Apple Watch Series 3 Battery Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

                          1 - 3 hours

Sections

Display Opening
7 steps
Battery Disconnection
2 steps
Battery
2 steps

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Introduction

This guide shows the procedure on the standard, GPS-only version of the watch, but the cellular/LTE version is similar. Any important differences are noted in the text.

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

What you need

Step 1

              Power off your Apple Watch

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.

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.

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Step 2

              Apply heat

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.

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.

Step 3

              Observe all warnings

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.

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.

Step 4

              Pry up the screen

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).

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).

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.

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).

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.

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

              Battery Disconnection

Use a Y000 driver to remove the tri-point screw securing the metal cover plate.
Use a pair of tweezers to remove the cover plate.
First open the plate all the way to unhinge the two flaps.
Then close it halfway to remove it completely by lifting it out.

Use a Y000 driver to remove the tri-point screw securing the metal cover plate.

Use a pair of tweezers to remove the cover plate.

First open the plate all the way to unhinge the two flaps.

Then close it halfway to remove it completely by lifting it out.

Step 9

On the GPS-only version it is possible to disconnect the battery immediately. For the cellular/LTE version, you need to disconnect the Force Touch gasket and fold it out of the way first, in order to disconnect the battery.
Disconnect the battery by prying its connector straight up.
Bend the connector up slightly to make sure it does not make contact by accident.

On the GPS-only version it is possible to disconnect the battery immediately. For the cellular/LTE version, you need to disconnect the Force Touch gasket and fold it out of the way first, in order to disconnect the battery.

Disconnect the battery by prying its connector straight up.

Bend the connector up slightly to make sure it does not make contact by accident.

Step 10

              Battery

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.

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.

Step 11

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.

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.

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.

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                    Tobias Isakeit

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educroasdaile - Jul 31, 2020

I’m having problem with my Apple Watch series 3, a red snake shown in the watch, I bought a brand new battery here in ifix and i proceed to install it but I’m having the same problem. Can someone help me.

thanks

Tobias Isakeit - Aug 6, 2020

Have you checked our Apple Watch troubleshooting page for the charging issue?

Karthikeyan Rathinasamy - Aug 7, 2021

followed all the steps properly. But the Apple watch does not switch on! The new battery does not seem to work.

Gibson White - May 17, 2022

After replacing the Battery will the watch be waterproof enough to swim with/ have the same water resistance as when it was new

Bill Auerbach - Jun 6, 2022

If you cleaned both the backside of the lens and the case groove where the adhesive was very well and replaced the adhesive getting it squarely on the case lip just as the original one was installed, I would expect the watch to be as sealed and water resistant as it was when new.

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What you need#

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Introduction

What you need

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