Are you worried about the deteriorating battery health of your iPhone and want to replace the battery? This DIY iPhone battery replacement guide is for you. 

The iPhone battery, like other electronic consumables, can run out pretty quickly. The rate at which the iPhone battery health deteriorates depends on the intensity of the usage. However, it is safe to assume that an average iPhone battery has a life of about 2-3 years before it needs replacing. 

It is recommended to get the iPhone battery replaced when the battery health falls below 80 or after the 500 life cycles. If you want to avoid paying hefty repair costs, here’s how to replace the iPhone battery yourself. You can check iPhone battery replacement costs in different stores beforehand.

What you will need for the DIY iPhone battery replacement

To replace the iPhone battery, you will need the following tools.

• New battery for your iPhone
• Battery adhesive strips (if not supplied with battery)
• Screen adhesive
• Heatgun / Hairdryer 
• P2 Pentalope screwdriver 
• Triangle opening pick
• Suction cup
• Electronic tweezer
• Tripoint Y000 screwdriver
• Phillips 000 screwdriver 
• Spudger

Having all these tools makes the repair quite easy. So, to relieve yourself from the stress of making the repair complicated, you should have all the tools. 

What is the average time needed to complete the repair?

If you have never tinkered with an iPhone before, replacing the battery can be a handful of a chore. To replace the battery, you will need access to the internal components of the iPhone. This means the front screen has to be removed. 

All things considered, an average iPhone battery replacement will take anywhere from 2-5 hours, depending on how comfortable you are using the tools. So, be prepared to sacrifice a Sunday afternoon, but it will be worth it. 

What is the difficulty level of iPhone battery repair?

Replacing the iPhone battery is not an easy task. Professional repair technicians undergo rigorous training before attempting the repair. Doing it as a DIY project, you are bound to run into complex scenarios. Therefore, on a difficulty level scale of 1-10, the iPhone battery replacement gets a 7. 

How to replace an iPhone battery - DIY Guide 

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Note: Attempting to replace the iPhone battery will void the warranty and compromise the phone's waterproof capability. On iPhone 13 and higher replacing the battery will display a non-genuine battery error even if the replaced battery is an original Apple product. 

Step 1: Discharge the battery

• Before attempting the repair, make sure to drain the battery below 25%. In case of a high battery percentage, any puncture in the battery can ignite a lame. 

Step 2: Turn off the phone and remove the sim tray

• Make sure to remove the sim tray before proceeding to the repair, as it can get stuck after the screen is opened. 
• Turn off the iPhone by pressing the power and the volume-down buttons.

Step 3: Unscrew the two Pentalope Screws

• The pentalope screws surround the charging port of the iPhone. You will need to remove two pentalope screws, one on each side of the charging port. 

Step 4: Use Heat Gun/ Hairdryer to soften the screen adhesive 

• To get access to the internal components, the screen needs to be removed. The iPhone screen is held against the frame by adhesive. Blowing heat using a heat gun or a hairdryer on the corners of the iPhone will melt the adhesive and break the seal. 
• Run the heat gun along the entire edge of the iPhone screen.  

Step 5: Use a Suction Cup to lift the screen

• Once the adhesive is melted, firmly mount a suction cup on the screen. 
• Lift the suction cup not more than an inch. We want to create a gap that is wide enough for the triangle opening pick to fit between the screen and the frame.

Step 6: Use the opening pick to break the adhesive 

• Run the triangle opening pick along the entire edge of the screen to break any adhesive that is remaining under the screen.   

Step 7: Separate the screen from the frame 

• Up to this point, the screen should now be loosely attached to the frame. Lift the screen from the iPhone frame. 
• The screen will open like a book with the Digitizer, LCD panel and front assembly cables still attached. 

Step 8: Remove the metal sheet covering the battery connector 

• To get access to the battery connector, you will need to remove the L-shaped metal cover. The cover is attached via three Phillips head screws which you will need to undo. 

Step 9: Remove the battery cable

• Use a spudger to unplug the battery cable from the connector. 

Step 10: Remove the metal sheet covering the Screen and front assembly connectors

• Right next to the battery connector, there is another metal sheet. To get access to the Digitizer, LCD and front assembly connectors, you will need to remove this metal sheet. 
• The sheet is held by two Phillips #000 screws and one Y000 screw, undo them. Remove the sheet with a tweezer or a spudger. 

Step 11: Remove the Screen and front assembly cables

• With the help of a spudger, unplug the Digitizer, Screen and front assembly cable from their respective connectors. 

Step 12: Remove the loudspeaker

• The bottom-firing loudspeaker of the iPhone is located right next to the charging port. To remove the loudspeaker, you will need to remove four Phillips head screws.  
• Once the screws are free, lift the speaker from its housing using a tweezer. 
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Step 13: Uncover the Battery pull tabs

• iPhone has battery pull tabs which are essentially elastic strips that can be pulled to remove adhesive under the battery. 
• To uncover the battery pull tabs remove the black tape around the battery edge.
• There will be four pull tabs, and they look like plastic wrapping sheets 

Step 14: Use the Battery Pull tabs to remove adhesive

• By using either a tweezer or your hand, pull out the elastic strip until it pops out. While pulling the strips, make sure to hold the phone in place with the other hand. 
• Repeat this process for all the remaining three pull tabs.

Step 15: Remove the battery

• Use the flat end of the spudger to remove the battery. Ensure that you are not using excessive force when removing the battery. 
• If the battery seems stuck, you might have missed a pull tab. In that case, apply isopropyl alcohol around the battery. The isopropyl alcohol will soften the adhesive and then you try removing the battery. 

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Step 16: Clean any leftover adhesive 

• After removing the battery, clean any leftover adhesive with isopropyl alcohol wipes. Cleaning any residue will ensure that the replacement battery sits flush with the frame and does not bend or break. 

Step 17: Install the New Battery

• If the replacement battery comes with pre-installed adhesive and pull tabs, slot it in the iPhone’s battery housing. 
• If the replacement battery lacks pre-installed adhesive and pull tabs, put them on the battery. Two pull tabs will be attached to the bottom half of the battery and two to the top half. 

Step 18: Re-attach the loudspeaker

• Once the battery is installed, re-attach the button firing loudspeaker, which uses four Phillips head screws. 

Step 19: Connect the Screen and the Front assembly cables 

• Align the screen with the frame of the iPhone. 
• Once the screen is positioned correctly, connect the Digitizer, LCD, and front assembly cables to their respective connector.
• After you have connected all three cables, re-attach the metal sheet using 2 Phillips head screws and one Y000 screw.

Step 20: Connect the Battery Cable

• Now that everything is in place connect the battery cable to its connector. 
• Also, re-attach the metal sheet covering the battery cable using three Phillips head screws. 

Step 21: Re-attach the Screen

• Align the screen with the frame. 
• Press down on all four corners of the screen until it sits flush with the frame. 

Step 22: Install the Pentalope Screws

• Once the screen is properly in place, fasten the two pentalope screws located at each side of the lightning port. 

How many years does iPhone Battery Last?

An iPhone battery needs to be replaced after every 2-3 years. An iPhone battery can go up to 500 life cycles before it needs replacing. After 500 life cycles, the battery health drops below 80%, which indicates that the iPhone battery needs to be replaced. 

Most iPhone users witness the battery health drop to 80% after 2 years. However, if the iPhone is used less frequently and charged every other day, the battery health does not deteriorate as quickly. 

If you plan on keeping your iPhone for more than three years, you will undergo this DIY repair process at least once, if not twice. 

 

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