Replace the battery if your phone is less than five years old and the battery health has dropped below 80 percent

A battery replacement costs between $50 and $100 depending on your iPhone model, while a new phone costs $800 to $1,500. If your phone still does what you need it to do—the screen works, the camera is fine, it connects to the network—replacing the battery usually makes sense. Apple's battery replacement program covers this at their stores and authorized repair shops, and independent repair shops often charge less.

The real question is not whether the battery is old, but whether the phone itself still works for you. A five-year-old iPhone with a fresh battery will run current apps and take updates. A two-year-old iPhone with a dead battery will shut down at 20 percent charge and drain in an hour, making it feel broken even though the hardware is fine.

Key Takeaways

  • Check your battery health in Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging; if it shows below 80 percent, the battery is degraded enough to notice in daily use.
  • Apple and authorized repair shops charge $50 to $100 for a battery replacement, depending on your model year and whether your phone is under warranty.
  • A battery replacement makes financial sense if your phone is under five years old and you have no other hardware problems like a cracked screen or water damage.
  • Independent repair shops often charge $30 to $60 for the same battery replacement, but verify they use genuine or high-quality third-party batteries.
  • If your phone is over six years old, the cost of a battery replacement plus eventual repairs to aging hardware may approach the cost of a used phone in good condition.

How to check your iPhone battery health right now

Open Settings, tap Battery, then tap Battery Health & Charging. You will see a percentage labeled "Maximum Capacity." This number tells you how much charge your battery holds compared to when it was new. At 100 percent, the battery is new. At 80 percent, it holds 80 percent of its original charge. At 50 percent, a full charge lasts half as long as it did when you bought the phone.

Below 80 percent, most people notice the phone drains faster and shuts down unexpectedly when the battery is low. Below 60 percent, the phone becomes unreliable—it may turn off at 30 percent charge, or drain from 50 to zero in an hour. Apple's warranty covers battery replacement if capacity drops below 80 percent within the first year; after that, you pay out of pocket.

What a battery replacement actually costs

Apple charges $69 for an iPhone 15 battery replacement, $79 for an iPhone 14 or 13, and $89 for older models. These prices are current but vary slightly by region. If your phone is still under the one-year limited warranty and the battery has dropped below 80 percent, Apple replaces it at no charge. If you have AppleCare+, the replacement costs $0 to $29 depending on your plan and phone age.

Authorized Apple repair shops (Best Buy Genius Bar, carrier stores, and independent shops with Apple certification) charge the same amount. Independent repair shops without Apple certification often charge $30 to $60, but the quality of the replacement battery varies. Some use genuine Apple batteries pulled from recycled phones; others use third-party batteries that may not last as long or hold charge as reliably. Ask the shop what battery they use before you agree to the repair.

When replacing the battery makes the most financial sense

If your iPhone is between two and five years old, a battery replacement almost always makes sense. The phone's processor, screen, and camera are still current enough to run apps smoothly and take good photos. A new battery will restore the phone to feeling like it did two years ago. The $70 to $90 cost is a fraction of what you would spend on a new phone.

If your phone is six years old or older, do the math. A battery replacement costs $70 to $100, but an aging phone will eventually need other repairs—a cracked screen ($200 to $400), water damage repair ($300 to $600), or a failing speaker or microphone. If you add up the battery replacement plus one or two other likely repairs, you may be close to the cost of a used iPhone in good condition from a carrier or refurbished retailer. At that point, replacing the phone makes more sense than chasing repairs.

Signs your phone has other problems beyond the battery

Before you commit to a battery replacement, check for damage that would make the repair less worthwhile. Inspect the screen for cracks or dead pixels. Test the camera by taking a photo in bright light and in dim light. Try the speaker by playing a video with sound. Plug in headphones and check that audio comes through both ears. If the phone has a cracked screen, water damage, or a failing speaker, the battery replacement alone will not fix those problems.

If the phone has a cracked screen and a dead battery, you have two choices: replace both (screen plus battery, $200 to $400 total) or buy a used phone. If the phone has been dropped in water and the battery is also dead, water damage repair is expensive and unpredictable—the phone may work for a month or fail again in a week. In that case, a new or used phone is the safer choice.

Where to get the battery replaced

Apple stores offer battery replacement with a same-day or next-day appointment in most locations. You can book online at apple.com or call your local store. Bring your phone and a form of payment. The repair takes one to two hours.

Best Buy Genius Bar offers the same service at the same price and often has faster appointment availability. Carrier stores (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile) also do battery replacements, though wait times vary by location. Independent repair shops certified by Apple (search "Apple Authorized Service Provider" plus your city) charge the same as Apple but may have shorter wait times.

If you choose an independent shop without Apple certification, ask whether they use genuine Apple batteries or third-party batteries, and whether they offer a warranty on the replacement battery. A reputable shop will may provide the battery for at least six months to a year. Avoid shops that advertise battery replacement for under $30—the battery quality is likely poor.

What happens after you replace the battery

After the replacement, your phone will feel noticeably faster and more responsive because it no longer shuts down unexpectedly or throttle performance to preserve power. The screen will stay on longer between charges. Apps will not crash as often due to sudden power loss. The phone will behave like it did when it was newer.

The new battery will degrade over time just like the old one did. If you use your phone heavily—streaming video, gaming, or constant messaging—the battery will drop to 80 percent capacity in two to three years. If you use it lightly, it may take four years. You can slow degradation by keeping the phone cool, avoiding extreme temperatures, and not letting the battery drain to zero regularly. But eventually, you will face the same decision again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will replacing the battery make my old iPhone as fast as a new one?

A new battery will restore responsiveness and fix unexpected shutdowns, but it will not make the processor faster. An iPhone from 2019 will still run slower than an iPhone from 2024 because the chip is older. However, most people notice the battery replacement makes the phone feel much more usable because it no longer throttles performance to save power or shut down at low charge.

Can I replace the battery myself?

You can buy a replacement battery and tools online for $20 to $40, but opening an iPhone requires removing the screen, which is difficult and risks cracking it further. Unless you have done phone repairs before, the cost of a broken screen will exceed what you save on labor. A professional replacement is safer and comes with a warranty.

Does Apple replace the battery for free if it is old?

Apple replaces the battery at no charge only if it has dropped below 80 percent capacity within the first year of purchase and you have not damaged the phone. After one year, you pay the standard replacement fee ($69 to $89) even if the battery is degraded. AppleCare+ covers battery replacement for a lower cost or free depending on your plan.

What if I replace the battery but the phone still drains fast?

If the phone drains quickly after a new battery, a background app or process is using power. Go to Settings > Battery and look at which apps used the most power in the last 24 hours. If one app is using far more than others, uninstall it or check its settings. If the drain is even across many apps, the phone may have a software problem—try restarting it or updating to the latest iOS version.

Is it worth replacing the battery in an iPhone that is already paid off?

Yes, if the phone is less than five years old and works otherwise. You own the phone outright, so the only cost is the battery replacement. A $70 to $90 repair extends the phone's useful life by two to three years, which is much cheaper than a new phone. If you plan to keep the phone for another year or two, the replacement pays for itself in avoided upgrade costs.