[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":1658},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-md-can-you-increase-iphone-battery-capacity":3},{"post":4,"related":314},{"slug":5,"locale":6,"title":7,"description":8,"datePublished":9,"dateUpdated":9,"category":10,"readingTime":11,"body":12,"toc":283,"cluster":292,"keywords":293,"feature":253,"author":299,"video":300,"faq":301},"can-you-increase-iphone-battery-capacity","en","Can You Increase iPhone Battery Capacity? (Honest Answer)","Can you increase your iPhone's maximum battery capacity? The honest answer is no, and here is why, plus what actually slows the decline and how to track it.","2026-07-20","guide","6 min",{"type":13,"children":14},"root",[15,23,32,37,44,49,62,67,73,78,133,138,144,149,154,197,211,217,222,235,241,246,266,271],{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":18,"children":19},"element","p",{},[20],{"type":21,"value":22},"text","No, you cannot increase your iPhone's maximum battery capacity. Maximum Capacity measures permanent physical wear in the battery cells, and it only goes down with use, never back up. No app, reset, or calibration trick can raise it. The only real reset is a battery replacement. What you can do is slow the decline.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":24,"children":25},{},[26],{"type":16,"tag":27,"props":28,"children":29},"em",{},[30],{"type":21,"value":31},"Verified on iOS 26 in July 2026. This is a physics answer, not a software one, so it holds across every iPhone and iOS version.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":33,"children":34},{},[35],{"type":21,"value":36},"That is the part nobody selling a \"battery booster\" wants you to hear. Here is why it is true, what genuinely does not work, and what you can actually do about it.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":39,"children":41},"h2",{"id":40},"why-lithium-ion-capacity-only-decreases",[42],{"type":21,"value":43},"Why lithium-ion capacity only decreases",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":45,"children":46},{},[47],{"type":21,"value":48},"Your iPhone battery is a lithium-ion cell, and every cell has a finite number of chemical cycles in it. Each time you charge and discharge, microscopic changes build up inside: the electrode material degrades, a little lithium gets locked away where it can no longer carry charge, and internal resistance creeps up.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":50,"children":51},{},[52,54,60],{"type":21,"value":53},"None of that reverses. It is wear, in the same way tire tread or brake pads wear. ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":56,"children":57},"strong",{},[58],{"type":21,"value":59},"Maximum Capacity",{"type":21,"value":61}," is simply Apple's readout of how much of the original capacity survives, and by definition it can only fall or hold steady, never climb.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":63,"children":64},{},[65],{"type":21,"value":66},"So when your iPhone reads 86 percent, it is telling you the cells have permanently lost 14 percent of the charge they could once hold. There is no menu, update, or ritual that gives those cells back. The number going up would mean the battery got physically younger, which is not a thing that happens.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":68,"children":70},{"id":69},"what-does-not-work-the-myths-plainly",[71],{"type":21,"value":72},"What does NOT work (the myths, plainly)",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":74,"children":75},{},[76],{"type":21,"value":77},"The search for a capacity boost is a magnet for bad advice. None of the following raises Maximum Capacity, and it helps to know why before you waste an afternoon.",{"type":16,"tag":79,"props":80,"children":81},"ul",{},[82,93,103,113,123],{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":84,"children":85},"li",{},[86,91],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":87,"children":88},{},[89],{"type":21,"value":90},"Factory resets and restores.",{"type":21,"value":92}," These wipe software. The battery is hardware. Restoring iOS changes nothing about worn cells. If you see a point tick up afterward, that is the estimate recalibrating, not capacity returning.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":94,"children":95},{},[96,101],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":97,"children":98},{},[99],{"type":21,"value":100},"Full-drain \"calibration\" cycles.",{"type":21,"value":102}," Draining to 0 and charging to 100 repeatedly does not heal a battery. On lithium-ion it does the opposite, because both extremes are exactly the stressful states that cause wear.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":104,"children":105},{},[106,111],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":107,"children":108},{},[109],{"type":21,"value":110},"\"Battery booster\" or \"capacity increase\" apps.",{"type":21,"value":112}," No app on the App Store can touch the battery's physical chemistry, and none can read a higher Maximum Capacity than the battery reports. At best they are placebos that show you a recalibrated number and take credit; at worst they are ads with a progress bar.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":114,"children":115},{},[116,121],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":117,"children":118},{},[119],{"type":21,"value":120},"Cooling, freezing, or \"conditioning\" tricks.",{"type":21,"value":122}," Extreme cold can temporarily change how a battery behaves, but it does not restore lost capacity, and freezing a phone risks condensation damage.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":124,"children":125},{},[126,131],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":127,"children":128},{},[129],{"type":21,"value":130},"Turning features off.",{"type":21,"value":132}," Dropping brightness or disabling background refresh saves runtime today, which is worth doing, but it does not add capacity back. It stretches the charge you have; it does not enlarge the tank.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":134,"children":135},{},[136],{"type":21,"value":137},"If a tip promises to raise Maximum Capacity, that is the tell that it is fiction. The number is a wear gauge, and you cannot un-wear a battery.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":139,"children":141},{"id":140},"what-actually-helps-slow-the-decline",[142],{"type":21,"value":143},"What actually helps: slow the decline",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":145,"children":146},{},[147],{"type":21,"value":148},"Here is the useful pivot. You cannot reverse wear, but you strongly influence how fast it happens. Two identical iPhones can be a year apart in battery health purely from habits.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":150,"children":151},{},[152],{"type":21,"value":153},"The levers that matter:",{"type":16,"tag":79,"props":155,"children":156},{},[157,167,177,187],{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":158,"children":159},{},[160,165],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":161,"children":162},{},[163],{"type":21,"value":164},"Stay in the middle.",{"type":21,"value":166}," Avoid long stretches at 100 percent or near 0 percent. Optimized Battery Charging handles the overnight part automatically, and iPhone 15 and later add a hard 80 percent cap.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":168,"children":169},{},[170,175],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":171,"children":172},{},[173],{"type":21,"value":174},"Keep it cool.",{"type":21,"value":176}," Heat is the fastest permanent damage there is. Do not fast charge in a hot case or leave the phone in the sun.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":178,"children":179},{},[180,185],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":181,"children":182},{},[183],{"type":21,"value":184},"Do not chase 100 percent.",{"type":21,"value":186}," Topping up little and often is gentler than full drains.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":188,"children":189},{},[190,195],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":191,"children":192},{},[193],{"type":21,"value":194},"Update iOS.",{"type":21,"value":196}," Apple's battery management improves over time.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":198,"children":199},{},[200,202,209],{"type":21,"value":201},"We go deep on the day-to-day version of this in ",{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":204,"children":206},"a",{"href":205},"/blog/take-care-of-iphone-battery",[207],{"type":21,"value":208},"how to take care of your iPhone battery",{"type":21,"value":210},". The goal is not to stop the decline, which is impossible, but to make it gentle enough that the battery outlasts your interest in the phone.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":212,"children":214},{"id":213},"when-a-replacement-is-the-only-real-fix",[215],{"type":21,"value":216},"When a replacement is the only real fix",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":218,"children":219},{},[220],{"type":21,"value":221},"Once capacity has dropped, the single honest way back to 100 percent is a new battery. A replacement installs a physically fresh cell, so Maximum Capacity resets to 100 percent and the cycle count starts over at zero.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":223,"children":224},{},[225,227,233],{"type":21,"value":226},"Apple charges roughly $89 to $99 for an out-of-warranty iPhone battery, and it is free under AppleCare+ once you are below 80 percent capacity. Below 80 is also where iOS may start throttling peak performance, so that is the sensible threshold to act on. For where that 80 percent line comes from and what your number means, see ",{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":228,"children":230},{"href":229},"/blog/iphone-battery-capacity-explained",[231],{"type":21,"value":232},"iPhone battery capacity explained",{"type":21,"value":234},".",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":236,"children":238},{"id":237},"track-your-real-decline-with-juicy",[239],{"type":21,"value":240},"Track your real decline with Juicy",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":242,"children":243},{},[244],{"type":21,"value":245},"If you cannot increase capacity, the smart move is to watch it, so you know how fast it is falling and whether your habits are helping. iOS makes that hard: it shows one slow number and, on iPhones older than the 15, no cycle count at all.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":247,"children":248},{},[249,251,257,259,264],{"type":21,"value":250},"Plug your iPhone into your Mac and ",{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":252,"children":254},{"href":253},"/features/iphone-ipad-battery-health",[255],{"type":21,"value":256},"Juicy's iPhone and iPad diagnostics",{"type":21,"value":258}," read the real data off the device: health percentage, ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":260,"children":261},{},[262],{"type":21,"value":263},"cycle count on any model",{"type":21,"value":265},", temperature, and capacity in mAh, with nothing installed on the phone. (This is in Juicy's direct download and Setapp versions, not the Mac App Store build.)",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":267,"children":268},{},[269],{"type":21,"value":270},"Because Juicy keeps the history, you see the slope, not just today's figure. A gentle line means your care is working; a steep one tells you to fix the heat or the charging before the next point drops. It is a native menu-bar app, featured by Apple, 4.85 stars, with a free 3-day trial and no credit card.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":272,"children":273},{},[274,276,282],{"type":21,"value":275},"You cannot make the number go up. Juicy just makes sure you see it going down slowly, on purpose, instead of finding out the hard way. If you first want to confirm exactly what your battery reads, start with ",{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":277,"children":279},{"href":278},"/blog/check-iphone-battery-capacity",[280],{"type":21,"value":281},"how to check iPhone battery capacity",{"type":21,"value":234},{"title":284,"searchDepth":285,"depth":285,"links":286},"",2,[287,288,289,290,291],{"id":40,"depth":285,"text":43},{"id":69,"depth":285,"text":72},{"id":140,"depth":285,"text":143},{"id":213,"depth":285,"text":216},{"id":237,"depth":285,"text":240},"iphone-increase-capacity",[294,295,296,297,298],"how to increase maximum capacity of iphone battery","how to increase max capacity of iphone battery","how to increase iphone battery capacity","how to increase battery capacity iphone","iphone battery maximum capacity","dom",null,[302,305,308,311],{"q":303,"a":304},"Can you increase iPhone battery maximum capacity?","No. Maximum Capacity measures physical wear in the cells, and that wear is permanent. It only moves down over time, never up. No setting, app, or trick can raise it. The single way to get back to 100 percent is a battery replacement, which is a physically new cell.",{"q":306,"a":307},"Does resetting iPhone increase battery health?","No. A reset or factory restore wipes software, not the battery's physical wear, so Maximum Capacity reads the same afterward. If the number ticks up a point, that is iOS recalibrating its estimate, not real capacity returning. The cells do not care that you reinstalled iOS.",{"q":309,"a":310},"Can a new battery restore 100 percent capacity?","Yes, and it is the only thing that can. A replacement installs a brand new cell, so Maximum Capacity resets to 100 percent and the cycle count starts over at zero. Apple charges roughly $89 to $99, and it is free under AppleCare+ if you are below 80 percent.",{"q":312,"a":313},"Why won't my iPhone battery capacity go back up?","Because it physically cannot. Lithium-ion cells lose a little usable capacity with every cycle, and that loss is one directional. Small upward jiggles you might see are just the estimate recalibrating, not recovery. Once capacity drops, the only way back to full is new hardware.",[315,800,1180],{"slug":316,"locale":6,"title":317,"description":318,"datePublished":9,"dateUpdated":9,"category":10,"readingTime":11,"body":319,"toc":771,"cluster":781,"keywords":782,"tool":629,"feature":253,"author":299,"faq":788},"check-ipad-battery-health","How to Check iPad Battery Health (Even When iPadOS Hides It)","iPadOS hides battery health on most iPads. Here's how to check your iPad's battery capacity and cycle count for real, including the free workaround.",{"type":13,"children":320},[321,326,334,339,345,364,369,421,432,438,443,515,526,532,543,548,555,616,635,641,646,725,730,735,748,754,759],{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":322,"children":323},{},[324],{"type":21,"value":325},"Most iPads do not show battery health or capacity anywhere in Settings. Unlike the iPhone, iPadOS has no Battery Health screen on the vast majority of models, so there is no Maximum Capacity number to read. To see real health and cycle count on any iPad, plug it into a Mac and read it there.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":327,"children":328},{},[329],{"type":16,"tag":27,"props":330,"children":331},{},[332],{"type":21,"value":333},"Verified on iPadOS 26 in July 2026. The Settings layout has been the same since iPadOS 17.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":335,"children":336},{},[337],{"type":21,"value":338},"Below: exactly what your iPad does and does not show, the free scavenger hunt for the number Apple buries, and the one method that works on every iPad.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":340,"children":342},{"id":341},"does-the-ipad-show-battery-health-at-all",[343],{"type":21,"value":344},"Does the iPad show battery health at all?",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":346,"children":347},{},[348,350,355,357,362],{"type":21,"value":349},"For most people the honest answer is no. Open ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":351,"children":352},{},[353],{"type":21,"value":354},"Settings",{"type":21,"value":356}," and tap ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":358,"children":359},{},[360],{"type":21,"value":361},"Battery",{"type":21,"value":363},", and on the vast majority of iPads you get a usage graph and Low Power Mode, and nothing about the battery's condition. No Maximum Capacity, no cycle count, no health percentage. The iPhone has had a Battery Health screen since 2018. The iPad, for the most part, still does not.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":365,"children":366},{},[367],{"type":21,"value":368},"Apple did add a battery health readout to a small number of recent iPad models. If yours is one of them, you will find it here:",{"type":16,"tag":370,"props":371,"children":372},"ol",{},[373,383,393,404],{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":374,"children":375},{},[376,378,382],{"type":21,"value":377},"Open ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":379,"children":380},{},[381],{"type":21,"value":354},{"type":21,"value":234},{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":384,"children":385},{},[386,388,392],{"type":21,"value":387},"Tap ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":389,"children":390},{},[391],{"type":21,"value":361},{"type":21,"value":234},{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":394,"children":395},{},[396,397,402],{"type":21,"value":387},{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":398,"children":399},{},[400],{"type":21,"value":401},"Battery Health",{"type":21,"value":403}," (if the row exists).",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":405,"children":406},{},[407,409,413,415,420],{"type":21,"value":408},"Read ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":410,"children":411},{},[412],{"type":21,"value":59},{"type":21,"value":414}," and, on some models, ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":416,"children":417},{},[418],{"type":21,"value":419},"Cycle Count",{"type":21,"value":234},{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":422,"children":423},{},[424,426,430],{"type":21,"value":425},"If that ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":427,"children":428},{},[429],{"type":21,"value":401},{"type":21,"value":431}," row is not there, you have not missed a setting and you do not need a software update. Your iPad model was never given the screen. That is the whole reason this is such a frustrating search: the number exists inside the battery, iPadOS just refuses to print it.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":433,"children":435},{"id":434},"the-free-workaround-analytics-log-files",[436],{"type":21,"value":437},"The free workaround: analytics log files",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":439,"children":440},{},[441],{"type":21,"value":442},"There is a genuinely free way to pry the number loose, and it is a scavenger hunt.",{"type":16,"tag":370,"props":444,"children":445},{},[446,455,465,482,494],{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":447,"children":448},{},[449,450,454],{"type":21,"value":377},{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":451,"children":452},{},[453],{"type":21,"value":354},{"type":21,"value":234},{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":456,"children":457},{},[458,459,464],{"type":21,"value":387},{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":460,"children":461},{},[462],{"type":21,"value":463},"Privacy & Security",{"type":21,"value":234},{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":466,"children":467},{},[468,469,474,476,481],{"type":21,"value":387},{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":470,"children":471},{},[472],{"type":21,"value":473},"Analytics & Improvements",{"type":21,"value":475},", then ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":477,"children":478},{},[479],{"type":21,"value":480},"Analytics Data",{"type":21,"value":234},{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":483,"children":484},{},[485,487,492],{"type":21,"value":486},"Scroll to the newest ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":488,"children":489},{},[490],{"type":21,"value":491},"Analytics-",{"type":21,"value":493}," file and open it.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":495,"children":496},{},[497,499,506,508,514],{"type":21,"value":498},"Search the wall of text for ",{"type":16,"tag":500,"props":501,"children":503},"code",{"className":502},[],[504],{"type":21,"value":505},"last_value_MaximumFCC",{"type":21,"value":507}," or ",{"type":16,"tag":500,"props":509,"children":511},{"className":510},[],[512],{"type":21,"value":513},"CycleCount",{"type":21,"value":234},{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":516,"children":517},{},[518,524],{"type":16,"tag":500,"props":519,"children":521},{"className":520},[],[522],{"type":21,"value":523},"MaximumFCC",{"type":21,"value":525}," is the battery's full charge capacity in mAh, which you can compare against your model's original rated capacity to work out a rough health percentage. It only works if analytics sharing was already turned on, the files are enormous and unreadable on a small screen, and the fields are not always present. It is a workaround, not a feature, and nobody enjoys doing it twice.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":527,"children":529},{"id":528},"the-reliable-way-read-your-ipad-from-your-mac",[530],{"type":21,"value":531},"The reliable way: read your iPad from your Mac",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":533,"children":534},{},[535,537,541],{"type":21,"value":536},"Plug your iPad into your Mac with a cable, and ",{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":538,"children":539},{"href":253},[540],{"type":21,"value":256},{"type":21,"value":542}," read the battery data straight from the device: real health percentage, cycle count, temperature, and full charge capacity in mAh, with nothing to install on the iPad itself. This works on any iPad, including the older ones iPadOS refuses to show anything for. (iPad diagnostics are in Juicy's direct download and Setapp versions.)",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":544,"children":545},{},[546],{"type":21,"value":547},"That is the part worth underlining. The native screen exists on a handful of models. The Mac readout works on all of them, because it is asking the battery directly instead of waiting for iPadOS to volunteer the answer.",{"type":16,"tag":549,"props":550,"children":552},"h3",{"id":551},"step-by-step",[553],{"type":21,"value":554},"Step by step",{"type":16,"tag":370,"props":556,"children":557},{},[558,563,575,586,591],{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":559,"children":560},{},[561],{"type":21,"value":562},"Connect your iPad to your Mac with a USB-C or Lightning cable.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":564,"children":565},{},[566,568,573],{"type":21,"value":567},"If your iPad asks, tap ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":569,"children":570},{},[571],{"type":21,"value":572},"Trust This Computer",{"type":21,"value":574}," and enter your passcode.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":576,"children":577},{},[578,579,584],{"type":21,"value":377},{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":580,"children":581},{},[582],{"type":21,"value":583},"Juicy",{"type":21,"value":585}," from your Mac's menu bar.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":587,"children":588},{},[589],{"type":21,"value":590},"Select your iPad from the device list.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":592,"children":593},{},[594,596,601,603,608,610,615],{"type":21,"value":595},"Read its ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":597,"children":598},{},[599],{"type":21,"value":600},"health percentage",{"type":21,"value":602},", ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":604,"children":605},{},[606],{"type":21,"value":607},"cycle count",{"type":21,"value":609},", and ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":611,"children":612},{},[613],{"type":21,"value":614},"temperature",{"type":21,"value":234},{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":617,"children":618},{},[619,621,625,627,633],{"type":21,"value":620},"Your iPhone reads the same way, and we walk through it in ",{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":622,"children":623},{"href":278},[624],{"type":21,"value":281},{"type":21,"value":626},". If you want a plain-English verdict on the numbers you find, paste them into our free ",{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":628,"children":630},{"href":629},"/tools/iphone-battery-health-checker",[631],{"type":21,"value":632},"iPhone and iPad battery health checker",{"type":21,"value":634},", which grades capacity and cycle count in the browser.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":636,"children":638},{"id":637},"what-is-a-good-ipad-battery-health-percentage",[639],{"type":21,"value":640},"What is a good iPad battery health percentage?",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":642,"children":643},{},[644],{"type":21,"value":645},"Once you have the number, iPads follow the same thresholds as every other Apple battery.",{"type":16,"tag":647,"props":648,"children":649},"table",{},[650,668],{"type":16,"tag":651,"props":652,"children":653},"thead",{},[654],{"type":16,"tag":655,"props":656,"children":657},"tr",{},[658,663],{"type":16,"tag":659,"props":660,"children":661},"th",{},[662],{"type":21,"value":59},{"type":16,"tag":659,"props":664,"children":665},{},[666],{"type":21,"value":667},"Verdict",{"type":16,"tag":669,"props":670,"children":671},"tbody",{},[672,686,699,712],{"type":16,"tag":655,"props":673,"children":674},{},[675,681],{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":677,"children":678},"td",{},[679],{"type":21,"value":680},"100 to 90 percent",{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":682,"children":683},{},[684],{"type":21,"value":685},"Healthy, new or lightly used",{"type":16,"tag":655,"props":687,"children":688},{},[689,694],{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":690,"children":691},{},[692],{"type":21,"value":693},"89 to 80 percent",{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":695,"children":696},{},[697],{"type":21,"value":698},"Normal wear, typical after 2 to 3 years",{"type":16,"tag":655,"props":700,"children":701},{},[702,707],{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":703,"children":704},{},[705],{"type":21,"value":706},"79 to 70 percent",{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":708,"children":709},{},[710],{"type":21,"value":711},"Worn, noticeably shorter runtime",{"type":16,"tag":655,"props":713,"children":714},{},[715,720],{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":716,"children":717},{},[718],{"type":21,"value":719},"Below 70 percent",{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":721,"children":722},{},[723],{"type":21,"value":724},"Heavily degraded, replacement worth considering",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":726,"children":727},{},[728],{"type":21,"value":729},"The 80 percent line is Apple's own: at or above it, the battery is considered healthy, and below it Apple flags the battery as consumed. iPads tend to age slower than iPhones in calendar time because they spend more of their lives in a drawer, but cycle count is what actually matters. Apple rates iPad batteries to hold 80 percent through 1,000 cycles, so a tablet at 84 percent after 700 cycles is aging exactly on schedule. The same 84 percent after 200 cycles would be wearing unusually fast, which usually points at heat or a lot of charging while gaming.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":731,"children":732},{},[733],{"type":21,"value":734},"Temperature is the reading most people ignore and it is worth a glance. A battery that regularly runs warm ages faster than the cycle count alone predicts, so a live temperature figure tells you whether your usage is quietly cooking the cell.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":736,"children":737},{},[738,740,746],{"type":21,"value":739},"If you also want your Mac's own battery in the same view, ",{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":741,"children":743},{"href":742},"/blog/check-macbook-battery-health",[744],{"type":21,"value":745},"checking battery health on a Mac",{"type":21,"value":747}," covers the two free native methods there, plus how Juicy keeps all your devices in one menu.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":749,"children":751},{"id":750},"why-bother-if-the-ipad-still-works",[752],{"type":21,"value":753},"Why bother, if the iPad still works?",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":755,"children":756},{},[757],{"type":21,"value":758},"An iPad with a tired battery does not announce it. It just quietly stops lasting the flight, or shuts down at 15 percent, and you blame the app. Knowing your real health and cycle count tells you whether that is age or something fixable, and whether a battery service is worth it before the tablet is worth replacing outright.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":760,"children":761},{},[762,769],{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":763,"children":767},{"href":764,"rel":765},"https://getjuicy.app",[766],"nofollow",[768],{"type":21,"value":583},{"type":21,"value":770}," is a native Mac menu-bar app, featured by Apple on the Mac App Store, 4.85 stars across 100+ reviews. Plug your iPad in once and it reads the health that iPadOS hides, in the direct download and Setapp versions, with a free 3-day trial. The free scavenger hunt is always there if you would rather. We just think you will only do it once.",{"title":284,"searchDepth":285,"depth":285,"links":772},[773,774,775,779,780],{"id":341,"depth":285,"text":344},{"id":434,"depth":285,"text":437},{"id":528,"depth":285,"text":531,"children":776},[777],{"id":551,"depth":778,"text":554},3,{"id":637,"depth":285,"text":640},{"id":750,"depth":285,"text":753},"ipad-check-health",[783,784,785,786,787],"how to check battery capacity on ipad","how to find battery capacity on ipad","how to check maximum battery capacity on ipad","how to check battery capacity ipad","where to check ipad battery health",[789,792,795,797],{"q":790,"a":791},"Does the iPad show battery health?","Most iPads do not. Unlike the iPhone, iPadOS has no Battery Health screen on the vast majority of models, so there is no Maximum Capacity to read in Settings. Only a small set of recent iPads added one. On every other iPad, you have to read the battery from a Mac to see health and cycle count.",{"q":793,"a":794},"Why can't I see battery health on my iPad?","Because Apple never built the screen for your model. iPadOS simply does not expose battery health or capacity in Settings on most iPads, even though the battery reports that data internally. It is not a bug or a missing update, it is a feature Apple left out. Plugging into a Mac reads it directly.",{"q":640,"a":796},"The same thresholds as any Apple device. At or above 80 percent of original capacity is healthy, and that is the line Apple's warranty service uses. High 80s is normal after a couple of years of use. Below 80 percent you will notice shorter runtime, and a replacement starts to make sense.",{"q":798,"a":799},"How many cycles does an iPad battery last?","Apple rates iPad batteries to keep at least 80 percent of original capacity through 1,000 complete charge cycles. Most people take three to five years to reach that, since iPads often sit idle between uses. After 1,000 cycles the battery still works, it just holds noticeably less.",{"slug":801,"locale":6,"title":802,"description":803,"datePublished":9,"dateUpdated":9,"category":10,"readingTime":804,"body":805,"toc":1153,"cluster":1160,"keywords":1161,"tool":629,"feature":253,"author":299,"faq":1167},"check-iphone-battery-capacity","How to Check iPhone Battery Capacity (and What iOS Hides)","See your iPhone's battery capacity in Settings, learn what a healthy percentage is, and how to unlock the cycle count and stats iOS hides on older iPhones.","5 min",{"type":13,"children":806},[807,842,850,855,861,900,912,935,941,946,951,974,979,1051,1056,1062,1067,1095,1101,1119,1131,1137,1142],{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":808,"children":809},{},[810,811,815,817,821,823,828,830,834,836,840],{"type":21,"value":377},{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":812,"children":813},{},[814],{"type":21,"value":354},{"type":21,"value":816},", tap ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":818,"children":819},{},[820],{"type":21,"value":361},{"type":21,"value":822},", then tap ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":824,"children":825},{},[826],{"type":21,"value":827},"Battery Health & Charging",{"type":21,"value":829},". The ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":831,"children":832},{},[833],{"type":21,"value":59},{"type":21,"value":835}," percentage is your battery's current capacity compared to when it was new. On iPhone 15 or later, you can also see your ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":837,"children":838},{},[839],{"type":21,"value":607},{"type":21,"value":841}," under Settings, General, About. That is everything iOS will show you.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":843,"children":844},{},[845],{"type":16,"tag":27,"props":846,"children":847},{},[848],{"type":21,"value":849},"Verified on iOS 26 in July 2026. The Settings path is the same back to iOS 11.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":851,"children":852},{},[853],{"type":21,"value":854},"Below: what the number actually means, what counts as healthy, and how to see the stats Apple collects but does not display, including cycle count on older iPhones.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":856,"children":858},{"id":857},"how-to-check-battery-capacity-on-your-iphone",[859],{"type":21,"value":860},"How to check battery capacity on your iPhone",{"type":16,"tag":370,"props":862,"children":863},{},[864,873,882,891],{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":865,"children":866},{},[867,868,872],{"type":21,"value":377},{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":869,"children":870},{},[871],{"type":21,"value":354},{"type":21,"value":234},{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":874,"children":875},{},[876,877,881],{"type":21,"value":387},{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":878,"children":879},{},[880],{"type":21,"value":361},{"type":21,"value":234},{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":883,"children":884},{},[885,886,890],{"type":21,"value":387},{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":887,"children":888},{},[889],{"type":21,"value":827},{"type":21,"value":234},{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":892,"children":893},{},[894,895,899],{"type":21,"value":408},{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":896,"children":897},{},[898],{"type":21,"value":59},{"type":21,"value":234},{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":901,"children":902},{},[903,905,910],{"type":21,"value":904},"On the same screen, ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":906,"children":907},{},[908],{"type":21,"value":909},"Peak Performance Capability",{"type":21,"value":911}," tells you whether iOS has ever throttled your phone because the battery could not deliver enough power. If you see anything other than a clean \"your battery is currently supporting normal peak performance\", your battery is further gone than the percentage suggests.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":913,"children":914},{},[915,920,922,927,929,933],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":916,"children":917},{},[918],{"type":21,"value":919},"On iPhone 15 and newer",{"type":21,"value":921},", Apple added more: go to ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":923,"children":924},{},[925],{"type":21,"value":926},"Settings > General > About",{"type":21,"value":928}," and scroll down. You will find ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":930,"children":931},{},[932],{"type":21,"value":419},{"type":21,"value":934},", plus the battery's manufacture date and first-use date. This is genuinely useful and genuinely missing from every older iPhone.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":936,"children":938},{"id":937},"what-does-maximum-capacity-actually-mean",[939],{"type":21,"value":940},"What does Maximum Capacity actually mean?",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":942,"children":943},{},[944],{"type":21,"value":945},"It is the ratio between what your battery can hold today and what it held new. 87 percent means a charge that used to last 10 hours now lasts about 8.7, all else equal.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":947,"children":948},{},[949],{"type":21,"value":950},"Two things worth knowing about how it behaves:",{"type":16,"tag":79,"props":952,"children":953},{},[954,964],{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":955,"children":956},{},[957,962],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":958,"children":959},{},[960],{"type":21,"value":961},"It is an estimate, recalibrated over time.",{"type":21,"value":963}," It can sit still for months and then drop 2 points in a week. That is the estimate catching up, not sudden damage.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":965,"children":966},{},[967,972],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":968,"children":969},{},[970],{"type":21,"value":971},"It only goes down.",{"type":21,"value":973}," A battery losing roughly 1 percent per month of ownership in year one and two is aging normally. Much faster usually means heat, or lots of fast charging to 100 percent, or heavy cycling.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":975,"children":976},{},[977],{"type":21,"value":978},"What counts as good:",{"type":16,"tag":647,"props":980,"children":981},{},[982,996],{"type":16,"tag":651,"props":983,"children":984},{},[985],{"type":16,"tag":655,"props":986,"children":987},{},[988,992],{"type":16,"tag":659,"props":989,"children":990},{},[991],{"type":21,"value":59},{"type":16,"tag":659,"props":993,"children":994},{},[995],{"type":21,"value":667},{"type":16,"tag":669,"props":997,"children":998},{},[999,1012,1025,1038],{"type":16,"tag":655,"props":1000,"children":1001},{},[1002,1007],{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":1003,"children":1004},{},[1005],{"type":21,"value":1006},"100 to 95 percent",{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":1008,"children":1009},{},[1010],{"type":21,"value":1011},"New or barely used",{"type":16,"tag":655,"props":1013,"children":1014},{},[1015,1020],{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":1016,"children":1017},{},[1018],{"type":21,"value":1019},"94 to 85 percent",{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":1021,"children":1022},{},[1023],{"type":21,"value":1024},"Normal wear, typical after 1 to 2 years",{"type":16,"tag":655,"props":1026,"children":1027},{},[1028,1033],{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":1029,"children":1030},{},[1031],{"type":21,"value":1032},"84 to 80 percent",{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":1034,"children":1035},{},[1036],{"type":21,"value":1037},"Worn, expect visibly shorter days",{"type":16,"tag":655,"props":1039,"children":1040},{},[1041,1046],{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":1042,"children":1043},{},[1044],{"type":21,"value":1045},"Below 80 percent",{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":1047,"children":1048},{},[1049],{"type":21,"value":1050},"Apple calls this consumed, replacement territory",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1052,"children":1053},{},[1054],{"type":21,"value":1055},"The 80 percent line is not folklore: it is the threshold Apple's own warranty and AppleCare+ service uses. Under 80 with AppleCare+, the battery swap is free.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":1057,"children":1059},{"id":1058},"the-catch-ios-hides-almost-everything-else",[1060],{"type":21,"value":1061},"The catch: iOS hides almost everything else",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1063,"children":1064},{},[1065],{"type":21,"value":1066},"Maximum Capacity is one number, and on iPhones older than the 15 it is the only number. iOS does not show cycle count, temperature history, or actual capacity in mAh on those devices, even though the battery reports all of it.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1068,"children":1069},{},[1070,1072,1077,1079,1085,1087,1093],{"type":21,"value":1071},"There is a hacky free route: ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1073,"children":1074},{},[1075],{"type":21,"value":1076},"Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements > Analytics Data",{"type":21,"value":1078},", open the newest ",{"type":16,"tag":500,"props":1080,"children":1082},{"className":1081},[],[1083],{"type":21,"value":1084},"Analytics-...",{"type":21,"value":1086}," file, and search for ",{"type":16,"tag":500,"props":1088,"children":1090},{"className":1089},[],[1091],{"type":21,"value":1092},"last_value_CycleCount",{"type":21,"value":1094},". It works only if analytics sharing was already on, the files are enormous, and the entry is not always present. It is a scavenger hunt, not a feature.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":1096,"children":1098},{"id":1097},"the-comfortable-way-read-your-iphones-full-stats-from-your-mac",[1099],{"type":21,"value":1100},"The comfortable way: read your iPhone's full stats from your Mac",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1102,"children":1103},{},[1104,1106,1110,1112,1117],{"type":21,"value":1105},"Plug your iPhone into your Mac with a cable, and ",{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":1107,"children":1108},{"href":253},[1109],{"type":21,"value":256},{"type":21,"value":1111}," read the battery data straight from the device: real health percentage, ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1113,"children":1114},{},[1115],{"type":21,"value":1116},"cycle count on any iPhone model",{"type":21,"value":1118},", temperature, and capacity in mAh, with nothing to install on the phone itself. (This is in Juicy's direct download and Setapp versions, and with Pro it also works over Wi-Fi, so your iPhone's battery shows up in your Mac's menu bar next to your MacBook's.)",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1120,"children":1121},{},[1122,1124,1129],{"type":21,"value":1123},"If you just want a quick verdict on the numbers you already have, our free ",{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":1125,"children":1126},{"href":629},[1127],{"type":21,"value":1128},"iPhone battery health checker",{"type":21,"value":1130}," grades your capacity and cycle count in the browser and tells you how much life is realistically left.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":1132,"children":1134},{"id":1133},"when-to-replace-the-battery-instead-of-the-phone",[1135],{"type":21,"value":1136},"When to replace the battery instead of the phone",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1138,"children":1139},{},[1140],{"type":21,"value":1141},"If your iPhone is otherwise fine and capacity has dipped below about 80 percent, a battery replacement (roughly $69 to $99 at Apple, free with AppleCare+ under 80 percent) buys the phone another year or two for a tenth of an upgrade's price. Check your capacity first, then decide with the number instead of the vibes.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1143,"children":1144},{},[1145,1147,1151],{"type":21,"value":1146},"Related reading: your MacBook plays the same hiding game with its battery, and ",{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":1148,"children":1149},{"href":742},[1150],{"type":21,"value":745},{"type":21,"value":1152}," has the same 30-second fix.",{"title":284,"searchDepth":285,"depth":285,"links":1154},[1155,1156,1157,1158,1159],{"id":857,"depth":285,"text":860},{"id":937,"depth":285,"text":940},{"id":1058,"depth":285,"text":1061},{"id":1097,"depth":285,"text":1100},{"id":1133,"depth":285,"text":1136},"iphone-check-capacity",[1162,1163,1164,1165,1166],"how to check iphone battery capacity","how to check battery capacity iphone","how to see battery capacity on iphone","iphone battery health","iphone cycle count",[1168,1171,1174,1177],{"q":1169,"a":1170},"What is a good maximum capacity for an iPhone battery?","Anything at or above 80 percent counts as healthy by Apple's own definition, and that is the threshold their warranty service uses. As a feel for the range: 95 percent and up is essentially new, high 80s is typical after two years, and low 80s means you are living on borrowed runtime.",{"q":1172,"a":1173},"What battery capacity is bad for an iPhone?","Below 80 percent. That is where Apple considers the battery consumed, where Peak Performance Capability warnings and slowdowns can appear, and where a day of normal use stops fitting into one charge. If you are under 80 and the phone otherwise serves you well, a battery swap beats a new phone.",{"q":1175,"a":1176},"Does the iPhone show battery cycle count?","Only newer ones. iPhone 15 and later show cycle count under Settings, General, About. On older iPhones iOS simply does not display it anywhere in Settings. You can dig for it in analytics log files, or read it directly by plugging the phone into a Mac running Juicy.",{"q":1178,"a":1179},"At what battery capacity should I replace my iPhone battery?","At 80 percent or below, replacement is worth it, and if you have AppleCare+ it is free at that point. Between 80 and 85 percent it is a judgment call based on whether the phone still lasts your day. Above 85 percent, keep the battery you have.",{"slug":1181,"locale":6,"title":1182,"description":1183,"datePublished":9,"dateUpdated":9,"category":10,"readingTime":11,"body":1184,"toc":1630,"cluster":1638,"keywords":1639,"feature":1619,"author":299,"faq":1645},"does-applecare-cover-battery-replacement","Does AppleCare Cover Battery Replacement? The 80% Rule","Whether AppleCare and AppleCare+ cover a battery replacement comes down to one number: the 80 percent rule. Here is how it works and how to check yours.",{"type":13,"children":1185},[1186,1191,1199,1204,1210,1215,1248,1253,1259,1270,1275,1354,1359,1365,1370,1421,1426,1432,1437,1445,1488,1496,1545,1573,1579,1591,1596,1602,1607,1625],{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1187,"children":1188},{},[1189],{"type":21,"value":1190},"AppleCare+ covers a free battery replacement only when your battery holds less than 80 percent of its original capacity. Normal wear above 80 percent is not covered, and the standard one-year warranty follows the same rule. So the deciding factor is one number: your exact battery health, which you can check for free.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1192,"children":1193},{},[1194],{"type":16,"tag":27,"props":1195,"children":1196},{},[1197],{"type":21,"value":1198},"Accurate to Apple's AppleCare terms as of July 2026. Coverage details can vary by region.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1200,"children":1201},{},[1202],{"type":21,"value":1203},"That 80 percent line is the entire story, and it trips people up constantly. Someone books a Genius Bar appointment expecting a free swap, then learns their battery is at 82 percent and pays full price. Here is how coverage actually works, and how to know which side of the line you are on before you go.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":1205,"children":1207},{"id":1206},"applecare-vs-applecare-vs-no-coverage",[1208],{"type":21,"value":1209},"AppleCare vs AppleCare+ vs no coverage",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1211,"children":1212},{},[1213],{"type":21,"value":1214},"The three situations behave differently, so find yours first:",{"type":16,"tag":79,"props":1216,"children":1217},{},[1218,1228,1238],{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":1219,"children":1220},{},[1221,1226],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1222,"children":1223},{},[1224],{"type":21,"value":1225},"Standard warranty (first year, no AppleCare).",{"type":21,"value":1227}," Every Apple device includes a one-year limited warranty. It covers a battery that drops below 80 percent capacity within that first year, which is rare from normal use but does happen with defects.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":1229,"children":1230},{},[1231,1236],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1232,"children":1233},{},[1234],{"type":21,"value":1235},"AppleCare+.",{"type":21,"value":1237}," Extends that same 80 percent coverage for the life of the plan, typically two or three years, and adds accidental damage coverage with a per-incident fee. Battery service under the 80 percent rule stays free.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":1239,"children":1240},{},[1241,1246],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1242,"children":1243},{},[1244],{"type":21,"value":1245},"No coverage (expired or never purchased).",{"type":21,"value":1247}," You pay the out-of-warranty price. For a Mac that is roughly $129 to $249 depending on model; for most iPhones, around $89 to $99.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1249,"children":1250},{},[1251],{"type":21,"value":1252},"The key point: AppleCare+ does not give you a free battery on demand. It removes the cost only once the battery has genuinely worn past the threshold.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":1254,"children":1256},{"id":1255},"mac-iphone-and-ipad-all-use-the-same-80-percent-rule",[1257],{"type":21,"value":1258},"Mac, iPhone, and iPad all use the same 80 percent rule",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1260,"children":1261},{},[1262,1264,1268],{"type":21,"value":1263},"Apple applies one consistent standard across the lineup. Whether it is a MacBook, an iPhone, or an iPad, the battery qualifies for warranty or AppleCare+ replacement once ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1265,"children":1266},{},[1267],{"type":21,"value":59},{"type":21,"value":1269}," falls below 80 percent of original.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1271,"children":1272},{},[1273],{"type":21,"value":1274},"What differs is only the out-of-warranty price if you do not qualify:",{"type":16,"tag":647,"props":1276,"children":1277},{},[1278,1299],{"type":16,"tag":651,"props":1279,"children":1280},{},[1281],{"type":16,"tag":655,"props":1282,"children":1283},{},[1284,1289,1294],{"type":16,"tag":659,"props":1285,"children":1286},{},[1287],{"type":21,"value":1288},"Device",{"type":16,"tag":659,"props":1290,"children":1291},{},[1292],{"type":21,"value":1293},"Free with AppleCare+ (under 80%)",{"type":16,"tag":659,"props":1295,"children":1296},{},[1297],{"type":21,"value":1298},"Out-of-warranty price",{"type":16,"tag":669,"props":1300,"children":1301},{},[1302,1320,1337],{"type":16,"tag":655,"props":1303,"children":1304},{},[1305,1310,1315],{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":1306,"children":1307},{},[1308],{"type":21,"value":1309},"MacBook Air / Pro",{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":1311,"children":1312},{},[1313],{"type":21,"value":1314},"yes",{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":1316,"children":1317},{},[1318],{"type":21,"value":1319},"around $129 to $249",{"type":16,"tag":655,"props":1321,"children":1322},{},[1323,1328,1332],{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":1324,"children":1325},{},[1326],{"type":21,"value":1327},"iPhone",{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":1329,"children":1330},{},[1331],{"type":21,"value":1314},{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":1333,"children":1334},{},[1335],{"type":21,"value":1336},"around $89 to $99",{"type":16,"tag":655,"props":1338,"children":1339},{},[1340,1345,1349],{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":1341,"children":1342},{},[1343],{"type":21,"value":1344},"iPad",{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":1346,"children":1347},{},[1348],{"type":21,"value":1314},{"type":16,"tag":676,"props":1350,"children":1351},{},[1352],{"type":21,"value":1353},"around $99 to $179",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1355,"children":1356},{},[1357],{"type":21,"value":1358},"There is one wrinkle worth knowing. macOS and iOS both round and average the capacity reading, so a device sitting right at 80 or 81 percent can read either side of the line on different days. If you are that close, it is worth confirming before you make the trip.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":1360,"children":1362},{"id":1361},"why-apple-might-turn-down-a-free-battery",[1363],{"type":21,"value":1364},"Why Apple might turn down a free battery",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1366,"children":1367},{},[1368],{"type":21,"value":1369},"Even with AppleCare+, a few things put you back on the paying side:",{"type":16,"tag":79,"props":1371,"children":1372},{},[1373,1391,1401,1411],{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":1374,"children":1375},{},[1376,1381,1383,1389],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1377,"children":1378},{},[1379],{"type":21,"value":1380},"Capacity above 80 percent.",{"type":21,"value":1382}," The most common reason. A battery at 82 percent still works well by Apple's measure, so the wear is not covered no matter how short the runtime feels. Runtime drops long before capacity crosses the line, which is why the two often disagree. See ",{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":1384,"children":1386},{"href":1385},"/blog/how-long-does-mac-battery-last",[1387],{"type":21,"value":1388},"how long a Mac battery should last",{"type":21,"value":1390}," for what is normal at each age.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":1392,"children":1393},{},[1394,1399],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1395,"children":1396},{},[1397],{"type":21,"value":1398},"Accidental damage.",{"type":21,"value":1400}," A swollen or physically damaged battery counts as accidental damage, not wear, so it carries the per-incident AppleCare+ fee rather than being free.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":1402,"children":1403},{},[1404,1409],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1405,"children":1406},{},[1407],{"type":21,"value":1408},"Prior third-party repairs.",{"type":21,"value":1410}," A battery or logic-board repair done outside Apple's network can void coverage, since Apple cannot vouch for non-genuine parts.",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":1412,"children":1413},{},[1414,1419],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1415,"children":1416},{},[1417],{"type":21,"value":1418},"Expired coverage.",{"type":21,"value":1420}," AppleCare+ has a term. Once it lapses, you pay the out-of-warranty price regardless of capacity.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1422,"children":1423},{},[1424],{"type":21,"value":1425},"The pattern is the same either way: the 80 percent reading decides most cases, so it is the number to confirm before you commit to a trip.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":1427,"children":1429},{"id":1428},"how-to-check-if-you-qualify-before-you-go",[1430],{"type":21,"value":1431},"How to check if you qualify before you go",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1433,"children":1434},{},[1435],{"type":21,"value":1436},"Reading your capacity takes under a minute, and it is the same number Apple's technician will look at.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1438,"children":1439},{},[1440],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1441,"children":1442},{},[1443],{"type":21,"value":1444},"On iPhone or iPad:",{"type":16,"tag":370,"props":1446,"children":1447},{},[1448,1457,1478],{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":1449,"children":1450},{},[1451,1452,1456],{"type":21,"value":377},{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1453,"children":1454},{},[1455],{"type":21,"value":354},{"type":21,"value":234},{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":1458,"children":1459},{},[1460,1461,1465,1466,1470,1472,1476],{"type":21,"value":387},{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1462,"children":1463},{},[1464],{"type":21,"value":361},{"type":21,"value":475},{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1467,"children":1468},{},[1469],{"type":21,"value":401},{"type":21,"value":1471}," (or ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1473,"children":1474},{},[1475],{"type":21,"value":827},{"type":21,"value":1477},").",{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":1479,"children":1480},{},[1481,1482,1486],{"type":21,"value":408},{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1483,"children":1484},{},[1485],{"type":21,"value":59},{"type":21,"value":1487},". Below 80 percent means you likely qualify.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1489,"children":1490},{},[1491],{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1492,"children":1493},{},[1494],{"type":21,"value":1495},"On a Mac:",{"type":16,"tag":370,"props":1497,"children":1498},{},[1499,1517,1535],{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":1500,"children":1501},{},[1502,1504,1509,1511,1516],{"type":21,"value":1503},"Hold the ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1505,"children":1506},{},[1507],{"type":21,"value":1508},"Option",{"type":21,"value":1510}," key and click the ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1512,"children":1513},{},[1514],{"type":21,"value":1515},"Apple menu",{"type":21,"value":234},{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":1518,"children":1519},{},[1520,1522,1527,1529,1534],{"type":21,"value":1521},"Choose ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1523,"children":1524},{},[1525],{"type":21,"value":1526},"System Information",{"type":21,"value":1528},", then select ",{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1530,"children":1531},{},[1532],{"type":21,"value":1533},"Power",{"type":21,"value":234},{"type":16,"tag":83,"props":1536,"children":1537},{},[1538,1539,1543],{"type":21,"value":408},{"type":16,"tag":55,"props":1540,"children":1541},{},[1542],{"type":21,"value":59},{"type":21,"value":1544}," under Health Information.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1546,"children":1547},{},[1548,1550,1555,1557,1563,1565,1571],{"type":21,"value":1549},"Our full walkthroughs live in ",{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":1551,"children":1552},{"href":742},[1553],{"type":21,"value":1554},"how to check battery health on a Mac",{"type":21,"value":1556}," and, for the cycles side of the story, ",{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":1558,"children":1560},{"href":1559},"/blog/check-macbook-cycle-count",[1561],{"type":21,"value":1562},"how to check cycle count",{"type":21,"value":1564},". If your Mac already shows ",{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":1566,"children":1568},{"href":1567},"/blog/mac-battery-service-recommended",[1569],{"type":21,"value":1570},"Service Recommended",{"type":21,"value":1572},", you are almost certainly under 80 percent and covered.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":1574,"children":1576},{"id":1575},"what-it-costs-if-you-are-not-covered",[1577],{"type":21,"value":1578},"What it costs if you are not covered",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1580,"children":1581},{},[1582,1584,1590],{"type":21,"value":1583},"If you land above 80 percent, or your AppleCare+ has expired, you are paying out of pocket. That is not necessarily bad news, since a battery replacement is far cheaper than a new device and restores full runtime. We break down the model-by-model pricing, plus Apple versus third-party options, in ",{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":1585,"children":1587},{"href":1586},"/blog/mac-battery-replacement-cost",[1588],{"type":21,"value":1589},"Mac battery replacement cost",{"type":21,"value":234},{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1592,"children":1593},{},[1594],{"type":21,"value":1595},"Third-party shops replace batteries for less than Apple, though that route ends any remaining Apple warranty on the device. And if you are sitting just above the 80 percent line, it can be worth waiting a few weeks until you clearly cross it, so the same replacement becomes free under AppleCare+ instead of a bill.",{"type":16,"tag":38,"props":1597,"children":1599},{"id":1598},"check-your-exact-health-with-juicy-first",[1600],{"type":21,"value":1601},"Check your exact health with Juicy first",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1603,"children":1604},{},[1605],{"type":21,"value":1606},"Since coverage hinges entirely on that one percentage, it helps to know it precisely, not roughly. iOS and macOS show a single averaged number with no history, so a device hovering near the line is genuinely hard to read.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1608,"children":1609},{},[1610,1615,1617,1623],{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":1611,"children":1613},{"href":764,"rel":1612},[766],[1614],{"type":21,"value":583},{"type":21,"value":1616}," shows your exact ",{"type":16,"tag":203,"props":1618,"children":1620},{"href":1619},"/features/battery-health-tracking",[1621],{"type":21,"value":1622},"battery health percentage and cycle count",{"type":21,"value":1624}," in the Mac menu bar, tracked over time so you can see the trend heading toward 80 percent instead of guessing. Plug an iPhone or iPad into your Mac and it reads their real capacity too (in the direct download and Setapp versions), which is handy since those numbers decide whether the trip to Apple is free. Featured by Apple on the Mac App Store, 4.85 stars, free 3-day trial.",{"type":16,"tag":17,"props":1626,"children":1627},{},[1628],{"type":21,"value":1629},"Know your number before you book. It is the difference between walking out with a free battery and walking out with a bill.",{"title":284,"searchDepth":285,"depth":285,"links":1631},[1632,1633,1634,1635,1636,1637],{"id":1206,"depth":285,"text":1209},{"id":1255,"depth":285,"text":1258},{"id":1361,"depth":285,"text":1364},{"id":1428,"depth":285,"text":1431},{"id":1575,"depth":285,"text":1578},{"id":1598,"depth":285,"text":1601},"applecare-battery",[1640,1641,1642,1643,1644],"does apple care cover battery replacement","is battery replacement free with apple care","does apple care plus cover battery replacement","does apple care cover battery","does apple care cover battery replacement macbook",[1646,1649,1652,1655],{"q":1647,"a":1648},"Does AppleCare cover a battery below 80 percent?","Yes. Once your battery holds less than 80 percent of its original capacity, AppleCare+ (and the standard warranty within its first year) covers a free replacement. Above 80 percent, Apple treats the wear as normal and you pay out of pocket. The 80 percent line is the whole test.",{"q":1650,"a":1651},"Is iPhone battery replacement free with AppleCare?","Only if the battery is below 80 percent capacity. With AppleCare+, a battery that has degraded past that line is replaced at no charge. If it is still above 80 percent, Apple charges the standard out-of-warranty fee, roughly $89 to $99 for most iPhone models.",{"q":1653,"a":1654},"What battery health qualifies for an AppleCare replacement?","Anything under 80 percent of original capacity. On iPhone and iPad you read this as Maximum Capacity in Settings > Battery; on a Mac it is Maximum Capacity in System Information. At 80 percent or above, Apple considers the battery healthy and coverage does not apply.",{"q":1656,"a":1657},"Does AppleCare+ replace a battery for free?","Yes, when capacity has dropped below 80 percent of original. AppleCare+ includes battery service at no cost once you cross that threshold, on Mac, iPhone, and iPad. It will not top up a battery that is merely aging normally, so confirm your exact health percentage before you book.",1784633893846]