Battery draining quickly? Why replacing the battery is often more effective than a new phone

When a battery no longer holds a charge, a smartphone feels old immediately. Fully charged in the morning, already at 30 percent by noon. Then add a bit of navigation, WhatsApp, camera usage, or music—and the device is almost dead.

Many people immediately think about buying a new phone. Yet, often it is just the battery that is worn out. A battery replacement can make a smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch feel significantly more pleasant to use again.

Batteries are wear parts

Every battery ages. That is normal. After many charging cycles, the battery loses capacity—meaning it can store less energy than it did in the beginning. This happens with iPhones just as it does with Samsung, Xiaomi, Google Pixel, iPads, tablets, and smartwatches.

Typical signs

• The device drains quickly
• The battery percentage suddenly jumps from 40 percent to 10 percent
• The phone simply turns off
• The device charges very slowly
• The battery gets warm
• The device only functions while plugged into the charger

If these symptoms occur, you do not necessarily need to replace the entire device.

Replacing an iPhone battery

With iPhones, a weak battery is particularly noticeable. The device becomes slower, apps launch more sluggishly, and the battery life becomes significantly worse. A new battery can make a big difference here—especially if the display, camera, and charging port are still in good condition.

Before replacing the battery, you should check if the battery is truly the culprit. Sometimes an app, a software error, or a faulty charging port can cause similar problems. You can find the prices for your model in our iPhone repair overview.

Samsung and Android

With Samsung Galaxy smartphones and other Android devices, a worn-out battery may also necessitate a repair. Especially with devices that are used intensively every day, you will notice the wear quickly. Frequent navigation, social media, videos, mobile internet, and fast charging put a strain on the battery over the years.

A battery replacement is particularly worthwhile for devices that are still technically sound. All prices are listed in the Samsung repair overview.

Tablet battery no longer lasts

Tablets are often used for a long time. Many iPads and Samsung Galaxy Tabs are still perfectly adequate technically, even though the battery has become weak. If a tablet only works while plugged into the charger or charges very slowly, you should have it checked. Especially with iPads, a battery replacement can be sensible if the device is otherwise still fast enough.

Smartwatch battery weak

With smartwatches, a weak battery is noticeable especially quickly. A watch that doesn't last through the evening is not much fun in everyday life.

Depending on the model, a repair is possible. An honest assessment is important: for some smartwatches, a repair is worth it; for others, a replacement is more economically sensible. We will tell you this in advance.

Caution with a swollen battery

If the display or back casing lifts and a swollen battery is suspected, do not continue to use or charge the device. Do not attempt to open, press, or remove the battery yourself. Damaged and defective lithium batteries are excluded from normal DHL parcel shipping. Contact us before dropping it off or sending it in to clarify the procedure.

How to make your battery last longer

• Do not leave the device in the sun permanently
• Do not constantly discharge it completely to 0 percent
• Use suitable, undamaged charging accessories for the device
• Do not let the device get unnecessarily hot
• Have battery problems checked early

Good charging accessories are not a luxury. A suitable cable and a decent power adapter can make a big difference in the long run.

Battery replacement by device type

For smartphones, you can find the process under Mobile battery replacement. For other devices, the model overviews for iPad, Apple Watch, and MacBook will help. You can request a battery replacement for other laptops via the Notebook repair section.

Conclusion

A weak battery does not automatically mean a new device is necessary. Often, a battery replacement is enough to make a smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch function reliably again.

If your battery drains quickly or your device shuts down unexpectedly, just stop by STARPHONE at Blondelstraße 10 in Aachen. We will examine your device and tell you honestly whether a battery replacement makes sense. Not living nearby? For devices that can be shipped, you can find the process under Send in for repair. Please do not send devices with a swollen or damaged battery as a standard package.

You can see the price for a battery replacement for your model immediately in the Repair configurator. You can read more about the process on our page Mobile battery replacement.