I’ve had an iPhone 12 mini since launch and the battery life has become pretty abysmal. However, I’m reluctant to replace it with a newer, bigger model. My battery health is sitting at 86%, which really doesn’t sound that bad, but I feel like the actual battery life is way worse than when I bought it. Has anyone replaced their battery around this percentage, and did it give a noticeable boost?
If your battery health is below 80% and you plan on not buying a new phone within the next year then you absolutely need and should get a battery replacement. Both for function, and safety. Don’t want an expanding battery in your pocket!
Oh man I just checked and I’m at 78% 😭
78% is basically dead. I’d replace that.
F
I’ll probably get something in the iPhone 16 lineup next year, since I do understand I’ll eventually have to give up on the small form factor. Battery health shows 86%. Also downloaded CoconutBattery on Mac and it says the phone is at 88.5% design capacity. I’m torn between spending $89 on the replacement or just sticking it out for another ~14 months, maybe using a portion of that money on a portable battery pack which could be used with another device once I retire the 12 mini.
72%, the only thing keeping this 7 Plus’ battery alive is powercuff.
If battery health is the ONLY problem with your phone and it is in otherwise great shape then yes it will get you another 2-3 years out of your phone and apple typically supports full OS updates for 4-5 years. Again only if you are fully happy with your phones performance etc…
I got 4+ years out of my iPhone 7
Oh man, my 7 was a TANK. No case, battery lasted forever (or I didn’t notice it), just had a scratch on the screen.
My lighting port wore out which apple will not repair. Took it to a 3rd party place to repair and they messed up the antennas in the phone breaking NFC and wrecking the reception on it. Went direct to an iPhone 14. I have had iPhones since the 3G was released the years between replacement has been getting longer as time passes.
Thanks. I am satisfied with the performance as I don’t do intensive gaming or anything like that. That being said, I’ll probably want to upgrade to the iPhone 16 lineup as the screen/camera/etc. upgrades should be substantial by that point, and I know I can’t cling to the small form factor forever. That’ll put the mini at 4 years which I feel is respectable.
I know I can’t cling to the small form factor forever.
The SE models are still in that size, will be interesting to see if they stay that way when they go to the next Gen.
When I upgraded from the 7 to the 14 I didn’t even notice till I got it that the “normal” 14 was so much larger LOL.
Batteries are weird. Once they get into the 80s when it comes to maximum battery health/capacity they need to be replaced.
I had an older iPhone 8 battery replaced at a battery shop near me before I sold it and it allowed me to ask for another price. I’ve got an “older” iPhone 12 that I gave to my mom and I’m planning on passing it down to my little brother this year but before I do I’ll probably have the battery replaced. But this time I’ll have Apple do it. It’s possible to do it myself but the price to effort ratio isn’t there, especially since I care about keeping the water resistance.
I replaced the battery in my iPhone 6s+ when the phone was a few years old. It was like getting a new phone. I kept it as my daily until the 12 came out. The 6 still works fine, I use it for drone flights.
It’s worth it if you plan to keep your phone a few more years and notice either diminished life or performance.
I did a battery swap on a four year old iPhone 11 Pro that did not make it through the day sometimes, despite battery health at 88%.
This did fix it, the phone feels like new. Did the swap at an Apple store, walk-in with appointment and wait two hours.
The battery health percentage is not an accurate health measure. My battery was done, even with showing 88%. The Genius guy told me the number of charging cycles is relevant as well, and he recommends a swap after 750 cycles. Mine was at around 800 cycles.
All in all: recommended.
Good info about the battery cycles. Just checked mine and I’m sitting at 676 with 88.5% capacity as reported by CoconutBattery.
How do you see the number of cycles?
Coconut battery macOS app
It’s also in the iPhone Analytics in settings app. You can Google it and there is a Siri Shortcut to easily find the cycle count.
Yes, and it works.
I would only replace it when the phone’s battery degrades such that performance becomes limited, unless you really need that extra juice during the day.
Yes I’ve done it, absolutely worth it… but not at 86%. Wait until it drops town to 70-something. Make sure it’s a genuine Apple battery - a lot of cheaper batteries are total garbage.
I suspect you have a software problem. What apps are using all your power? Can you configure those apps to use less?
Or maybe you’re just too heavy of a user for your phone. The iPhone 13 Mini battery is about 10% larger and the CPU also uses less power. And larger iPhones are even better again.
Perhaps you should upgrade? Or you could buy Magsafe battery pack (the Apple one is better than third party ones - better software integration causes the phone to use less power while it’s connected to the battery, which allows the battery to be smaller/lighter for the same benefit).
I agree with Magsafe Battery Pack. It’s a lifesaver for me especially when I’m out the whole day. Another thing with Magsafe pack is you don’t have to plug your phone anymore. Just charge the pack once it’s empty then put it back of your phone again whenever you need it
There isn’t a specific app with suspicious battery drain. Mostly it’s just Safari with considerable screen on time, which correlates with my actual observed usage. I think you’re right that for my use case, I’d ideally want a bigger battery. And if Apple ever makes a new Mini with a much improved battery, I’ll be first in line!
I’ll check out the MagSafe battery, thanks.
I have replaced it myself when it hit 82%. The difference was quite noticeable and definitely worth it. I use my phone lightly (phone calls + messaging), thus it would last around 1 and half a day. Now it easily lasts almost two full days without recharging! 12 mini is still a beast and I personally love it a lot due to its size and performance capabilities :D
Nevertheless, I’ve ordered the part on my own and would not recommend it if you have never opened phones before
I’m wondering the same thing with 83% on my 12 mini, I’ve contemplated trying to get a 13 mini but I’m not sure if that’s really worth the extra cost. (I wish there was like a 15 mini coming out as I would just hold out, but that seems like a lost cause)
I’m in the same boat. I wish I had known the 13 mini would have significant battery improvements over the 12, as I would have used my previous phone an extra year and held out for that one.
Yes, and yes. I did this with an iphone 8, I think, which basically gave it a few more years of functionality before the advances to cameras and processors became too great to ignore. I used a kit from iFixit which was pretty easy to use.
FYI: I think the way to gauge your battery is to look up the number of charging cycles it has had. If it’s over 1,000, that battery is past its operational lifetime.
Good tip, thanks. I just looked up this stat using CoconutBattery and mine is at 676 cycles, so not too bad.
Fuck yeah its worth it. Changed the battery of an old 1st gen SE and gave it to a young family member. Perfect first phone, and i gave a new life to for under 30€.
I’m currently sitting on a 75% iPhone 7. Gonna run this sucka into the ground! Phone is solid outside of having to live within arms reach of a charger.
In your case, I would assume that you’re looking to actually use your iPhone 12 mini, after replacing the battery, as opposed to seeking out the actual trade-in value. Would it be worth it to you? Honestly, I suspect so. If you have a particular affinity for your mini, possibly because you just can’t abide the larger form factors, then you’re pretty much stuck with a 12 or 13 model, as there is no 14 mini and there almost certainly won’t be a 15 mini; Apple has moved on from the smaller form factors. And given that an upgrade to a 13 would be a lot more money for a lot less relative value, I personally think you might reasonably find it worth the few dollars that it would cost to replace that battery.
Oh… but don’t do it through Apple; do it through a reputable third-party. Way less expensive, and likely a lot faster.
Appreciate the suggestion. You’re correct, I’m not looking at purchasing a 13 mini due to the relatively poor value proposition of that upgrade.
Even if it’s prolongs just a year of life to the phone it’s really worth it. I got my XS battery replaced 1-1.5 years ago and I’m planning to upgrade this year. It went from charging 1-2 times during the day + at night to lasting full day almost every day.
I use an iPhone 8 Plus and replaced the battery twice at around 79%. The first was cheap—$29, I think, because Apple was caught throttling performance unbeknownst to users, so they had to make it cheap. The second upgrade was $49. Both def well worth it because performance & battery life were noticeably boosted, the phone still rocks, and it beats the hell out of having to buy a $1000+ every few years.
