All batteries, after prolonged use, get worse over time until they can’t even last a day.
So, is it worth replacing the iPhone battery? Many iPhone users have been asking a similar question for almost a decade, and finally, I’ll answer every one of your concerns in this article, so make sure to stick with me till the end.
Is It Worth Replacing the Battery on iPhone?
Replacing an iPhone battery is a no-brainer. It can make your phone function brand new. If your iPhone is within one year of the purchase or you have Apple Care+, you can replace your battery free of charge. If your iPhone needs charging several times a day or struggles to function, replacing a battery will make it feel brand new.
You can see the cost of Apple replacing your battery down below. I bought a used iPhone 7+, and the battery was good, but the battery health was only 79% since I got it replaced. On the other hand, the battery life is impressive for an old iPhone!
iPhone battery replacement price (United States)
| Phone model | In-warranty or with AppleCare+ | Out of warranty |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini | $ 0 | $ 69 |
| iPhone SE (2nd generation), iPhone SE, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and all other eligible models | $ 0 | $ 49 |
Unlike replacing an iPhone’s screen which costs between $329-$120, replacing your battery only costs between $49-$69, around 10% of your iPhone’s price, hardly breaking the bank for repairing an essential piece of your iPhone.
As the iPhone’s battery health percentage, the iPhone’s value declines, intelligent buyers will look at a phone’s battery status whenever purchasing one, making it difficult to sell an iPhone second-hand without a good battery.
Replacing the battery yourself is an option—iFixit sells iPhone Battery Kits, including tools for $29.99 for iPhone 8/8 Plus, with more expensive options for other iPhones. However, be warned the newer iPhones are a lot more challenging to repair than older models.
If you find your iPhone takes too long to send a message, download files or make calls, then your older battery might be causing slow performance. Likewise, if you see your iPhone stop working when writing an email or looking at pictures, these are clear signs your iPhone needs a new battery.
iPhones depending on the model should take 2-4 hours to 100% charge. If your iPhone doesn’t want to charge, it’s a sign; it’s crying out for a replacement.
How you charge your iPhone paints the story of how long your battery will last you. To know how to keep your battery happy & healthy, please read my detailed guide to iPhone charging.
What Is the Cost of Replacing the Battery on the iPhone?
Apple will replace an iPhone’s battery between $49 to $69 depending on the iPhone’s model. If your iPhone is still under warranty or you have Apple Care + Apple will replace your iPhone’s battery for free.
Currently, Apple offers battery replacements for all iPhone models, from the iPhone 6 to the iPhone 13. Battery replacement for every model from iPhone 6 to iPhone 8 Plus would cost you $49, while the battery replacement for the newest models from iPhone X to iPhone 13 Pro Max would be around $69.
Apple also charges a $6.95 shipping fee charge, before taxes for replacement iPhone batteries.
At What Percentage Should I Replace My iPhone Battery?
An iPhone battery should be replaced once it reaches 80% of its original charge capacity at 500 complete charge cycles. If the total charge capacity is less than 80% of its maximum capacity, the battery is considered worn once the recharge cycles exceed 500.
As the battery health of your iPhone deteriorates, the iPhone will need to be charged quite often, and there will come a time when you will need to set it up to 4 times to get through a day.
However, even when my iPhone 7+ battery health was 79%, it still retained enough battery for my daily use, but if you use your iPhone to watch movies, and play games, less than 80% of battery health will not be good enough.
I still recommend replacing your iPhone’s battery once it reaches 80% of battery health, as the performance will only worsen over time. For example, suppose you notice an old phone randomly turning off or struggling to perform basic tasks like opening photos. In that case, the battery is likely not providing the phone with sufficient processing power causing these issues.
Unlike what you might think, keeping your iPhone’s lithium battery charged is key to maintaining healthy battery health. It’s effortless to do with a power bank. Take a look at the best power banks available for a bargain on Amazon.
Does charging your iPhone overnight damage your iPhone’s battery? Discover everything to know, about charging iPhones in my helpful article.
Can I Replace My iPhone Battery Myself?
You can replace your iPhone battery yourself, but it isn’t easy. First, it requires technical knowledge. iPhones use strong glue, and there are different parts you need to remove with specialized tools to access the battery.
Taking apart an iPhone is quite complex, and even the slightest error could send your iPhone into oblivion.
After watching hundreds of JerryRigsEverthing’s teardowns, I can safely say that replacing the battery on your iPhone battery yourself can be disastrous. Apple takes many steps to make iPhone extremely hard to disassemble, and if you aren’t a tech-savvy person, it is very unsafe to replace the iPhone battery yourself.
I still remember fixing my iPhone 4S back in the day only to destroy it, and newer iPhones are even more challenging to repair as Apple wants more control over repairs.
You can purchase an iPhone battery replacement kit from iFixit that includes everything you need to replace your iPhone’s old battery:
- A custom driver
- Steel bits
- Opening tools
- ESD-safe tweezers
- A new battery backed by a one-year warranty guarantee
However, the price for the iPhone 11 battery kit is $54.99, with Apple replacing an iPhone 11 battery for only $69 out of warranty, so is it worth buying a piece of equipment with the HUGE risk of destroying your iPhone, not to mention the time it will take to repair it?
In my opinion, no, it is not better to leave it in the capable hands of the Apple technicians, although if your feel capable, go ahead and try to replace the battery yourself. Please don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Is It Better to Replace the Battery Or Buy a New Phone?
It is better to replace an iPhone’s battery as it only costs between $49 to $69 depending on the model of the iPhone, less than 10% of the cost of a new iPhone. Buying a new iPhone will cost between $699-$999, making replacing an iPhone battery by far the better option.
If you cracked your iPhone’s screen, that is a different story as it costs between $329-$120 since it’s the most expensive part of your iPhone, while replacing your battery only costs between $49-$69, around 10% of your iPhones price hardly breaking the bank for repairing an essential piece of your iPhone.
If your iPhone is covered under the Apple Care+ plan, you won’t have to pay a single penny, and in that case, you shouldn’t even consider buying a new iPhone. On the contrary, if your iPhone is slowly running out of juice and requires a battery sooner or later, you must consider a few factors before purchasing a new iPhone.
Although you could purchase another iPhone for different reasons, I’ll help you make a timely decision. Here are a few things you should consider before buying a new iPhone instead of merely replacing the battery.
If you reset your iPhone, will you lose all of your data? Find out in our complete guide to resetting your iPhone.
Upgrade From An Older Model
If you’re using an older version of an outdated iPhone that requires a new battery and doesn’t have many features that you’d like to have, then buy a brand-new iPhone. Making a jump from iPhone 6 to the iPhone X or iPhone 13 Pro would be a HUGE improvement.
Unlocking your iPhone 13 with Face ID or enjoying the fantastic, easy-to-use professional camera or beautiful screen are all reasons to make the switch.
However, if you don’t care too much about improvements in camera or technology or have a newer iPhone like the iPhone X, you won’t have a completely different experience than you’ll undergo. Although there are minor changes in features like 3D scanning, upgrading from iPhone X merely because of its deteriorating battery health isn’t worth it.
Cost
Purchasing a new iPhone will make a dent in your bank while the battery replacement isn’t too much of a hit.
If you believe that your iPhone has seen its best days and you are also looking to upgrade, the decision might be financially challenging, but it would be worth it.
However, if your iPhone is running smoothly and only requires a battery replacement, then there’s no point in buying a new iPhone. Replacing the battery will make your iPhone run as well as new. Trust me, and you will be surprised.
Looking for more insightful information on when your iPhone needs to be replaced? Here are 7 Signs Your iPhone Needs To Be Replaced (Helpful Tips).
How Many Years Should an iPhone Battery Last?
An iPhone’s battery will be like new for around two years, lasting roughly four years before they require replacement. However, there is no magic number before a battery needs replacement as it depends on usage. For example, if you do battery-intensive programs like playing games, the battery will degrade a lot faster.
Apple claims that the batteries in iPhones are good for up to 3 years before they need to be replaced, but the reality is that your iPhone’s battery might need to be replaced within the first two years.
Usage plays a vital role in the battery’s longevity and the more stress you put on the battery if you play intensive games of edit 4K video, the earlier you’re likely to need a replacement.
Games and background running apps are generally the culprits behind the deteriorating battery health, and if you keep such apps to a minimum, the battery may last for up to 4 years.
Do All iPhones Have the Same Battery?
No, iPhones have different batteries, and they cannot be used interchangeably, even if they’re the correct size. Other models of iPhone have various electricity measures (mAh) capacities, and even similar models like iPhone X and iPhone XS have different kinds of batteries.
Every iPhone model has different size batteries, and although they are all made out of Lithium Polymer, the capacity is different for all of them. iPhone X has a 2716mAh battery, while iPhone XS features a 2658mAh battery.
Phones have different batteries for each model, and even though a few of them are similar in size, batteries cannot be used interchangeably.
If you’re buying an iPhone battery for your iPhone, make sure to do proper research to purchase the right one. Otherwise, if you end up buying a battery for some other model of iPhone, it will be of no use to you.
Even when iPhone batteries appear identical to the iPhone 8 and iPhone SE, the connectors are different, so they are not interchangeable.
To learn more about the iPhone SE and if Apple’s affordable iPhone battery is good enough, please read my detailed article.
Can I Improve the Battery Health Percentage of My iPhone?
iPhone lithium batteries degrade over time. Once a battery completes 500 complete charge cycles, it will only retail 80% of its original charge capacity. Once the battery percentage is down, it cannot be improved, and it requires replacement.
You can do things to maintain battery health like enabling low power mode, a feature introduced in iOS 9 to extend your iPhone’s battery once it gets low, or lowering the brightness and reducing background apps; however, you can’t improve the battery health once it’s reduced.
Consider buying a new iPhone. We’ve weighed the pros and cons, and we have the final verdict. Read all about it in our guide, Are iPhones Worth It?