Your phone battery won’t last forever. Every lithium-ion battery slowly wears down as it goes through charge cycles, and Fresno’s summer heat only speeds that up. The good news: a worn battery is one of the easiest and most affordable fixes there is — you usually don’t need a new phone, just a fresh battery. Here are five signs it’s time.
If your phone went from lasting all day to needing a charge by lunchtime, the battery has likely lost a big chunk of its capacity. Some drop-off is normal over a couple of years, but a sudden, dramatic change is a clear signal the battery is on its way out.
A healthy battery powers your phone smoothly down to 1%. A failing one can’t deliver steady voltage, so your phone dies at 30% or 40%, or shuts off the moment you open the camera or a demanding app. If your phone is “lying” about its battery percentage, the battery is the culprit.
Phones warm up a little under load — that’s normal. But a battery that gets uncomfortably hot while you’re just texting or charging is a warning sign. Heat both causes and accelerates battery damage, so it’s worth acting on quickly.
If it takes forever to charge, stalls at 80%, or jumps around unpredictably, the battery may no longer be holding a proper charge. (It’s worth ruling out a worn cable or a dirty charging port first — both of which we can check for you.)
This is the serious one. If your screen is lifting at the edges, the back feels like it’s bulging, or the phone rocks on a flat table, the battery is swelling. A swollen battery is a safety hazard. Don’t press on it, don’t puncture it, and stop charging it. Power the phone down and bring it to us right away.
On an iPhone, go to Settings → Battery → Battery Health & Charging. If Maximum Capacity is under 80%, your battery is officially worn and a replacement will make a noticeable difference. Many Android phones show similar info in Settings or through a free battery app. As a rule of thumb, most phone batteries start showing their age around the 2-to-3-year mark.
A battery replacement is a fraction of the cost of a new phone, and it can make a device you already like feel brand new again. At CellPros, most battery replacements are done the same day, with transparent pricing and no surprise fees. We replace batteries for iPhones, Samsung and other Android phones, tablets, and more — see all of our phone repair services.
Noticing any of these signs? Walk in to your nearest CellPros — Ashlan Ave, Peach & Kings Canyon, or Tower District — for a same-day battery replacement, or contact us for a free estimate.