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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Apple Retailer can substitute iPhone batteries, with appointments managed by your Settings app.
- My iPhone 14 Professional battery went from 72% capability again to 100%.
- Test your battery well being by way of Settings > Battery > Battery Well being & Charging.
As a longtime iPhone consumer, it is solely a matter of time earlier than my once-shiny-and-new iPhone seems like a ineffective puck that needs to be tethered to a wall outlet or a wi-fi charger 24/7/365. For my iPhone 14 Professional, it took about three years.
I bought my 14 Professional in January 2023, and I used to be thrilled. It was fast and zippy, and it felt prefer it might maintain a cost for days. After a number of years of constant use, my telephone would not maintain a cost for quite a lot of hours, and I seen a major improve in how shortly my battery drained as soon as it handed 60%.
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My once-zippy smartphone was now requiring an entourage of batteries wherever I went, and it was changing into cumbersome. Nevertheless it wasn’t till I wrote an iPhone battery ideas article that I acknowledged how unhealthy my battery actually was.
Apple’s battery well being analyzer indicated that my battery was solely charging to about 72%, that means I used to be by no means getting a full cost or the utmost capability, even once I thought I used to be. My severely degraded battery made my iPhone really feel like a burden to hold round, and I used to be already planning to improve to the iPhone 18 sequence this coming September, particularly to get a greater battery.
Seems I will not be needing to, as a result of I introduced my iPhone 14 Professional to the physician, and Apple made it pretty much as good as new.
The analysis
Your iPhone battery will actually inform you it is cooked. Navigate to Settings > Battery > Battery Well being & Charging to examine your battery’s well being and see Apple’s suggestions. In my case, here is what my display screen appeared like once I checked the battery on my iPhone 14 Professional in April 2026.
Apple referred to as to say my battery is considerably degraded and supplied steps to schedule a battery substitute appointment. At first, I did not pay attention. After just a few weeks, it turned obvious that this junky battery was not sensible, and it could be a PIA on my upcoming September journey to Italy if I did not get it mounted.
Since I used to be uncertain about updating my telephone within the subsequent 12 months, I made a decision to only pay the cash and have my battery restored to 100%.
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After I lastly determined to interchange my battery in June, I clicked “Discover Your Service Choices” and was in a position to schedule an appointment at my native Apple retailer inside days. Apple additionally gives a value estimate on your battery substitute, particular to your iPhone mannequin and any service protection you’ll have. For my iPhone 14 Professional, the estimate was $99.
The check-up
After I bought to the Apple retailer on the day of my appointment, I checked in with a group member, who had me wait a couple of minutes till they had been prepared for me. Then I used to be requested to show off Bluetooth and site providers and to login in with my Apple ID. Apple’s group ran just a few diagnostic assessments of their very own to substantiate that my battery was, in truth, a chunk of doo doo (it was) and to additionally consider the well being of my telephone’s different parts.
After a couple of minutes, I used to be notified that my telephone was in nice situation (minus the battery) and that they might substitute the battery the identical day. I swiftly handed my iPhone over to my native Apple retailer and spent the subsequent two hours buying and working errands.
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It is vitally essential that, for those who select to interchange your battery, you realize your Apple ID and password. Additionally, you will must know your iPhone’s passcode.
The pick-up
Earlier than I left, Apple supplied an estimated pickup time for my telephone, and I returned about quarter-hour after that point. My telephone was ready for me, so the entire substitute took lower than two hours. In fact, this varies by location, time of day, and day of the week, however I used to be impressed by the effectivity of the complete course of.
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Upon pickup, I used to be prompted to log again into my iPhone utilizing my Apple ID, proven my new battery well being, and requested to finish cost. My iPhone 14 Professional was (on paper) pretty much as good as new. My battery well being was at peak efficiency, with a 100% most capability now mirrored in my outcomes.
The fee to interchange my battery was $99, and after tax, my whole was $105.94. I’ve most likely spent extra on MagSafe batteries and different charging equipment within the final 12 months making an attempt to cope with the degraded battery than it could have value me to only treatment the complete drawback.
The end result
I used to be completely impressed with the complete course of, from diagnosing it alone iPhone to a speedy substitute on the retailer. I felt that $99 was affordable for a battery substitute, particularly if I am planning to maintain my telephone for even 3-6 months longer. It breaks all the way down to about $1 per day if I solely maintain on to my telephone by September, once we anticipate Apple releasing new fashions, and even much less if I resolve to maintain it longer.
It is actually a win-win. Since fixing my battery has mounted my greatest situation with my iPhone, and the remainder of my gadget is in nice working situation, perhaps I will maintain onto my 14 Professional till it wants one other battery substitute.
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Typically the answer is not new, however moderately fixing what already works for us, and this inexpensive repair simply saved me over $1,000 on a brand new iPhone. Since fixing my battery, I’ve seen an enormous enchancment in my telephone’s skill to carry a cost and a lower in the necessity to carry a transportable energy choice in all places I am going.
Plus, Apple claims that iOS 27 brings basic velocity and efficiency enhancements to iPhones, and a number of other older fashions assist it, so for those who’re toying with upgrading your gadget, perhaps strive giving it a check-up first. Your iPhone might be nonetheless kicking; it simply wants some TLC. There are additionally methods to do that your self for even much less by the likes of iFixit or related alternate options, however I used to be blissful to pay for an expert to take it off my plate.
