My iPhone 13 is about two years old and its battery health has been low for a while. I was planning to replace the battery in a couple of months, but it suddenly started swelling. I turned the phone off as soon as I noticed. There isn't an authorized service center nearby, and I can't leave the area immediately. Is it safe to store the phone temporarily, and could waiting make it impossible to repair? I also need to travel soon by bus or ferry and want to know how to handle the phone safely.
2 Answers
A swollen lithium-ion battery is a potential fire hazard, so don’t use, charge, press on, bend, or attempt to open the phone. Keep it powered off and away from heat, flammable materials, and anything that could puncture it. Contact a reputable local phone repair shop or your local hazardous-waste service as soon as possible for handling instructions. Don’t put it in household trash or recycling.
Get it assessed as soon as you reasonably can. Swelling can continue and may damage the screen or other components, but the phone may still be repairable. You don’t necessarily need an authorized service center; a well-reviewed independent repair shop may be able to replace the battery safely.
Avoid carrying it on a plane. A bus or ferry is still not ideal, so ask the carrier and a local repair or hazardous-waste service before traveling. Don’t try to make a homemade container or tightly seal the phone if it starts getting hot, smoking, or producing an odor—move away from it and contact emergency services.