If your iPhone keeps dying on you, but you don’t have the cash to upgrade, there could be a cheaper way to keep it running.
Namely, by getting the knackered battery replaced with a shiny new one. There are plenty of ways you can go about this, though some methods are more expensive than others.
If you don’t mind paying a premium, you can go straight to Apple to get your iPhone battery replaced. But, if you’re on a budget, there are more affordable options out there, including Apple-approved or third-party repairs providers.
To help you get the best deal, we’ve rounded up some of the prices from the top iPhone repairs providers on the market.
When to replace your iPhone battery?
You should check your battery health to see how much it has degraded and if it needs replacing altogether.
To do this, head to settings on your iPhone, scroll down and select “battery,” then tap “battery health and charging”. Here you’ll see your battery’s “maximum capacity” displayed as a percentage.
Apple says that a normal battery should still retain up to 80 per cent of its original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles when operated under normal conditions. Once your battery capacity drops below 80 per cent, Apple will show you a message recommending that you replace the battery.
How to get your iPhone battery replaced by Apple
If you want to get your iPhone battery replaced directly by Apple, just head to the company’s battery servicing page on its website. Here, you can get an estimate for your device and either take it into an Apple Store or authorised repairs provider (more on what that means below) or post it in for repair within six to 10 days. At the time of writing, there were walk-in appointments available on the same day.
Prices range from £49 for the iPhone 6, 7, 8 and SE to £105 for the iPhone 14 series. Models in between, including the iPhone X, 11, 12, and 13, cost £69.
Notably, Apple’s battery replacement prices apply to all iPhones with degraded batteries regardless of whether they are in warranty or not.
A warranty covers only the cost of a defective battery that needs changing. On the other hand, Apple Care+ customers can get a replacement for free if the battery capacity has dropped below 80 per cent.
Are third-party Apple repair providers reliable?
There are two options available to most people looking for an iPhone battery replacement: Through an authorised Apple service provider (including Apple itself and its approved partners), or via a third-party repairs service. The latter include the countless phone repair shops and stalls you may have come across in high streets across London.
Apple says that approved providers offer the same parts, professionalism and quality of repair as it does itself. This means such providers may be more trustworthy than third-party alternatives, which tend to be cheaper.
Apple lists 19 authorised iPhone repair providers in Greater London on its website, including eight of its own Apple Stores. Others include:
- Select London in the basement at Selfridges and Wimbledon (price: £49-£105)
- EE stores in Oxford Street and Whitechapel (£70 for iPhone 11/12, £150 for iPhone SE 2020, in-store quotes available on other models)
- iStore at The Strand (£49-£105)
- Honeylight Computers in Pimlico (£59-£79 for iPhone 6-12 series)
Other iPhone battery replacement services
iSmash
With 20 stores in London and a further 17 across the UK, iSmash is a leading gadget repairs provider. The company has a 4.5 Trustpilot rating after more than 14,000 reviews and claims to have served more than 500,000 customers.
While it does not offer battery replacements on iPhone 13 and above, it tends to charge less to swap batteries on older models. Prices range from £35 for the iPhone 6 to £39 for the iPhone X to £49 for the iPhone 12.
Customers can either post in their device or take it to an iSmash store to get it fixed. The company is an authorised Apple independent repair provider. This means it has access to genuine Apple parts and diagnostics, but also offers “alternative repair options using compatible Apple parts” that it has “rigorously tested”.
Timpson
You may associate Timpson with watch repairs and key cutting but you can also pay the shop to replace your iPhone battery. Prices range from £20-£60 for the iPhone 6-12 series, depending on the model. As with iSmash, you can either post your device or take it to your nearest Timpson store. However, the company does not claim to be an Apple approved repairs provider.
Carphone Warehouse
The smartphone retailer owned by Curry’s offers iPhone battery replacement, but does not specify the cost. In general, it charges between £30 and £170 for out-of-warranty phone repairs. Carphone Warehouse, which is a certified service provider, says all iPhones are sent back to Apple for repair, suggesting that you will be charged the same amount as at an Apple Store. You can take your phone into one of Carphone Warehouse’s 1,100 UK stores for a quote and repair.
How can you replace an Android phone battery?
Of course, it’s not only iPhones that can suffer from battery issues. Android phone owners looking to replace their handset’s battery will need to look at the options offered by their manufacturer. The retailers listed above also provide Android phone repairs that cover many leading brands.
Both Google and Samsung offer battery replacement either directly or through authorised partners. The cost of the service is dictated by whether the problem is covered under your device warranty, and you can get a quote once the handset is examined. In Samsung’s case, the company offers a courier collection service, the option to send an engineer to your home to fix the device, or walk-ins at its own and partner stores. Google, meanwhile, lists iSmash and SBE as authorised partners that offer postal and walk-in services. You can also send your device directly to the company to get it fixed.
