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    When It's Time for a New Phone Battery

    Replacing the battery is a simple, low-cost way to extend the life of your phone

    photo of Apple iPhone 12 battery with sad emoji on it and back of Apple iPhone next to it Photos: iFixit, Apple

    If your cell phone can barely make it to lunchtime without a recharge, you may be tempted to buy a new one. But consider springing for a new battery instead.

    As long as the phone is in good shape—no cracked screen, for instance—replacing the battery can make the device work like brand-new—and save you money. It’s more environmentally sustainable, too.

    If you’re curious about the health of your battery, here’s how to do a spot-check.

    On an iPhone
    Go to Settings>Battery>Battery Health & Charging to see a percentage that reflects the battery’s capacity now relative to when it was new.

    More on Smartphones

    On a Samsung Phone
    Go to Settings>Battery and Device Care>Diagnostics>Phone Diagnostics>Battery Status. This shows the battery’s present capacity (in milliampere hours, or mAh) and tells you if that’s good, bad, or normal. (For context, a new Samsung Galaxy S23 comes with a 3900mAh battery.)

    If you do want a new battery, you’ll find technicians with the parts and tools to do the work at places like the Apple Store, Best Buy, and uBreakiFix, a national chain. All of them can complete the repairs to the manufacturer’s specifications.

    At the Apple Store, the out-of-warranty price to swap in a fresh battery is $99 for newer models (iPhone 14 and iPhone 15) and $49 to $89 for earlier models. Best Buy’s Geek Squad provides the service for the Galaxy S9 to the S23 Ultra for $70 to $80.

    Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the November/December 2023 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.


    Chris Raymond

    Chris Raymond has been the deputy editor of the tech group at Consumer Reports since 2015, and has helped shape CR's product, service, and deals. When he isn’t producing stories about laptops and cell phones, he’s directing projects on digital privacy, the right to repair, and marketplace injustice. Before joining the staff, he worked at a number of magazines, ranging from Esquire to ESPN. Follow him on X: @CRay65.