iPad Apple refuses to replace iPad battery

[ricketysquire]

I have a 6th Gen iPad on 14.1 with over 400+ cycles and an 86.3% battery health according to Coconut Battery. I've noticed the battery drain fairly quickly while web browsing and performing other non-intensive tasks. I reached out to Apple and they ran their diagnostics that said it was "good" with 91% health. They advised I reset the iPad and set it up from scratch without importing any settings and apps, which I did and it didn't help at all.

It's out of warranty and I'm more than willing to pay the 99$ for the battery service fee. However Apple won't let me do so. Rather they say there's nothing wrong. Is my only option to go to a third party and have them replace the battery?

 

[kissfan]

Go to Batteries Plus, pay less, be happy.

 

[AutomaticApple]

pay less

Pay less by how much? Is it worth it?

 

[Zazoh]

Under Settings | Batteries what is your biggest draining app and what is your screen time and percent of charge?

So like, 50% at 6h 3m?

 

[iFan]

The reason why Apple fights hard to not replace batteries that show such a high health % is because when they get these batteries back at the depot, they are healthy 99% of the time.

It is much more likely that software settings or something else is contributing to your drain in combination with some degradation from use.

I had the same convo with a genius at a local store a few years ago, and eventually spoke with a manager. They were willing to replace it if I was really, really adamant, but they were trying to save me money.

Once you get under 80% battery health is when they are much more willing to replace the battery.

If you want to replace it anyway, schedule a genius appointment and politely speak with a manager who will accommodate you.

 

[ricketysquire]

The reason why Apple fights hard to not replace batteries that show such a high health % is because when they get these batteries back at the depot, they are healthy 99% of the time.

It is much more likely that software settings or something else is contributing to your drain in combination with some degradation from use.

I had the same convo with a genius at a local store a few years ago, and eventually spoke with a manager. They were willing to replace it if I was really, really adamant, but they were trying to save me money.

Once you get under 80% battery health is when they are much more willing to replace the battery.

If you want to replace it anyway, schedule a genius appointment and politely speak with a manager who will accommodate you.

It's probably "healthy" by Apple standards, but after 2 years and 400+ cycles it doesn't last as long as it used to. As mentioned, I'm more than willing to pay the 99$ fee so I can get a fresh battery, but Apple themselves will not let me.

Under Settings | Batteries what is your biggest draining app and what is your screen time and percent of charge?

So like, 50% at 6h 3m?

Earlier today I completely reset the iPad as I was taking it to Best Buy (since they are an Authorized Apple Service provider), so I don't have that information anymore. I'm probably going to hold off on using it until I decide on what to do (so I don't have to clear out my personal data once more).

 

[hugodrax]

my 2015 ipad pro still has good battery life how do you check the life remaining?

 

[Abazigal]

I have a 6th Gen iPad on 14.1 with over 400+ cycles and an 86.3% battery health according to Coconut Battery. I've noticed the battery drain fairly quickly while web browsing and performing other non-intensive tasks. I reached out to Apple and they ran their diagnostics that said it was "good" with 91% health. They advised I reset the iPad and set it up from scratch without importing any settings and apps, which I did and it didn't help at all.

It's out of warranty and I'm more than willing to pay the 99$ for the battery service fee. However Apple won't let me do so. Rather they say there's nothing wrong. Is my only option to go to a third party and have them replace the battery?

Apple doesn’t replace iPad batteries, they replace the entire iPad altogether (often with a refurbished model), which is probably why they are stricter about servicing iPads - said model definitely costs more than the $99 you are paying.

Had a similar experience to yours some years back (2016 iPad Pro was having poor battery life, their diagnostics showed it still had 94% battery health while coconut showed 80%).

I will say you are out of luck with Apple, and your options are to either check with a third party repair store elsewhere or upgrade your iPad. I ended up getting the 2018 iPad Pro later that year.

 

[Richard8655]

I don't think 91% after an unknown number of years for an iPad 6 is unreasonable. Does it lose charge within a normal day of usage? I would just enjoy it and not keep checking battery stats. Throw it into the charger overnight and it should be fine for the next day's use.

 

[doboy]

Had my old iPhone battery replaced @ ~93% when they were offering replacement at a reduced price. Didn’t know there was a restriction when paying out of pocket.

 

[ricketysquire]

I don't think 91% after an unknown number of years for an iPad 6 is unreasonable. Does it lose charge within a normal day of usage? I would just enjoy it and not keep checking battery stats. Throw it into the charger overnight and it should be fine for the next day's use.

91% is what Apple says, they have financial interest in not doing the replacement since they just replace the entire unit. Again, Im literally watching it drain while I use it.

I'd get it replaced by a third party, but I'm concerned about the quality of battery they might use and the potential safety hazard that might become.

 

[doboy]

91% is what Apple says, they have financial interest in not doing the replacement since they just replace the entire unit. Again, Im literally watching it drain while I use it.

I'd get it replaced by a third party, but I'm concerned about the quality of battery they might use and the potential safety hazard that might become.

I wouldn’t trust anyone else, but that’s just me.

 

[MacCheetah3]

It's probably "healthy" by Apple standards, but after 2 years and 400+ cycles it doesn't last as long as it used to. As mentioned,

You'd probably be surprised at how much perception/subjective this type of conclusion is.

I've noticed the battery drain fairly quickly while web browsing and performing other non-intensive tasks.

Foremost, Web browsing is far from "non-intensive" nowadays. All of the ad placement calculating, cookie processing, styling and dynamic UI script execution, loading libraries and applets, etc. There are times when I've had desktops/laptops seemingly stall during page loads not because of network speed but because of all those background tasks -- no matter which Web browser.

Additionally, I think, this suggestion would be helpful.

Under Settings | Batteries what is your biggest draining app and what is your screen time and percent of charge?

So like, 50% at 6h 3m?

Again, you may not even realize how many non-intensive apps you're using for a lengthy period.

Lastly, take it from someone who doesn't replace-upgrade devices often -- still even use an iPad 2 for a couple of old games and very occasional Web browsing -- and lots of rechargeable batteries for controllers, they can withstand a LOT of charge cycles before exhibiting significant signs of reduced usage times.

Ultimately, a battery exchange probably isn't going to provide the results you desire/expect.

 

[ricketysquire]

You'd probably be surprised at how much perception/subjective this type of conclusion is.

Foremost, Web browsing is far from "non-intensive" nowadays. All of the ad placement calculating, cookie processing, styling and dynamic UI script execution, loading libraries and applets, etc. There are times when I've had desktops/laptops seemingly stall during page loads not because of network speed but because of all those background tasks -- no matter which Web browser.

Additionally, I think, this suggestion would be helpful.

Again, you may not even realize how many non-intensive apps you're using for a lengthy period.

Lastly, take it from someone who doesn't replace-upgrade devices often -- still even use an iPad 2 for a couple of old games and very occasional Web browsing -- and lots of rechargeable batteries for controllers, they can withstand a LOT of charge cycles before exhibiting significant signs of reduced usage times.

Ultimately, a battery exchange probably isn't going to provide the results you desire/expect.

A battery exchange will improve my battery life, period. This battery is worn and is at 86%. I had an iPad 5th generation and the battery life was never this bad and it had far fewer cycles with 96% life.

It comes down to Apple not willing to offer a paid service they list on their website. I went to the Apple Store yesterday and it was denied as well due to Apple's arbitrary test. It's a potential safety and fire hazard if the only options consumers have are to get it done at a 3rd party where the condition of the battery and quality of work are unknowns. It's not like I'm asking Apple to replace it for free, Im more than willing to pay a reasonable price for this service.

A few years back I had a 3 year old 2013 MacBook Pro. I used it quite regularly and I was noticing the battery performance wasn't as good as it used to be. So I made an appointment, went to the Genius Bar and asked for a battery replacement. They didn't need to run any diagnostics or ask what apps I used or tell me it's normal and I should deal with it, they just charged me the fee required for said service. They just provided the service and I received the device back in a timely manner.

Are there any avenues to file a complaint with Apple? This is ridiculous.

 

[odonnelly99]

A battery exchange will improve my battery life, period. This battery is worn and is at 86%. I had an iPad 5th generation and the battery life was never this bad and it had far fewer cycles with 96% life.

It comes down to Apple not willing to offer a paid service they list on their website. I went to the Apple Store yesterday and it was denied as well due to Apple's arbitrary test. It's a potential safety and fire hazard if the only options consumers have are to get it done at a 3rd party where the condition of the battery and quality of work are unknowns. It's not like I'm asking Apple to replace it for free, Im more than willing to pay a reasonable price for this service.

A few years back I had a 3 year old 2013 MacBook Pro. I used it quite regularly and I was noticing the battery performance wasn't as good as it used to be. So I made an appointment, went to the Genius Bar and asked for a battery replacement. They didn't need to run any diagnostics or ask what apps I used or tell me it's normal and I should deal with it, they just charged me the fee required for said service. They just provided the service and I received the device back in a timely manner.

Are there any avenues to file a complaint with Apple? This is ridiculous.

Is the battery degradation causing any issues while using the iPad?

 

[macagain]

I have a 6th Gen iPad on 14.1 with over 400+ cycles and an 86.3% battery health according to Coconut Battery. I've noticed the battery drain fairly quickly while web browsing and performing other non-intensive tasks. I reached out to Apple and they ran their diagnostics that said it was "good" with 91% health. They advised I reset the iPad and set it up from scratch without importing any settings and apps, which I did and it didn't help at all.

It's out of warranty and I'm more than willing to pay the 99$ for the battery service fee. However Apple won't let me do so. Rather they say there's nothing wrong. Is my only option to go to a third party and have them replace the battery?

I just had the same experience. Coconut Battery says 74%, but when they ran their diagnostics (and I had them do it twice), it shows 90%. I'm only getting about 3 hours from my iPadPro 10.5... 1.5 hours of Apple News drains about 50% of the charge! Not sure what to do... not a fan of 3rd party batteries...

 

[WNYX]

I know this is for a different device, but when I took my XS Max last week to get a battery replacement, their diagnostics showed that everything was good. The battery health on the phone was showing 85%, which I agree is still good. However, when I explained that I was planning on giving the phone to my dad after replacing the battery, they understood and agreed to replace the battery.

 

[aakshey]

I just had the same experience. Coconut Battery says 74%, but when they ran their diagnostics (and I had them do it twice), it shows 90%. I'm only getting about 3 hours from my iPadPro 10.5... 1.5 hours of Apple News drains about 50% of the charge! Not sure what to do... not a fan of 3rd party batteries...

Same issue with my 10.5 Pro. Apple’s battery test means nothing. By the time you reach 80% on Coconut your battery will only last 30-50% of its original runtime.

 

[spiderman0616]

I think a lot of people get tripped up on this (myself included) because at the very beginning of the iPad's existence, the policy was that you could bring your iPad in, pay the cost of the battery replacement, and they would just swap it with a different iPad. Technically they've never done battery replacements for iPads, but they did used to charge for ONLY the battery.

These days, at least the way it was explained to me not long ago by an Apple support person, that's what AppleCare+ is for. They used to be more lenient on it and make more exceptions, but as AppleCare+ became more widespread, they had to crack down. Otherwise people without it would get the same treatment as people with it but with out paying the extra cost.

Not sure how accurate any of that is, but that's how it was explained to me. If your original 1 year warranty is out, and you don't have AppleCare+, you pay to replace the iPad.

 

[SigEp265]

Go to Batteries Plus, pay less, be happy.

I have had an extremely bad experience when they serviced my iPhone.

 

[Astonish_IT]

I still find it unacceptable. I mean, it is their decision design wise to make their devices too cumbersome to repair or change the battery and If like one of the posters above, my iPad Pro dies in 3 hours of browsing and I bring it to them and they tell me that the health is 90%, is definitely wrong. If doing the same things, the same iPad lasted me 6-7 hours before and today it lasts me 3 hours, the battery has definitely degraded a lot and it is compromising my useage on the go even tho their "trustworthy" battery health calculator indicates 90%. This is not a desktop computer which I will be using at home, close to a power supply. I may very well choose to use it outside and if it dies on me after 3 hours when it was new, it was lasting 6-7, I should have the right to pay and have my battery replaced. Then if they replace the battery or swap the iPad, it is THEIR problem and not the customers as this is their design choice and this attitude would compromise my experience with the device on the long run.

 

[spiderman0616]

I still find it unacceptable. I mean, it is their decision design wise to make their devices too cumbersome to repair or change the battery and If like one of the posters above, my iPad Pro dies in 3 hours of browsing and I bring it to them and they tell me that the health is 90%, is definitely wrong. If doing the same things, the same iPad lasted me 6-7 hours before and today it lasts me 3 hours, the battery has definitely degraded a lot and it is compromising my useage on the go even tho their "trustworthy" battery health calculator indicates 90%. This is not a desktop computer which I will be using at home, close to a power supply. I may very well choose to use it outside and if it dies on me after 3 hours when it was new, it was lasting 6-7, I should have the right to pay and have my battery replaced. Then if they replace the battery or swap the iPad, it is THEIR problem and not the customers as this is their design choice and this attitude would compromise my experience with the device on the long run.

I agree. There is a middle ground that they should be offering, especially since the iPad isn't water resistant and doesn't run the risk of broken seals or anything like that. It should not be "Either buy AppleCare+ or buy a whole new iPad just to get a new battery." This has bitten me in the butt more than once, and I think there needs to be a better solution.

 

[Astonish_IT]

Also if i am not wrong , their website it misleading because if i remember tight, it states that with Apple Care+ you don't have to pay for the battery change whereas if you don't have Apple Care+, you have to pay 99$. So, ok I will pay 99$ to have it changed, but change.

 

[SigEp265]

I still find it unacceptable. I mean, it is their decision design wise to make their devices too cumbersome to repair or change the battery and If like one of the posters above, my iPad Pro dies in 3 hours of browsing and I bring it to them and they tell me that the health is 90%, is definitely wrong. If doing the same things, the same iPad lasted me 6-7 hours before and today it lasts me 3 hours, the battery has definitely degraded a lot and it is compromising my useage on the go even tho their "trustworthy" battery health calculator indicates 90%. This is not a desktop computer which I will be using at home, close to a power supply. I may very well choose to use it outside and if it dies on me after 3 hours when it was new, it was lasting 6-7, I should have the right to pay and have my battery replaced. Then if they replace the battery or swap the iPad, it is THEIR problem and not the customers as this is their design choice and this attitude would compromise my experience with the device on the long run.

What version of ipad pro?

 

[Astonish_IT]

I was making an empathy to the experience of @macagain with his iPad Pro 10.5 that he explained in the thread.