A smartphone battery wears out, and that's normal: it loses a little capacity with every charge cycle. After two or three years, the difference is often noticeable. Here's how to tell if yours has reached the end of the road.
1. Your battery no longer lasts the day
This is the most common sign. You leave in the morning at 100% and you're looking for a plug by the afternoon, even though you use your phone the same way as before? The battery has probably lost a good part of its original capacity.
2. It shuts down with charge left
The phone still shows 20 or 30%, then switches off all of a sudden, often in the cold or when you open a demanding app (camera, game, GPS). A worn battery can no longer deliver enough power during peaks in demand.
3. It gets unusually hot
A phone that's warm while charging or gaming is normal. But if it gets hot when you're barely using it, or heats up a lot every time it charges, the battery may be the cause.
4. The battery is swelling
A screen lifting, a case bulging, a back panel coming away: these are signs of a swollen battery.
⚠️ Swollen battery = danger. Stop charging the phone, don't press on it, never puncture it and have it replaced quickly. A damaged lithium-ion battery can get very hot and even catch fire.
5. Battery health is in the red
Your phone can give you its own diagnosis:
- iPhone: Settings › Battery › Battery Health & Charging. "Maximum Capacity" shows what's left compared with a new battery. Below 80%, Apple considers the battery worn.
- Android: it depends on the brand. Some models show battery health in the battery settings; on Samsung, the Samsung Members app offers a diagnosis.
Replace the battery or replace the phone?
If you're still happy with your phone (screen in good condition, decent performance), replacing the battery is almost always the best option: it costs far less than a new device, and it's better for the planet too. A new battery often gives a phone a real second life.
3 tips to make your next battery last
- Avoid heat: don't leave your phone in the sun, on the dashboard or under your pillow while it charges.
- Avoid the extremes: don't regularly run it down to 0%, and don't leave it plugged in at 100% for hours.
- Turn on optimised charging: most recent smartphones have an option that limits or delays the end of charging to protect the battery.
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