iPad · Battery Replacement
iPad Battery Replacement
When an iPad battery wears out or swells, Apple's usual answer is to swap the whole device — and your data goes with it. We replace just the cell, in-house, and keep your iPad and everything on it.
An iPad battery is one of the hardest cells in consumer electronics to replace correctly. It is bonded to the chassis with aggressive adhesive, and the only way in is under a laminated screen that is itself glued down hard. Done wrong, you crack the panel, nick the cell, or bend the frame. We have spent 11 years doing exactly this kind of slow, careful work — and if a fresh battery still won't charge, we go to the board.
When you need a battery replacement
- Battery drains in a couple of hours when it used to last all day
- iPad dies suddenly or shuts off well before it hits 0%
- The screen or back is lifting, bulging, or no longer sits flat — a swollen cell, and a real safety issue
- Plugged in but won't charge, or charges only at certain cable angles
- Runs hot during normal use or while charging
- Charges painfully slowly — slower than you'd expect even for a large iPad cell
Honest by default
Every device starts with a $65 diagnostic and a written report — exact cost and timeline before we touch it. The fee applies toward your repair.
iPad battery cost depends on the model, how hard the laminated screen is to remove safely, and how stubbornly the cell is glued down — Pro and Air models take more time than a base iPad. Our $65 written diagnostic confirms it's the battery (and not the charging circuit) before any work, and it applies toward your repair.
Our battery replacement process
Safe screen-off and cell assessment
We power the iPad down and warm the display adhesive evenly to lift the laminated panel without cracking it. If the cell is swollen, we treat it as a pressurized hazard: controlled removal, fire-safe handling, no shortcuts. The screen comes off intact so it goes back on as your screen.
Glued battery removal — heat and time
iPad cells are large and bonded flat to the chassis. We use measured heat, isopropyl, and patience to release the adhesive cleanly, rather than prying — prying is how frames bend and cells puncture. This step is slow on purpose. That is the whole job.
New cell, fresh adhesive, full reseal
We fit the replacement battery, lay down new adhesive, clean every trace of old residue, and reseal the display so the iPad closes flat and stays sealed. No bulge, no gap, no rattling panel.
Charge and board test
We verify a real charge cycle, check charge rate and temperature, and confirm health reporting. If a known-good battery still won't charge, the fault is on the board — usually the charging IC (Tristar). We diagnose and repair that here instead of sending you off to buy a new iPad.
Is replacing an iPad battery worth it, or should I just buy a new one?
It depends on the iPad. On a Pro, Air, or a recent base model, a battery is a fraction of replacement cost and the device has years left — easily worth it. On an old base iPad that's also slow and stuck on outdated software, we'll tell you honestly that a new battery is good money after bad. The $65 diagnostic includes that straight answer.
My iPad screen is lifting on one side — is that dangerous?
Yes. A lifting or bulging screen means the battery is swelling and venting gas inside a sealed enclosure. Stop using it, stop charging it, and don't press the screen back down. Bring it in or mail it in — we handle swollen cells with fire-safe tools and removal that won't rupture them.
Why does Apple replace the whole iPad instead of just the battery?
Because the cell is glued under a laminated screen, a proper battery swap is slow, skilled work — so Apple's out-of-warranty path is usually a full-device exchange, which wipes your data and costs close to a new iPad. We do the actual battery replacement in-house, which saves the device and everything on it.
Will my screen survive the repair?
That's the core risk, and it's exactly why this is specialist work. The screen is laminated and glued hard; rushing it cracks the panel. We warm the adhesive evenly and lift slowly so your existing screen comes off whole and goes back on. If a screen is already cracked or damaged, we'll tell you before we start.
How long does an iPad battery replacement take?
It's a same-visit job in most cases but not a quick one — the glued cell and laminated screen mean real heat-and-time work, plus a proper charge test afterward. We'll give you a realistic window at drop-off. Mail-in turnaround depends on shipping, and we track it both ways across all 50 states.
Is the new battery under warranty?
Yes. OEM-grade iPad batteries carry a 1-year warranty; aftermarket cells carry 1 month. We'll tell you which we're fitting and why before you approve the repair.
Why WeFixed for iPad batteries
We're an independent board-level lab in Clarendon — 11 years of microsoldering, the in-house work most shops mail out. iPad batteries demand patience and a real safety process, not a pry tool and a prayer, and they demand someone who can go to the board when a new cell doesn't fix charging. Most shops can only swap the part; if the charging IC is the real culprit, they're stuck. We aren't. Walk in at 2722 Washington Blvd N, or mail it in tracked from anywhere in the country. We never sell your data, and we'll always tell you when an old iPad isn't worth the repair.