Swollen Phone Battery: Warning Signs and What to Do

Lithium-ion batteries can swell as they age or if they are damaged. A swollen battery is not something to ignore. It can crack your screen or back glass, and in rare cases it can become a safety risk.

Warning signs of a swollen battery

• The screen is lifting away from the frame on one side
• The back glass or cover is bulging or cracked without a drop
• The phone rocks when placed flat on a table
• The phone gets unusually hot
• Battery life has suddenly become very poor

What to do straight away

1. Stop charging the phone.
2. Power it off if you can do so safely.
3. Do not press on the bulge or try to push the screen back into place.
4. Do not puncture or remove the battery yourself.
5. Keep the phone somewhere cool and away from anything flammable.
6. Book a check as soon as possible.

Why do batteries swell?

As batteries age, chemical changes inside can produce gas, which makes the cell expand. Heat, physical damage and low-quality chargers can speed this up. Apple’s batteries guide explains why heat is one of the biggest causes of battery wear.

Can it be fixed?

Yes. In most cases, replacing the battery solves the problem. If the swelling has cracked the screen or back glass, those parts may need replacing too. We check the whole phone and tell you before doing any extra work.

We replace batteries in iPhone, Samsung, Google Pixel and MacBook devices. Laptops can swell too, which often shows as a trackpad that will not click. See our laptop overheating guide.