Apple Watch Series 2 Battery Replacement

Written By: Tobias Isakeit

Comments: 40

Apple Watch Series 2 Battery Replacement

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

1 - 3 hours

Introduction

Use this guide to replace a worn-out battery in your Apple Watch Series 2.

Note: If your battery is swollen, take appropriate precautions.

Tools

Parts

Step 1

Before starting repairs, take your watch off the charger and power it down.
If your touchscreen is broken and prevents powering off the watch, use this alternate method to power it down.

Verify your model. The back of the Cellular model just says GPS, so be sure to check the groves where the watch band goes to determine you model. I made the mistake of just reading the back of the device and since I’d been gifted the device didn’t know it was cellular. Cellular has a different type of touch force gasket, different screen, and different battery connections.

Ryan Holt - 07/10/19

From what I just read on Apple, the only differences in watch series 3 is 38mm and 42mm.

mcr4u2 - 27/01/21

As a consumer all you need to know are 38mm and 42mm

Michael Adoga - 05/05/21

The back will say GPS LTE if it’s the cellular version. If it doesn’t say LTE it is only the GPS version. The displays are different whether or not it is LTE(cellular).

themepark -

This alternative method only reboots the watch.

Gregg Stanley -

Step 2

Prepare an iOpener (or grab a hair dryer or heat gun) and heat the face of the watch until it's slightly too hot to touch.
Leave the iOpener on the watch for at least a minute to fully heat the screen and soften the adhesive holding it to the case.
You may need to reheat the iOpener, or move it around on the screen as sections cool, to heat the screen enough to pry it off.

I have heated up the iOpener to 165 degrees and left it on for more than a minute. No way I can lift the screen off with the exact knife. Tried different angles in various places, but no go. I also used a hair dryer un til the watch screen was too hot to touch and even tried a very hard cutting tool blade and also no go. Could n ever get the blade under the face I applied enough force where I could see that the blade left small marks, not very big, but could never get anything to move or lift. What am I doing wrong? I spent 47 years at a global computer company and I am used to taking apart small things and applying force when required. I don’t know what I am doing wrong. Please help me.

Rafael Blanco - 28/10/20

Getting the initial gap is not easy. Maybe a playing card could work its way in the tiny gap and cut some adhesive. After that there might be some success with an exacto knife. Or you want to try a piece of aluminum foil (folded for more rigidity) for cutting the adhesive. Be aware of the force touch gasket and that it might get damaged during that procedure.

Tobias Isakeit - 03/11/20

I finally used a hot air gun set to 150 deg. C heating up the edges by slowly spinning the watch around before the technique worked. Difficult is the level noted and it’s correct. Finally worked and watch perfectly functioning.

Chris Giavotto -

I used a heat gun, too. I was worried after reading comments that it would burn up the LCD, so I heated it a little bit at a time, rotating it like you did, and checking to see if I could get my knife under it. I must have hit one of the buttons because it did turn on, but that did reassure me that the display was okay.

It's open. Now that the watch and I have had a few minutes to cool down, I'm ready for the next step. Not as difficult as I thought it could be. Tomorrow, I'll be replacing the battery in an iPod Touch 6th Gen.

bester -

I had to heat the iOpener 2 times and leave it on top of the watch for 10 minutes.

Axel Trujillo -

Step 3

Because the gap between the screen and watch body is so thin, a sharp blade is needed to separate the two. Read the following warnings carefully before proceeding.
Protect your fingers by keeping them completely clear of the knife. If in doubt, protect your free hand with a heavy glove, such as a leather shop glove or gardening glove.
Be careful not to apply too much pressure, as this might cause the knife to slip and cut you, or damage the watch.
Wear eye protection. The knife or glass may break, sending pieces flying.
Feel free to attach or remove the watch band as needed to provide more control as you make repairs.

Don’t cut your finger off!

Mike -

The Watch 3 stainless Steel has an additional Frame. Where do i have To Open it?

asteffen@me.com -

I wore thick gardening gloves just to be safe 😅 and it took a while but the screen did come off.

Axel Trujillo -

Step 4

Place the edge of a curved blade into the thin gap between the display and the outer case. Start at the short side of the display, closest to the digital crown.
Press firmly straight down into the gap.
Once inserted, tilt the blade to pry the display open slightly.
Do not insert the knife more than 1/16th of an inch (~2 mm).

It’s difficult to grip case in a way that keeps fingers safe from the blade but doesn’t hit the side buttons and turn the device on!

If it’s a struggle to get the display to release, warm case for a few more minutes.

Kyle Powderly -

I have tried so may times to get the display to release but nothing works. Should have bought a new watch LOL. Kept the iOpener on 2 times for 10 minutes and it still won't open. There must be a better way.

Susan E. White -

Hi Susan,

if you're struggling to get the adhesive loose enough a hair dryer, heat gun, or hot plate may also be used, but be careful not to overheat the device. The edge should feel slightly too hot to the touch.

Dominik Schnabelrauch -

Step 5

Once you've opened a small gap with the curved blade, remove the blade and insert the thinner edge of an opening tool into the gap.
Push the opening tool into the gap, using your thumb as a pivot to lift the display open a bit farther.
Don't try to fully open or detach the display yet.

Step 6

Insert an opening pick under the display and carefully separate the Force Touch gasket from the display.
iFixit screen and battery repair kits include a replacement Force Touch gasket, so don't fret too much if yours is damaged.
Otherwise, to preserve the Force Touch gasket, pry carefully under the edge of the display. If the Force Touch gasket splits when lifting the display, or if you separate the gasket layers, you'll also need to replace the Force Touch gasket itself.
Slide the pick around the display to separate the adhesive between the Force Touch gasket and the display.
Don't insert the opening pick deeper than 1/16th of an inch (~2 mm).

Step 7

To avoid straining the display cables, don't open the display all the way yet.
Open the display to about a 45° angle, and use tweezers to peel off the adhesive between the display and the Force Touch gasket.
Thread the adhesive around and behind the display cables to get it off completely.

Step 8

Use a Y000 driver to remove the Tri-point screw securing the metal battery connector cover.
Remove the cover.

Step 9

Disconnect the battery by prying its connector straight up with the edge of a pry tool.
Bend the connector up slightly to make sure it does not make contact by accident.

Step 10

With the battery connector out of the way, insert the tip of a pry tool under the battery connector plate, which is part of the battery.
Lift the battery connector plate up and out of its recess.

Step 11

Use scissors to cut one of your opening picks to about the width of the battery. Try not to leave any sharp corners.
Insert the modified pick between the edge of the battery and the case, on the side opposite the digital crown.
Use constant, steady pressure to slowly pry the battery up, separating it from the adhesive securing it to the system board.
If needed, you can also safely pry along the top edge of the battery, against the Taptic Engine.
Mind the display cables so you don't damage them when levering the battery out.
Make sure you don't puncture or deform the battery, as it can catch fire and/or explode if damaged.

Der Akku Wechsel ist absolut unproblematisch danke für die super Anleitung.

Maximilian Theilig - 08/05/19

Step 12

Remove the battery.
Be sure to remove the protective liner to expose the adhesive on your new battery before you set it in place.
If needed, try re-using the existing adhesive to secure the battery. Alternatively, try a small piece of double-sided tape such as Tesa 61395, or a dab of liquid adhesive such as E6000.
If you're using an iFixit repair kit, proceed to the guide linked in the conclusion below to install a new Force Touch sensor and re-seal your watch.
Alternatively, if you are just replacing the adhesive and not the sensor, see the adhesive replacement guide for applying new adhesive and then reassembling.

If the protective plastic over the adhesive removes the adhesive from the battery, reattach the plastic to the battery. Carefully fold the tab of the plastic back on itself, and look for an edge to the adhesive. Using the blade, CAREFULLY scrape the plastic until you see the edge of the adhesive pull away from the plastic. Tap the edge onto the battery surface, and slowly remove the plastic, ensuring it doesn’t continue to pull at the adhesive.

Kyle Powderly -

I heated up the unit to 160F checking with my infrared temp sensor gun. I could not for the life of me get the lens to separate.

only succeeded in marking up the edge of the metal. from the rose finish. i tried with the knife flat and angles into the seam between the lens and case. If i try force it more I'll prolly slit my fingers or crack the lens. I give up. time to buy a new watch.

BTW the new battery i got and the adhesive seal - it/gasket has 3M 300LSE on one side and a aquamarine cover on the other with traces of a corner lift tab. which side goes down on the case housing.

jtmccue -

also - the video says to start prying the lens on the opposite side of the crown dial. yet the text/pictured instructions say to start at the short corner by the crown dial. which is it for the series 2

jtmccue -

with nothin left to lose, this time I heated the SIDES of the case to 160 and was finally able get the lens to separate and gasket was left intact.

Phewww

jtmccue -

Conclusion

Once your new battery is set in place, continue from Step 10 of the Force Touch Gasket guide to re-seal your watch and complete your repair.

Author

Tobias Isakeit

Member since: 31/03/14

122448 Reputation

19 comments

Ordered the kit and replaced the battery, no dice! I believe the components in my watch failed victim to thermal breakdown since the battery got so hot. After the battery replacement my watch acted the same. It got real hot again, so I am not sure what is actually wrong with the watch. I think it is time for a new one.

These directions were easy to follow. The screwdriver in the kit didn’t work at all. luckily I have a good kit with the right tip. If you are confident and able, this procedure should take about 2 hours. Thank you IFIXIT for providing this product an the easy to follow instructions.

Thomas Bole [Abston ES] - 27/09/19

Success! Following this guide and the gasket replacement guide saved having to buy a new watch. Like Thomas mentions in his review, the screwdriver was difficult to use. I eventually got it to turn the tiny screw by holding the watch from the bottom rather than just pressing down with the driver from the top.

A question: should I reset my watch after replacing the battery? Or will whatever throttling WatchOS put in place reverse itself?

dalexgray - 17/02/21

Yay it worked! Was supposed to wait for my boyfriend to do it but got impatient and gave it a go.. easy peasy even with my baby having a hissy fit inbetween ?

Beth Almond -

Thanks ! It worked perfectly in 30 minutes !

Benoit Maillard - 07/01/22

This guide made the repair quite simple. Opening the watch proved to be quite straightforward once it got started. The biggest challenge was actually getting the Force Touch gasket connector aligned and reinserted, but even that wasn’t tough. I’m not sure why this repair is classified as very difficult, unless it’s to discourage people who find everything to be difficult.

I did find that I had to force restart the watch twice after replacing the battery to take care of some strange problems with sluggishness, but after that was taken care of it fixed so many problems and the watch now runs all day without seemingly random shutdowns. Previously if the battery said less than 50% I knew it would probably shut down with a workout. Now it runs like new.

Arle Lommel - 21/03/22

The hardest part was separating the screen, I had to heat the iOpener tool 2 times and leave it on top of the watch for 10 minutes, wait until the watch was almost too hot to touch and ONLY then did the screen came off.

Axel Trujillo -

I agree with Axel, the toughest part was getting the display off. I left the watch on my 3D printer heat bed, set at 80℃, for about 15 minutes. After that the watch was so hot that I had to use a glove on my left hand to hold the watch down. Also, the curved blade is extremely important.

coffee -

How hot is too hot? At what temperature will the display be damaged?

mikefunkpa_c -

As long as you can touch it, your display should be fine. You might avoid anything beyond the ~95°C (~200°F) threshold for an extended time (~5min). But that’s just a rough ballpark. As in life, if anything smells funny, you might not want to continue ;)

Tobias Isakeit -

Success! The kit came with everything I needed and than some. Getting the screen off took some doing as my watch is pretty beaten up and dented in on the sides. Take your time, its not worth breaking it or cutting yourself. I ended up getting it open without slicing the force touch gasket, which was nice. Everything after that was a cakewalk, except for reconnecting the battery to the mainboard. The cables are stiff and very very small, so getting everything lined up was tricky. Don't force them! Overall though it could have been much worse. The watch booted back up without an issue and seems to be holding a charge.

Daniel Schabilion -

All but the tweezers in the kit are useless. The opener heating pad will never get the glue hot enough for you to be able to separate the screen from the case. You will need a heat gun or hair dryer. Also, nobody's going to mention that the instructional video completely jumps over how to re-install the battery?

alanhamaoui -

My heating pad worked perfectly! Heated it up in microwave then followed directions and the display came up as the directions indicated. I thought the kit was good but not sure why after replacing the battery it’s now not charging AT ALL

Jack Sheets -

I bought the kit because the existing battery wasn’t lasting over about 5 hours. The replacement seemed to go real well but the new battery won’t take a charge. It had a small amount of power stored and the watch said it was charging but it never did. Now that it’s totally drained all I see is the Apple logo when trying to charge. I’ve left it on the charger for 24 hours and still nothing? Anyone have any ideas?

Jack Sheets -

I'm having a similar issue. It just displays the Apple logo.

Jeffrey Zaayman -

10mn pour changer la batterie de ma montre en suivant le tuto pas a pas. Aucun soucis . Juste parfait !

Vivaturine -

Followed the instructions. The watch turns on, but just displays the Apple logo and gets no further. Oh well.

Jeffrey Zaayman -

[Update]: After a few hours of leaving it alone, it finally booted. It's been working for 12 hours and is even taking a charge.

Jeffrey Zaayman -

Well that was no fun. Heated up, and display shattered right away after trying to get the knife in,,,,

Ryan McLaughlin -

Apple watch series 2 was displaying the 'red snake of death'. Ordered the battery replacement kit from iFixit, followed the instructions closely and watched the video. Removing the display was much more difficult that it looked, but the rest of the replacement was fairly straightforward. Unfortunately, after leaving on the charger overnight, my apple watch 2 now does nothing at all. No apple logo, no snakes of death, not haptic vibrations. Nothing.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Is there a way to test the battery with a voltage meeting without disturbing the battery jacket?

Miles Hicks -