Does this sound familiar?
- The battery drops fast, even when you're barely using the phone
- The phone shuts down with 20 or 30 percent still showing
- It gives up as soon as you step outside in a Minnesota winter
- The phone feels hot while charging
- The screen or back is lifting away from the frame, which can mean a swollen battery
Why phones get worse in the cold
Lithium batteries don't like cold. An aging battery that does fine in the kitchen can sag badly when you carry it across a parking lot in January, and the phone will shut itself off to protect itself. If your phone has started dying the moment you go outside, the battery has probably lost more capacity than you realize. A new battery usually fixes this for good.
Is it worth replacing?
Usually. If the phone still does what you need and the screen isn't cracked, a new battery is about the cheapest way to get another couple of years out of it. It also keeps you from having to set up a new phone or move all your photos and accounts. If you're nervous about keeping an older phone, tell us what you use it for, and we'll give you our honest opinion.
How it goes
Bring it in, and we'll check that the battery is really the cause. Then we open the phone, carefully remove the old battery, which is held down with strong adhesive, and put in the new one. We test charging and battery behavior before you leave, and the old battery gets handled safely instead of ending up in a kitchen drawer.
Fast, friendly great service. Pleasant to work with, knowledgeable and efficient.
Questions we get a lot
How do I know the battery is the problem?
On an iPhone, check Settings, then Battery, then Battery Health. Many Android phones show something similar in their settings. If that doesn't tell you enough, bring it by and we'll check the charging port as well, since a dirty port can look like a bad battery.
Is a swollen battery dangerous?
It can be. Stop charging it, don't press on it, and bring it in soon. Try not to leave it on a bed or anywhere it can get hot.
How long does a phone battery last?
Most start to noticeably fade after two or three years of daily charging. That's normal wear, and a new battery is much less expensive than a new phone.
Why aren't batteries covered by your warranty?
Every battery wears out with use, however good it is, so it wouldn't be honest to promise otherwise. Everything else we do on your device is still covered if the repair itself fails.
Will I lose my data?
A battery swap doesn't touch your data. If you can back up first, it's still a smart habit.