Smartwatches are a great addition to our lives. Not only has this wearable gadget made our life a lot more organized, but it has also streamlined the way we keep up with notifications and manage things related to work.
But, the question is, “Are the smartwatch batteries replaceable?” We have come to notice recently that the majority of the available smartphones nowadays don’t come with replaceable batteries. So, it’s pretty common to wonder if that’s the case with smartwatches.
If you are in the same boat and have been confused about whether or not smartwatch batteries can be replaced, you are in the right place. This article will explore more about the battery swap process, its possibility, and its effectiveness.
Is it Possible to Change Smartwatch Batteries?
Most of the smartwatches that you buy now come with rechargeable batteries, which mean that you can recharge them at your convenience when the device runs out of battery.
However, what happens when the battery stops working altogether? That’s where things get a little complicated. Changing the batteries in your smartwatch comes with a few restrictions.
Firstly, the process of changing the batteries in your smartwatch will depend on the type of smartwatch you have or the brand of smartwatch you use. Now, when it comes to depicting the type of battery you have, there are two categories:
- One with rechargeable batteries
- One with disposable batteries
Popular smartwatch brands and types like Apple Watch Series 6, Galaxy Watch 3, Fitbit Sense, etc. are the ones that come with rechargeable batteries. There are negligible brands that come with disposable batteries.
What’s great about smartwatches with rechargeable batteries is the fact that they come with prolonged usage for at least 2-3 years. But, with the benefits come a few downsides. One of the biggest issues with rechargeable batteries is that once these stop working, replacing them becomes a headache.
When it comes to disposable battery smartwatches, there are a few worth mentioning. Options like Fitbit Zip, Misfit Flash, etc. are the ones that deserve a mention. Since they come with replaceable batteries, it becomes a lot easier to change the batteries when they suddenly stop working.
But, unlike rechargeable battery smart watches that generally last for 2-3 years, the ones with disposable batteries generally last for 6-8 months, after which you have to consider replacing the batteries.
So, if you have been wondering whether or not it is possible to change the smartwatch batteries, the quick answer is yes. It is possible but there are a few limitations that are worth taking a look into.
What Should One Do if the Smartwatch Battery isn’t Charging?
If you suddenly notice issues with the smartwatch battery, witnessing that it’s not charging as it should, there are several ways to mitigate the issue. Now, keep in mind that if any part of the hardware is damaged, you’d have to consult a professional to fix the problem.
In case you notice issues with the smartwatch battery, here’s what you need to do:
- Remove the battery from the smartwatch – The first step when assessing the battery problem in your smartwatch is to remove the battery. Then long-press the power button for 10 seconds and connect the charger to the smartwatch. While doing so, try and replace the battery.
- Check the charging status – Once that is done, the next step is to check whether or not the battery is charging. If the power cycle that you did in the first step fixed the charging issue, you should notice that the smartwatch is charging again. If not, you’d have to check for other issues.
- If you notice that the above two steps aren’t doing anything to fix the issue, chances are that the battery needs to be changed and you need to proactively fix the issue for good.
How to Replace Old Smartwatch Batteries?
Once you have confirmed that your smartwatch needs a battery change immediately, the first thing that you need to do is get your hands on the spare and original battery from the manufacturer itself. For example, if you are dealing with popular smartwatch brands like Apple watches or Galaxy watches, you shouldn’t find it hard to buy the smartwatch yourself.
Now, once you have sorted getting your hands on the replaceable battery, the next step is to replace the smartwatch batteries. There are two routes for that:
- Get it done by a professional
- Do it yourself
If you are considering doing it by yourself, the following are the steps that you’d need to follow:
Start with sorting the tools
When you are considering doing the whole “change the smartwatch battery” process by yourself, the first thing you need to do is sort out the tools you’d need to change the battery. Here’s what you will need:
- Pair of tweezers
- Tri-tip tool
- Screwdriver
Once you have your tools sorted out, the next step is to power off the device and then gets started with the next steps in the process.
- Remove the disposables
The next step in the process is to remove the smartwatch’s bands as per the manufacturer’s instructions in the manual that’s provided to you.
Also, you have to simultaneously unscrew and remove the battery case using a screwdriver. This is another one of the steps that you can’t miss out on.
- Remove the connections
Once the battery case is removed, the next step in the process is to remove the connections. The majority of smartwatches come with three connections that you can remove seamlessly. If you notice any kinds of screws are holding back the battery inside, remove those too.
You might have to maneuver and move things around until the battery is released from the back case entirely.
- Replace the battery
Lastly, once you have followed all the above steps, the last thing that you need to do is replace the battery and then previous all the above-mentioned steps.
In any case, if you end up experiencing any issues with the first steps, we’d recommend that you leave the whole issue to the professionals.
What are the Reasons Behind the Smartwatch Battery Drainage?
Now, in most cases, smartwatch batteries are meant to last a minimum of 2-3 years. However, if you start noticing issues early and see that the batteries are draining faster than they should, there could be multiple reasons behind the problem.
Identifying the issue early on and implementing relevant fixes is the key to the process. Following are a few reasons why:
- Navigate to your smartwatch Settings. Under that, go to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. What you want to do is check if the battery drainage is caused by these two factors. If you notice that is the case, we’d recommend you disable these two features first. If the battery drainage is minimized, you have now spotted the problem.
- If your smartwatch has excess applications that could be another potential reason why the battery drainage is so fast and excessive. Sometimes, we don’t realize this but syncing way too many apps is a problem that affects the smartwatch’s battery directly. The best fix for this is to delete the app that you normally don’t use.
Lastly, you have to ensure that your smartwatch’s software is updated pretty much regularly. If the firmware isn’t updated, that’s where the problems start to arise. Sometimes, the battery drainage could be a temporary software glitch, which you can fix by resetting the smartwatch.
Which is the Best Smartwatch Battery to look into?
Whenever it comes down to buying a smartwatch, the one thing that’s mandatory to pay attention to is the battery life. That’s one of those things you can’t forego.
Wondering which brand of smartwatch has the best quality battery isn’t farfetched. However, it is difficult to narrow down the same to one single brand since every single one of them comes with a specific list of pros and cons.
The majority of the smartwatch brands that you notice in the market come with lithium-ion batteries, which go for a few years depending on how you are using the device. So, what we’d recommend you do is check the features of the smartwatch and also pay close attention to the brand’s reliability in the market.
Assessing these two factors should be enough to give you a fair idea of which factors to focus on and prioritize when it comes to buying the smartwatch of your choice.
Our recommendation would always be to opt for smartwatches with rechargeable batteries for regular use. They are value for money and a less hectic version compared to the smartwatches that come with disposable batteries.
Conclusion
While smartwatch batteries are replaceable, there are certain factors that you have to pay close attention to before making the purchase. We have sorted out all the basic information that you need to keep in mind during and after changing the battery. Ideally, you want to let the professionals understand the issue and then fix the problem instead of trying to fix things by yourself.