+    QTextStream in(&file);
+    std::string text = in.readLine().toStdString();
+    int number = std::stoi(text);
+
+    return number;
+}
+
+
+std::string getBatteryLevel() {
+    int charge_now = readInt(
+        "/sys/class/power_supply/bq27441-0/charge_now"
+    );
+    int charge_full = readInt(
+        "/sys/class/power_supply/bq27441-0/charge_full_design"
+    );
+
+    int battery_level = 100;
+    if (charge_now < charge_full) {
+        battery_level = (charge_now * 100/ charge_full);
+    }
+    qDebug() << "Got battery level " << battery_level;
+    return std::to_string(battery_level) + "%";
+}
+
+
+void setBatteryLevel() {
+    std::string battery_level = getBatteryLevel();
+    QQuickItem*          root = VIEW->rootObject();
+    root->setProperty(
+        "battery_level",
+        QVariant(getBatteryLevel().c_str())
+    );
+}
+
+
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
     qputenv("QMLSCENE_DEVICE", "epaper");
@@ -15,18 +65,32 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     system("/usr/bin/button-capture &");
 
-    QGuiApplication app(argc, argv);
-    MainView view;
 
     srand(time(NULL));
+    QGuiApplication app(argc, argv);
+    MainView view;
+    VIEW = &view;
 
     view.rootContext()->setContextProperty("screenGeometry", app.primaryScreen()->geometry());
     view.engine()->addImportPath(QStringLiteral(DEPLOYMENT_PATH));
     view.setSource(QDir(DEPLOYMENT_PATH).filePath("qml/Main.qml"));
 
-    Options options(&view, &app);
+    Options options(VIEW, &app);
 
-    view.show();
+    QQuickItem*    root = view.rootObject();
+    root->setProperty("battery_icon",QVariant(("file://"+configDir+"/icons/batteryIcon.png").c_str()));
+    setBatteryLevel();
 
+    QTimer *timer = new QTimer();
+    timer->connect(
+        timer,
+        &QTimer::timeout,
+        VIEW,
+        QOverload<>::of(setBatteryLevel)
+    );
+    // update the battery level every 10min
+    timer->start(5000);
+
+    view.show();
     return app.exec();
 }
diff --git a/options.h b/options.h
index 2e21372..8ad9c5a 100644
--- a/options.h
+++ b/options.h
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 #include <QGuiApplication>
 #include "mainview.h"
 
+const extern std::string configDir;
+
 struct OptionItem {
     std::string name;
     std::string desc;
diff --git a/qml/Main.qml b/qml/Main.qml
index 32e6864..bf9ba05 100644
--- a/qml/Main.qml
+++ b/qml/Main.qml
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ import QtQuick 2.0
 import "../js/Main.js" as MainJS
 
 Rectangle {
+    property alias battery_level : batteryLevel.text
+    property alias battery_icon : batteryIcon.source
+
     id: canvas
     width: 1404
     height: 1872
@@ -37,6 +40,41 @@ Rectangle {
         font.italic:true
     }
 
+    Image {
+        x: 19
+        y: 1837
+        id: batteryIcon
+        fillMode: Image.PreserveAspectFit
+        height: 10
+        width: 50
+        anchors.rightMargin: 1335
+        anchors.bottomMargin: 5
+        anchors.topMargin: 1841
+        anchors.top: parent.top
+        anchors.right: parent.right
+        anchors.bottom:parent.bottom
+        anchors.margins:15
+        source: "../extra-files/draft/icons/batteryIcon.png"
+    }
+
+    Text {
+        id: batteryLevel
+        x: 75
+        y: 1828
+        width: 428
+        height: 36
+        text: "Unable to read battery level"
+        anchors.rightMargin: 901
+        anchors.bottomMargin: 8
+        font.family: "Noto Serif"
+        anchors.bottom: parent.bottom
+        font.pixelSize: 30
+        font.italic: true
+        anchors.margins: {bottom:10}
+        anchors.right: parent.right
+    }
+
+
     Text {
         id: optionsHeading
         anchors.left:parent.left
@@ -84,3 +122,9 @@ Rectangle {
     }
 
 }
+
+/*##^##
+Designer {
+    D{i:0;formeditorZoom:0.8999999761581421}
+}
+##^##*/