Swollen battery: why it's dangerous and what to do right now

The screen is lifting from the frame, the back cover has risen, the laptop rocks on the table or the trackpad is hard to click. The battery has most likely swollen. This isn't something to live with for another month.

Signs of swelling

Phone: - the screen or back cover is separating from the frame, with a visible gap; - the screen feels springy when pressed, or pressure marks appear; - the phone doesn't lie flat on a table and rocks.

Laptop: - the trackpad no longer clicks, or clicks by itself; - the bottom cover bulges and the laptop rocks; - the keyboard rises in the middle.

Why it's dangerous

A lithium-ion battery swells when gas forms inside, due to wear, overheating, unsuitable chargers or damage. A damaged battery can overheat and catch fire, especially if punctured, bent or still being charged. A battery pushing from the inside also breaks the screen, cover and connectors.

What to do right now

1. Don't charge the device.
2. Don't press on the bulging body or try to push the cover back.
3. Don't try to remove the battery yourself: puncturing it is dangerous.
4. Don't leave the device on a bed, sofa or in a car in the sun. Put it on a hard, non-flammable surface.
5. If the device gets very hot, hisses or smells, turn it off if it's safe to do so, move it away from anything flammable, and don't touch it with bare hands.
6. Book a replacement as soon as possible.

Why batteries swell

• Age and the number of charge cycles.
• Heat: a phone in a car or on the beach in the sun, a laptop on a soft blanket.
• Cheap chargers and cables.
• Long storage fully discharged, or constantly at 100% under load.

How we do it

Replacing a swollen battery is a priority repair: we try to take it the same day. The technician carefully removes the old battery and checks whether the screen, frame and cables were damaged. You get the price before the repair. More: iPhone battery replacement and laptop battery replacement.

Send a photo on Telegram and we'll tell you whether it's swelling and book you in without a queue.

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