Swollen Phone or Laptop Battery: Warning Signs and What to Do

Warning signs in phones and tablets

• The screen is lifting away from the frame at one edge
• There's a gap between the back glass and the frame
• The phone rocks when you set it flat on a table
• The screen shows pressure marks or touch stops working in one area
• The phone gets hot and dies quickly

Warning signs in laptops

• The trackpad is hard to click or doesn't click at all
• The bottom case bulges or doesn't sit flat
• The keyboard area rises or keys feel uneven
• The laptop wobbles on a desk

What to do right now

1. Stop charging the device and unplug it.
2. Power it off if you can do so without pressing on the swollen area.
3. Don't squeeze, puncture or try to flatten it.
4. Keep it away from heat, beds, couches and anything flammable.
5. Bring it in as soon as possible.

Why batteries swell

Age and heat are the main causes. Leaving devices in a hot car, charging them under pillows, and keeping laptops plugged in all day at high temperature all speed up the process. Cheap replacement batteries and damaged chargers can also contribute.

Is it dangerous?

Most swollen batteries don't catch fire, but a damaged battery can overheat quickly if punctured or charged. That's why we treat every swollen battery as a priority and replace it before anything else. We also recycle the old battery properly, so don't throw it in the trash.

Replacement

We replace swollen batteries in phones, tablets and laptops, and check whether the swelling damaged the screen or case. See laptop battery replacement, iPad battery replacement or our general battery replacement page. For MacBooks, see MacBook repair.