How to tell if your iPhone battery may need replacing
Engadget’s guide points to battery health below 80 per cent and symptoms such as rapid charge loss or unexpected shutdowns as signs to investigate.
iPhone batteries lose capacity with age, charge cycles, temperature and everyday use. A guide published by Engadget says several warning signs may indicate that a battery needs service, though symptoms such as sluggish performance or overheating can have other causes.
Battery Health in Settings shows whether the battery is functioning normally or significantly degraded, along with its maximum capacity compared with when it was new. The guide says Apple recommends replacement once capacity falls below 80 per cent. iPhone 15 and newer also display the battery’s cycle count.
Engadget says iPhone 14 and earlier are designed to retain 80 per cent capacity through 500 cycles, while iPhone 15 and newer are designed for 1,000 cycles. These figures describe design expectations; capacity and day-to-day battery life decline with use.
Other possible signs include needing a power bank to get through the day, rapid drops in the displayed charge, unexpected shutdowns, sluggishness under demanding workloads and the phone heating up when unplugged or barely in use. The guide advises checking for excessive app battery use when charge loss is a concern.
A bulging battery is a safety hazard. Engadget advises stopping use immediately and contacting Apple Support if the battery swells.
The guide says battery replacement under an active AppleCare subscription carries no service fee when capacity falls below 80 per cent. It lists out-of-plan service prices from $69 for an iPhone 6s to $129 for an iPhone 18 Pro Max; prices and coverage may vary.
