diff --git a/modules/home/waybar.nix b/modules/home/waybar.nix
index cedcd56..a8e3249 100644
--- a/modules/home/waybar.nix
+++ b/modules/home/waybar.nix
@@ -265,6 +265,13 @@ let
       format = "<span size='${toString (t.fonts.size + 2)}pt'>{icon}</span>{capacity}%";
       format-charging = "<span size='${toString (t.fonts.size + 2)}pt'>󰂄  </span>{capacity}%";
       format-icons = [ "󰁺  " "󰁼  " "󰁾  " "󰂀  " "󰁹  " ];
+      # The kernel's "Not charging" maps to waybar's Plugged state — on a
+      # machine with a charge cap that's the hold band doing its job
+      # (power.nix sets start = cap − 10), which reads as "broken charger"
+      # without an explanation. The cap value isn't baked here: the menu
+      # can change it live (sysfs + state, no rebuild), so a number would
+      # go stale.
+      tooltip-format-plugged = "Plugged in, not charging — held at {capacity}% by the battery charge cap\nCharging resumes ~10% below the cap · click to adjust";
       # Click either the battery or the power-profile icon → the combined
       # power menu (profile + charge cap). The granular System rows stay.
       on-click = "nomarchy-menu powermgmt";
diff --git a/themes/boreal/waybar.jsonc b/themes/boreal/waybar.jsonc
index d38973f..f0e8484 100644
--- a/themes/boreal/waybar.jsonc
+++ b/themes/boreal/waybar.jsonc
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@
     "format": "<span size='13pt'>{icon}</span>{capacity}%",
     "format-charging": "<span size='13pt'>  </span>{capacity}%",
     "format-plugged": "<span size='13pt'>  </span>{capacity}%",
+    "tooltip-format-plugged": "Plugged in, not charging — held at {capacity}% by the battery charge cap\nCharging resumes ~10% below the cap · click to adjust",
     "format-icons": [
       "  ",
       "  ",
diff --git a/themes/executive-slate/waybar.jsonc b/themes/executive-slate/waybar.jsonc
index dfdd366..c8507d1 100644
--- a/themes/executive-slate/waybar.jsonc
+++ b/themes/executive-slate/waybar.jsonc
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@
     "format": "<span size='13pt'>{icon}</span>{capacity}%",
     "format-charging": "<span size='13pt'>  </span>{capacity}%",
     "format-plugged": "<span size='13pt'>  </span>{capacity}%",
+    "tooltip-format-plugged": "Plugged in, not charging — held at {capacity}% by the battery charge cap\nCharging resumes ~10% below the cap · click to adjust",
     "format-icons": [
       "  ",
       "  ",
diff --git a/themes/summer-day/waybar.jsonc b/themes/summer-day/waybar.jsonc
index f52401f..9f7bc38 100644
--- a/themes/summer-day/waybar.jsonc
+++ b/themes/summer-day/waybar.jsonc
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@
     "format": "<span size='13pt'>{icon}</span>{capacity}%",
     "format-charging": "<span size='13pt'>  </span>{capacity}%",
     "format-plugged": "<span size='13pt'>  </span>{capacity}%",
+    "tooltip-format-plugged": "Plugged in, not charging — held at {capacity}% by the battery charge cap\nCharging resumes ~10% below the cap · click to adjust",
     "format-full": "  100%",
     "format-icons": [
       "  ",
diff --git a/themes/summer-night/waybar.jsonc b/themes/summer-night/waybar.jsonc
index d1d1ff3..44b96cb 100644
--- a/themes/summer-night/waybar.jsonc
+++ b/themes/summer-night/waybar.jsonc
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@
     "format": "<span size='13pt'>{icon}</span>{capacity}%",
     "format-charging": "<span size='13pt'>  </span>{capacity}%",
     "format-plugged": "<span size='13pt'>  </span>{capacity}%",
+    "tooltip-format-plugged": "Plugged in, not charging — held at {capacity}% by the battery charge cap\nCharging resumes ~10% below the cap · click to adjust",
     "format-icons": [
       "  ",
       "  ",