An In-Depth Look at iPhone 5 Battery Replacement

An iPhone 5 is your gadget companion for life’s great adventures – from a cross-country road trip to accompanying you to your day job. You may use it to check the weather, scan the headlines, talk with friends and family, boast about new high scores, or for directions to get to a new restaurant. But what happens if you are counting on it and suddenly the battery dies?

You are certain that you charged your phone the night before, and yet the battery just didn’t last through the day – leaving you without your go-to method of communication, play, and information. If this happens on a regular basis, you may need iPhone 5 battery replacement. Read on to find out more.

Must-know Facts About iPhone 5 Battery Life

The typical iPhone 5 battery life varies based on the activities it is being utilized to accomplish. For instance, it averages around 8 hours of talk time or 3G internet connection, or 10 hours of wi-fi or video playback. But it can last through 40 hours of audio or up to 225 hours on standby.

What does this mean? It means that when assessing your iPhone battery life, don’t immediately assume that it should last a week on a full charge. Take what you use it for and how often you use it into consideration. It may only last a day (or even less), but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad battery! You can take your device into a CPR store or an Apple store to test your battery’s capacity and verify if it is truly something that needs repair as opposed to a bad charging cable, port, or just overuse.

How Much Does It Cost?

Depending on your chosen method of replacement (see the options below), you may pay anywhere from $50-100 for iPhone 5 battery replacement service. Apple offers battery replacement for $79, plus $6.95 shipping and appropriate state tax.

If you believe your battery is just wearing out from age and use, consider taking steps to extend battery life on a daily basis. Simple setting changes like turning down screen brightness or turning on auto brightness will save battery, as will disabling animations and dynamic background screens. Use common sense such as turning wifi and Bluetooth off when they are not in use.

iPhone 5 Battery Replacement Services

Apple Store Official Repair Service

A certain percentage of iPhone 5 devices may seem to have a shorter battery life or need to be charged more often. If this is the case for you and you bought your phone between September 2012 and January 2013, you may be eligible for the free battery replacement program. Check here for more information.

Otherwise, iPhone 5 battery is covered under the Limited One Year Warranty only if the defect is due to manufacturing. If you need to repair/replace the battery of your iPhone after one year or because of some accidental damage, you can submit a repair request or speak with an Apple Genius in store or online. The repair will take anywhere between 3-5 business days.

iPhone 5 Battery Replacement with High Capacity? Turn to CPR!

Apple will only a replace a battery that has fallen below 50% capacity. The same is true of many other smartphone repair stores. If you take your device into a CPR location, the technicians can give you a free assessment of your iPhone 5 battery capacity, as well as anything else that might be awry or causing you charging and battery life issues. (By the way, CPR provides all kinds of iPhone 5 repairs !)

If you get your battery replaced, ensure that it is a genuine iPhone 5 battery with high capacity. In other words, stay away from used batteries that sell online for cheap – there’s a reason that they are so inexpensive. Your best option is to buy a new battery through Apple or a trusted store like CPR which offers a limited lifetime warranty on parts.

How to Replace iPhone 5 Battery (A DIY Guide)

For some, it may be a cheap alternative to learn how to replace an iPhone 5 battery. If you are considering this option, you must first understand how to remove a battery from the iPhone 5:

1. Power off your device.
2. Remove the two pentalobe screws near the Lightning connector.
3. Press a suction cup to the screen just above the home button. (Use tape first to cover and seal the screen in the case that it is cracked.)
4. Press down gently on the edges of the phone and lift up with the suction cup. The front and back panels will separate slightly.
5. Insert plastic opening device between the panels and gently pry around the edges, detaching the clips on the right and left sides that hold the case together.
6. Lift the front panel up about 90 degrees from the rear panel with the tops still close together (as there will still be ribbon cables attached at the top).
7. Locate the silver front panel assembly cable bracket to the top right-hand side of the battery. Unscrew the three screws attaching it to the logic board (and pay attention to where each individual screw goes).
8. Lift and remove the front panel assembly cable bracket. Locate the three cables hidden beneath, and disconnect these with the plastic opening tool.
9. Completely separate the front and rear panels of the phone.
10. Locate metal battery connector bracket to the lower right side of the battery. (It looks like a skinny backward “J.”) Remove the two lower screws on the metal battery connector bracket.
11. Use the plastic opening tool to gently pry the battery connector bracket up from the socket on the logic board. Take care not to pry up the socket, or you could damage the connector.
12. Pull slowly and smoothly on the clear plastic pull tab until your battery detaches and comes free. If it does not come free, you can use the plastic opening tool. But be warned that doing so in the wrong place may permanently damage the logic board.
13. Replace battery and all parts in reverse. Power on your device and voila!

(Think carefully before you decide on this course of action. Opening up your device will nullify warranties that may still exist on your device. In addition, internal repairs are always best handled by experts like those at CPR so that no further damage comes to your device.)

Age, use, settings, and defects are all aspects to take into consideration when assessing if you might need any phone battery replacement. You may choose to live with a battery at a lower capacity, talk with an Apple store Genius, or even try to figure out how to replace an iPhone 5 battery yourself with our DIY guide.

If you need help making this decision, CPR is here to help! With stores across the country and in Canada, you can walk in and get a free consultation to discover if your iPhone 5 battery is at high capacity or if it needs repair. They will also provide you with an estimate that you can compare with Apple’s iPhone 5 battery replacement service and cost. Forget the hassle of doing the repair yourself and potentially further damaging your device. With CPR, you will get personal service and have your phone back in your hands and running smoothly again within a day or two. Find a store near you today!