What Happens If Apple Does Not Want To Fix My Phone

This story is part of Focal Point iPhone 2022, CNET'southward collection of news, tips and advice effectually Apple's most popular product.

Apple'southward practice-it-yourself repair program lets you ready some of its products yourself with official parts, but it's always been possible to open your iPhone and do a DIY gear up with third-party components.

I did exactly that, replacing the sometime bombardment of a used iPhone six to give it a new lease on life. I was pleased to find the phone on eBay for only £75 (about $100 or AU$140). That'south a huge saving over a new iPhone xiii Pro, only the bombardment had aged to the indicate where the software had to artificially throttle the performance to stop it from shutting downward. Instead of casting off the phone and getting heir-apparent'southward remorse, I decided to buy a replacement battery and tools from iFixit and have a get at replacing the battery myself.

It took a piffling over an hour, but I was able to safely swap out the battery, and the iPhone six was running perfectly again. I'm not giving step-past-step instructions here -- caput to iFixit and grab a kit if that's what you're after -- but I do want to draw my feel, including how easy this was to do, and hopefully respond some of the questions you may have if you lot also need a new bombardment.

If you accept a more recent model (an iPhone 12 or newer), then brand certain to first check Apple'southward new repair options and encounter if y'all'd be able to put in a replacement with parts directly from the company.

Notation that any maintenance you do on your own devices is entirely at your own run a risk.

ane. Why would y'all demand to supercede an iPhone bombardment?

Batteries age over fourth dimension, and because that the iPhone half dozen was released over seven years ago, information technology's no surprise that the ane I bought wasn't running in prime number condition. One fourth dimension, the phone unexpectedly restarted while in use, and it flashed a warning that read, "This iPhone has experienced an unexpected shutdown considering the battery was unable to deliver the necessary acme power. Performance management has been applied to assist prevent this from happening again." Even the telephone itself knew it had a bum battery.

In curt, a phone'due south performance tin be throttled if it tin no longer cope with power demands. There is the selection to turn throttling off, only this will upshot in more than frequent crashes. Neither situation is ideal, and so a battery replacement seemed like a smart fashion forward for me, since it wasn't my primary telephone and I was willing to accept the risks.

iphone-battery-replace-5 — Opening up my iPhone 6.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET

2. How much does a replacement iPhone battery cost?

The problem with my situation specifically was that I bought the phone for so trivial in the first place that spending more money on a bombardment replacement service negated some of those initial savings. Apple'south official replacement service costs £49 ($49), which is more than than one-half what I paid for the iPhone six I bought. As I was in the middle of a coronavirus lockdown when I attempted this, I wasn't able to get to an Apple store to take it in, and sending information technology in through the post would bring the full cost to effectually £56 (nearly $75 or AU$105).

iFixit, however, sells a DIY replacement pack for £35 (including postage stamp to my home in Scotland). It costs $30 in the US, and with shipping costs that comes to near $38. Information technology's not a huge saving over Apple's official replacement, but every footling bit helps.

3. What comes in the iFixit bombardment fix kit?

iFixit's kit comes with a 3rd-party replacement battery that is not from Apple tree, since Apple does not sell its parts separately for phones older than the iPhone 12. It besides has all the tools needed to open the phone and remove the erstwhile battery. The only additional matter I needed was a hair dryer to heat upwardly and remove the glue.

iv. Does replacing a bombardment void your phone warranty?

Opening up an iPhone will void the warranty, but if your battery is old enough to need replacing, odds are you're already out of the 12-calendar month warranty period.

iphone-battery-replace-2 — Prying the old bombardment out was tricky, and I wasn't always sure I was doing it safely.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET

5. Is information technology safe to replace your iPhone battery yourself?

This one isn't so straightforward to reply. iFixit's guide gives very detailed instructions on the steps involved, just at that place were a couple of points that made me nervous. One step involved heating up the dorsum of the telephone with a hair dryer in guild to loosen the gum property the sometime battery in place.

Specifically, information technology said to estrus it to "slightly too warm to touch on comfortably," which I found a little vague. Specially since that department also warned that "overheating the iPhone may ignite the battery." But how hot is besides hot? What signs would I meet if it was overheating? I couldn't observe this information, and every bit such wasn't certain how close to overheating it I might exist.

Shortly afterward, while trying to pry out the old bombardment, I accidentally ripped into what looked similar the black wrapping around that battery. I was pretty sure that the battery itself wasn't punctured -- there was no smoke or hissing -- just I'd have felt a lot more than comfortable if I had "emergency" instructions on paw nearly what to do if the battery did ignite.

half dozen. Can I replace my iPhone battery myself?

Up to a betoken I constitute I could, yes, and I'thou not ordinarily "handy" in a DIY sense. iFixit'due south instructions were easy to follow, and there were but seven internal screws to remove, which were easy to replace.

iphone-battery-replace-3 — The iPhone 6, onetime battery removed and all traces of the glue cleaned off.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET

What I establish a little confusing was that iFixit's instructions on its web page cease at the point where you remove the former battery. The only instruction in the conclusion was to follow the previous steps in contrary gild. Admittedly, that wasn't peculiarly difficult to practice, simply I would have appreciated more than guidance at that signal.

Another issue I ran into was that, during the removal of the screen, I cracked the screen protector that was in identify. I noticed the hairline cracks and was worried that I'd damaged the display itself, but thankfully that was unharmed.

iphone-battery-replace-7 — With its new bombardment, this iPhone 6 should be running at optimal level again.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET

vii. Is it worth replacing an iPhone battery?

It really depends on the age and value of your phone. If, similar me, you bought a cheap used iPhone and just want to get information technology back upward to speed, and so it could be a dandy way to breathe new life into old tech without spending a fortune. Bear in mind, though, that this wasn't going to be my main phone, nor did I buy information technology with my own money. For me, the risk was low and had I done it wrong and ruined the phone, it wouldn't take been a large problem. You'll demand to consider whether you really can manage without it, and your tolerance for other risks.

If y'all're using a more recent device, like an iPhone 12, for example, I'd probably merely have it straight to Apple. The savings you'll become from doing information technology yourself aren't so great every bit to justify the potential cost of damaging a more valuable phone.

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