Apple has stated that the way their batteries are designed, they will continue to retain a minimum of 80% of their original capacity after recharging it 500 times. What this means is, after charging it hundreds of times, it won’t hold as much charge as it did when it was new. If you find that your battery is draining quickly and it won’t last you the average day, it’s likely time to replace it with a new one. Here we are going to explain how to go about changing the battery yourself, rather than spending money on the Apple battery replacement. Everybody loves to save money.
Although the iPhone may appear to be tough to open, it actually only has a few screws in order to remove the battery. If you can operate a screwdriver, it’s about a ten minute job. You can purchase the Apple battery replacements on our eBay store fairly cheap. When ordering the battery, you want to ensure that the model number is correct, below is a list of iPhones and their battery part numbers:
- iPhone 4: 616-0513, 616-0520, 616-0521
- iPhone 4S: 616-0579, 616-0580, 616-0581
In addition to the battery, you will need the following tools:
- Standard Philips size 00
- Pentalobe screwdriver
- pry tool
- Suction cup
The only special tool required is the screwdriver which is used for removing the proprietary Pentalobe screws that are located at the bottom of the iPhone. You can get these in tool kits sold for this purpose, however buying a battery with the tool kit already with it could be less expensive.
Disclaimer: As with any repair, Quality Cellular can not be held responsible for any damage you may do to your device. It’s also worth considering that opening up your device to perform any repair or modification can and will void your Apple warranty. If you don’t feel comfortable opening your device, don’t. Use extreme care and caution when performing a repair on any device.
Power off your iPhone 4S
Turn the phone off – Hold the power button until a red slider shows up, then slide to power down the phone.
Remove the back plate
1.) Use your Pentalobe screwdriver to take out the two screws located on the bottom of the iPhone. Be sure to place them somewhere you won’t lose them.
2.) Apply upward pressure on the back cover, then slide it upwards. It should move approximately 2 mm. If the cover gets stuck, simply use the palm of your hand to apply pressure and try again.
4.) Now lift off the back cover and set it off to the side.
Remove the battery and grounding clip
1.) Remove the 2 screws that is holding the battery connector securely to the motherboard.
2.) These screws are different lengths. Make sure that you remember which screw goes in which hole. The slightly larger screw goes on the bottom.
3.) The iPhone 4 and 4s has a small black ground clip. This clip is attached by the top screw of the battery connector. When reinstalling, make sure to align it so that the gold contact point will press against the back cover.
4.) Using your pry tool, begin carefully lifting up the battery connector.
5.) Insert the edge of a plastic pry tool between the battery and the case near the bottom of the iPhone.
6.) Run the plastic pry tool along the right edge of the battery and pry it upwards at several spots to completely separate it from the adhesive that is securing the battery to the outer case.
7.) Using the clear plastic tab, pull out the battery by lifting up and then out. It may take some force to remove as the battery is glued in, if it doesn’t come out, just apply more force. If you need to, apply slight pressure against the motherboard in order to leverage the battery.
8.) Remove the battery.
You’re ready to add in the new battery, but make sure that the ground clip is correctly positioned before replacing with the new battery. From here you just press the connector back in place, then tighten the 2 screws.
Put the back cover back on, and replace the two pentalobe screws. Then charge the battery before powering on.
If your iPhone reboots constantly after the replacement, you need to do a “Hard Reset” by holding down the Home and Sleep Button simultaneously for about 10 seconds (until the device restarts).
If you have WiFi and/or Cellular connection problems with the new battery, try restoring the device using iTunes.