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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Apple Retailer can change iPhone batteries, with appointments managed via your Settings app.
- My iPhone 14 Professional battery went from 72% capability again to 100%.
- Test your battery well being by way of Settings > Battery > Battery Well being & Charging.
As a longtime iPhone person, it is solely a matter of time earlier than my once-shiny-and-new iPhone seems like a ineffective puck that must be tethered to a wall outlet or a wi-fi charger 24/7/365. For my iPhone 14 Professional, it took about three years.
I received my 14 Professional in January 2023, and I used to be thrilled. It was fast and zippy, and it felt prefer it might maintain a cost for days. After a number of years of constant use, my telephone would not maintain a cost for quite a lot of hours, and I observed a big enhance in how rapidly my battery drained as soon as it handed 60%.
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My once-zippy smartphone was now requiring an entourage of batteries wherever I went, and it was turning into cumbersome. Nevertheless it wasn’t till I wrote an iPhone battery tips article that I acknowledged how unhealthy my battery actually was.
Apple’s battery well being analyzer indicated that my battery was solely charging to about 72%, that means I used to be by no means getting a full cost or the utmost capability, even after I thought I used to be. My severely degraded battery made my iPhone really feel like a burden to hold round, and I used to be already planning to improve to the iPhone 18 sequence this coming September, particularly to get a greater battery.
Seems I will not be needing to, as a result of I introduced my iPhone 14 Professional to the physician, and Apple made it nearly as good as new.
The prognosis
Your iPhone battery will actually inform you it is cooked. Navigate to Settings > Battery > Battery Well being & Charging to test your battery’s well being and see Apple’s suggestions. In my case, here is what my display screen appeared like after I checked the battery on my iPhone 14 Professional in April 2026.
Apple known as to say my battery is considerably degraded and supplied steps to schedule a battery alternative appointment. At first, I did not pay attention. After a couple of weeks, it grew to become obvious that this junky battery was now not sensible, and it could be a PIA on my upcoming September journey to Italy if I did not get it mounted.
Since I used to be uncertain about updating my telephone within the subsequent yr, I made a decision to only pay the cash and have my battery restored to 100%.
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After I lastly determined to interchange my battery in June, I clicked “Discover Your Service Choices” and was capable of schedule an appointment at my native Apple retailer inside days. Apple additionally supplies a value estimate to your battery alternative, particular to your iPhone mannequin and any service protection you could have. For my iPhone 14 Professional, the estimate was $99.
The check-up
After I received to the Apple retailer on the day of my appointment, I checked in with a workforce member, who had me wait a couple of minutes till they have been prepared for me. Then I used to be requested to show off Bluetooth and placement companies and to login in with my Apple ID. Apple’s workforce ran a couple of diagnostic exams of their very own to verify that my battery was, in truth, a chunk of doo doo (it was) and to additionally consider the well being of my telephone’s different parts.
After a couple of minutes, I used to be notified that my telephone was in nice situation (minus the battery) and that they may change the battery the identical day. I swiftly handed my iPhone over to my native Apple retailer and spent the subsequent two hours procuring and working errands.
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It is rather necessary that, in the event you select to interchange your battery, your Apple ID and password. Additionally, you will have to know your iPhone’s passcode.
The pick-up
Earlier than I left, Apple supplied an estimated pickup time for my telephone, and I returned about quarter-hour after that point. My telephone was ready for me, so the entire alternative took lower than two hours. After all, this varies by location, time of day, and day of the week, however I used to be impressed by the effectivity of your entire course of.
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Upon pickup, I used to be prompted to log again into my iPhone utilizing my Apple ID, proven my new battery well being, and requested to finish cost. My iPhone 14 Professional was (on paper) nearly as good as new. My battery well being was at peak efficiency, with a 100% most capability now mirrored in my outcomes.
The fee to interchange my battery was $99, and after tax, my complete was $105.94. I’ve most likely spent extra on MagSafe batteries and different charging equipment within the final yr attempting to take care of the degraded battery than it could have value me to only treatment your entire drawback.
The end result
I used to be completely impressed with your entire course of, from diagnosing it alone iPhone to a speedy alternative on the retailer. I felt that $99 was cheap for a battery alternative, particularly if I am planning to maintain my telephone for even 3-6 months longer. It breaks right down to about $1 per day if I solely maintain on to my telephone via September, once we anticipate Apple releasing new fashions, and even much less if I determine to maintain it longer.
It is actually a win-win. Since fixing my battery has mounted my greatest difficulty with my iPhone, and the remainder of my gadget is in nice working situation, possibly I will maintain onto my 14 Professional till it wants one other battery alternative.
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Generally the answer is not new, however moderately fixing what already works for us, and this reasonably priced repair simply saved me over $1,000 on a brand new iPhone. Since fixing my battery, I’ve seen an enormous enchancment in my telephone’s means to carry a cost and a lower in the necessity to carry a transportable energy choice in all places I am going.
Plus, Apple claims that iOS 27 brings normal velocity and efficiency enhancements to iPhones, and several other older fashions help it, so in the event you’re toying with upgrading your gadget, possibly attempt giving it a check-up first. Your iPhone might be nonetheless kicking; it simply wants some TLC. There are additionally methods to do that your self for even much less via the likes of iFixit or comparable options, however I used to be completely satisfied to pay for knowledgeable to take it off my plate.
