You have three ways to replace an iPhone battery

Apple will replace your battery at an Apple Store or through mail-in service. An authorized Apple repair shop (usually a carrier store or independent repair business certified by Apple) can do the same work. You can also replace the battery yourself if you have the right tools and feel comfortable opening your phone — this is the cheapest option but voids your warranty and risks damage if something goes wrong.

Which route you choose depends on your comfort level, how much you want to spend, and how quickly you need the phone working again. An Apple Store appointment usually takes a few hours. Mail-in takes a week or more. A third-party shop varies widely. Doing it yourself takes 30 minutes to an hour if you follow instructions carefully.

Key Takeaways

  • Apple charges between $69 and $99 for a battery replacement depending on your iPhone model, and the work usually takes a few hours at an Apple Store.
  • Authorized third-party repair shops often charge less than Apple but may have longer wait times or lower quality standards.
  • DIY battery replacement costs $20 to $40 for the battery itself plus tools, but requires opening your phone and will void any remaining warranty.
  • Before any replacement, back up your phone and check your battery health in Settings > Battery > Battery Health to confirm the battery is the problem.
  • If your iPhone is still under warranty or AppleCare+, battery replacement may be covered at no cost if the battery capacity has dropped below 80 percent.

How to check your battery health before replacing it

Open Settings, then tap Battery, then Battery Health & Charging. You will see a percentage labeled Maximum Capacity. This tells you how much charge your battery can hold compared to when it was new. If it shows 80 percent or higher, your battery is normal. If it shows below 80 percent, the battery is degraded and may be worth replacing.

You will also see Condition, which says either "Normal" or describes a problem like "Service Recommended" or "Service Not Available, Battery Health Unknown." If it says anything other than Normal, Apple or an authorized shop can diagnose whether replacement is needed. Do not rely on this screen alone — a phone that feels slow or drains quickly might have a software problem instead, so take it to a technician before spending money.

Getting a battery replacement at an Apple Store

Go to apple.com, click Support, then Service & Repair, then Repair & Physical Damage. Enter your phone model and zip code. You will see available appointment times at nearby Apple Stores. Book one and bring your phone and a photo ID.

The technician will run diagnostics to confirm the battery needs replacement, then replace it while you wait — usually 2 to 4 hours. You will pay at the counter. If your phone is under warranty or you have AppleCare+, the replacement is free if the battery capacity is below 80 percent. Without coverage, the cost is $69 for iPhone 15, $79 for iPhone 14 and earlier models, and $99 for iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Prices vary slightly by region.

If you do not want to visit a store, you can mail your phone to Apple instead. Go to the same Support page and select Mail-In Repair. Apple will send you a prepaid shipping box, you pack your phone inside, and they replace the battery and mail it back — usually 5 to 7 business days total. The cost is the same as in-store.

Using an authorized third-party repair shop

Authorized Apple repair shops include many carrier stores (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile), Best Buy, and independent shops that display the Apple Authorized Service Provider logo. These shops can order genuine Apple batteries and perform the replacement under Apple's standards. Find one near you by going to apple.com, clicking Support, then Find Locations, then entering your zip code and selecting Service & Repair.

Prices at authorized shops are often lower than Apple — typically $50 to $80 — but wait times vary. Some can do the work same-day; others may take several days. Call ahead to ask about availability and pricing. If something goes wrong during the repair, you have recourse through Apple's warranty on the work itself, though the terms depend on the shop.

Avoid non-authorized repair shops unless you have no other option. They may use refurbished or third-party batteries that do not perform as well, and the work is not covered by Apple's warranty. If the phone has water damage or other problems, an unauthorized shop may make things worse.

Replacing the battery yourself

You will need a replacement battery kit (search "iPhone [your model] battery replacement kit" on Amazon or eBay — expect to pay $20 to $40), a pentalobe screwdriver (the five-pointed tool that opens iPhones), a plastic spudger (a flat prying tool), and tweezers. Many kits include all of these. You will also need a clean, well-lit workspace and 30 minutes to an hour.

Before you start, back up your phone to iCloud or a computer. Then power it off completely. Follow a video guide step-by-step — iFixit and YouTube have detailed walkthroughs for every iPhone model. The basic steps are: remove the bottom screws, heat the edges with a hair dryer to soften the adhesive, carefully pry open the screen, disconnect the battery connector, peel away the old battery, install the new one, and reassemble.

The hardest part is not breaking the screen or damaging the delicate connectors inside. If you slip with the spudger or pull too hard on a ribbon cable, you can break something that costs more to fix than a professional replacement would have cost. If you are not confident, do not attempt this — the money you save is not worth a broken phone.

What to expect after a battery replacement

A new battery should charge to 100 percent and hold that charge for a full day of normal use. The first few charge cycles may show slightly lower capacity as the battery settles — this is normal. After a few days, check Battery Health again in Settings. It should show close to 100 percent Maximum Capacity.

If the phone still drains quickly or does not charge fully after replacement, the problem may not have been the battery. Bring it back to whoever did the work — if it was Apple or an authorized shop, they will diagnose the issue at no extra cost. If you did it yourself and the problem persists, you may need professional help to identify what else is wrong.

Warranty and coverage for battery replacement

If your iPhone is within one year of purchase, it is covered by Apple's standard warranty. The warranty covers battery replacement at no cost if the battery capacity has dropped below 80 percent due to a manufacturing defect — not normal wear. If your battery failed because you dropped the phone or exposed it to water, the warranty does not cover it.

AppleCare+ extends coverage to two years and includes accidental damage protection. Battery replacement under AppleCare+ is free if capacity is below 80 percent. If you have AppleCare+ and the phone has other damage, you may be charged a service fee ($29 to $99 depending on the damage), but battery replacement itself is included.

If your warranty has expired and you do not have AppleCare+, you will pay out of pocket. There is no way to extend coverage retroactively, so if your phone is approaching the end of its warranty period and the battery is degrading, it is worth getting it replaced while you still have coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will replacing the battery fix a phone that is slow or freezes?

Not always. A degraded battery can cause slowdowns because iOS reduces performance to prevent the phone from shutting down unexpectedly. A new battery may fix this. But if the phone is slow for other reasons — too many apps running, storage full, or an old processor — a new battery will not help. Check Battery Health first; if it is above 80 percent, the slowness is probably not the battery.

Can I replace the battery on an iPhone 15 myself?

Technically yes, but it is harder than older models. iPhone 15 uses stronger adhesive and has a more complex internal layout. The battery is also glued down more securely. Unless you have experience opening phones, use Apple or an authorized shop instead. The risk of breaking something expensive is high.

How long does a new iPhone battery last?

A new battery should retain 80 percent capacity for about two years under normal use. After that, capacity degrades gradually. Most people replace the battery once every two to three years if they keep the phone longer than that. If you replace the battery, the phone can easily last another two to three years.

What happens if I replace the battery myself and something breaks?

If you damage the screen, logic board, or other components during DIY replacement, you will have to pay for those repairs separately. Apple and authorized shops will still repair it, but you will not have warranty coverage for the damage you caused. Repair costs can easily exceed $200 to $400, so the money you saved on the battery replacement is gone.

Is it cheaper to buy a new phone than replace the battery?

Usually not. A battery replacement costs $69 to $99. A new iPhone costs $800 to $1,200. Even if you sell your old phone, you will spend far more on a new one. Battery replacement only makes sense if the phone is otherwise working well and you want to keep it longer.