Battery Repair · October 23, 2026 · ComputerKing Team

Swollen Laptop Battery: Replacement Decision Guide

A swollen battery means stop using it and stop charging it. Check the warranty first, get a written quotation, match the model and part number, back up before repair, and check the new battery item by item.

*This article is based on official guidance from Dell, Lenovo, ASUS and Apple, plus public sources. Every price, warranty period and specification is included only where a source supports it. Where no public price list could be found, the article says so directly and never estimates a price. Full source links are at the end.*

Summary

A swollen battery means stop using it and stop charging it. Check the warranty first, get a written quotation, match the model and part number, back up before repair, and check the new battery item by item before accepting it.

Introduction: After swelling, the most expensive decision is often not the battery itself

When a battery swells, many people's first reaction is to search online for the cheapest battery, or to decide on the spot to replace the whole laptop. Both reactions are too rushed. Swelling is a safety issue, and the order of work should be: stop using it, check the warranty, get written quotations, and only then decide between a battery replacement and a new machine. Skipping any step can cost more later, or leave you with a battery of the wrong specification.

First, a brief review of the safety baseline already covered in detail in our earlier guide, which will not take up the main space here: battery swelling is irreversible internal damage. As soon as you notice it, stop using the device and stop charging it, and do not keep using it while plugged in to get by. Never remove a swollen battery yourself, never puncture it to release gas, never press it flat, never soak it in water, and never put it in a fridge. All of these are dangerous. The correct route is to stop using it and go to the manufacturer or an authorised repairer. A swollen battery, and a whole old laptop containing one, should go through a proper recycling channel, never into household rubbish. Symptoms covered in that guide include a bulging bottom cover, a laptop that no longer sits flat, a trackpad or keyboard pushed up from inside, and gaps opening in the casing. This guide only reviews them and does not expand on them again.

This guide answers practical questions: how do you check the warranty without losing out? How do you choose between genuine, third-party and third-party repair options? What should you back up, photograph and bring before sending the machine for repair? How do you work out whether to replace the battery or the machine, without guessing? After replacement, how do you check whether the new battery is acceptable? And how do you look after a new battery so it does not fail again so soon? Each question is answered in turn below.

1. The first step is not asking the price, but checking the warranty: a laptop warranty is not the same as a battery warranty

Many people ask how much a replacement costs as soon as they hear about a swollen battery. In fact, the first step should be checking the warranty, because the warranty status completely changes the decision. The most common misunderstanding is assuming that if the laptop still has several years of warranty left, the battery must still be covered. That is not the case.

According to Dell's official warranty documents, most Dell laptop batteries carry a standard one-year limited warranty, and the battery warranty is calculated separately from the laptop warranty. In other words, even if the laptop was bought with a three-year or five-year warranty, the battery generally still only has one year, unless extended battery cover was bought together with the laptop at the time of ordering, and that extended cover must be bought when ordering the laptop — it cannot be added afterwards. The warranty period runs from the invoice date, not from the date you first switched the machine on. That matters, because many people calculate from the first-use date and wrongly conclude they are still in warranty.

For ASUS, laptop batteries are stated as having a one-year limited international warranty, with mail-in or on-site arrangements depending on the model. ASUS also has a Battery Service Package, which extends the standard battery warranty period: during the extended period, a faulty battery can be replaced once a year, but it covers manufacturing defects only, not the expected capacity decline from normal use. A replacement battery is covered for the remaining cover period, but for no less than three months. This extension must be bought and activated within a specified number of days from the invoice date, depending on the region, so do not assume it can still be bought years after purchase.

For Apple, the MacBook battery design goal is to retain up to 80% of its original capacity after 1,000 complete charge cycles, and the one-year warranty includes cover for a defective battery. Two things must be kept apart here: capacity decline from natural ageing, and a manufacturing defect, are different matters. Not every drop in capacity falls under warranty. Whether a case is covered depends on the official diagnosis.

For Lenovo, HP and Acer, our research found no brand-by-brand written commitment stating that a swollen battery is covered for free replacement. Apart from Apple's one-year cover for a defective battery noted above, and Dell's return arrangement for a swollen battery within warranty, no equivalent written commitment was found for the other brands, so no free replacement should be inferred. When checking the warranty, do not guess: ask the manufacturer or authorised point directly.

A practical warranty-checking sequence is: first find the purchase invoice or order and confirm the invoice date; then use the model and serial number, or Dell's Service Tag, on the official warranty-check page; save a screenshot of the result; and only then contact official support or an authorised point, state that the battery has swollen, and ask whether the battery is still in warranty, whether swelling falls within warranty, and what the in-warranty handling arrangement is. Verbal assurances alone are not enough: keep important commitments in writing.

Only after checking the warranty are you in a position to talk about price, because the quotation structure is completely different inside and outside warranty. Skipping this step means buying blind.

2. Genuine, third-party or third-party repairer: how to choose without falling into a trap

After the warranty check, the second decision is which route to take: manufacturer or authorised service, a third-party battery, or a third-party repair shop. These three options are not simply a matter of cheap versus expensive; the real differences are certification, compatibility and warranty consequences.

Dell states clearly that a non-Dell or incompatible battery may increase the risk of fire or explosion, and only a battery designed by Dell as compatible should be used. Dell's genuine parts page also states that genuine Dell parts carry a one-year limited warranty, non-Dell parts are not covered, and they may void the laptop hardware warranty. That consequence is real, not a scare tactic.

Lenovo's official safety guide likewise states that the system does not support batteries that are not made by Lenovo or are unauthorised. The machine may still switch on, but it may not be able to charge an unauthorised battery, and Lenovo takes no responsibility for the performance or safety of an unauthorised battery, nor does warranty cover damage arising from its use. In other words, money saved on the battery may be paid for with the whole machine's warranty.

The ASUS manual states that a built-in battery should only be removed by an authorised technician, that fitting the wrong battery model carries an explosion risk, and that you must never try to dismantle and reassemble a battery. This warning is about built-in battery replacement itself, not about one particular model.

A third-party battery is not a simple black-or-white label. Third-party round-ups have said that third-party options may cost less than genuine ones, and some shops describe their materials and return arrangements. At the same time, third-party repair shops themselves admit that third-party battery quality varies enormously, and a cheap battery may have insufficient capacity, a shorter cycle life, or incompatibility with the battery management system. The correct way to write about this is neither "third-party is always dangerous" nor "third-party is just as safe as genuine", but to lay out each manufacturer's official warnings and warranty consequences so readers can decide according to their own machine's warranty status and risk tolerance.

Before choosing, several items must be checked, and an order should not be placed if any is missing: first, the full model number — do not rely only on the marketing name on the machine, because different hardware versions of the same series may use different batteries; second, the battery part number — for example, an HP third-party guide specifically reminds readers to match the spare part number and full model; third, the voltage, Wh capacity and mAh figures — a replacement battery's technical specifications should match the original or meet the manufacturer's requirements, and a matching shape does not mean matching electrical characteristics. A smaller Wh battery replacing a larger one will noticeably shorten battery life. Fourth, the connector shape and cable position. Fifth, whether the seller or repairer is willing to put in a written quotation whether the part is genuine or third-party, its part number, and its warranty period. Battery part numbers, voltage and Wh capacity should be taken from official specifications, system information or a repairer's quotation — do not open a swollen machine just to read a label.

A written quotation deserves emphasis however many times it is repeated. Verbal quotations are where disputes start, because after replacement you may discover that the price did not include labour, testing fees, or that the warranty period differs from what was said, and by then there is nothing to argue with. When getting quotations, ask two or more repairers, and ask about genuine and third-party options, part numbers, Wh capacity, warranty period, expected time needed, whether testing is included, and how the old swollen battery will be handled. Only when all of that is in writing is a quotation genuinely comparable.

One more point: a seller's product title saying "genuine" does not prove genuine origin. Verify through an official or authorised channel, the part number and the warranty terms, and do not trust the product title alone. A swollen battery is already a safety issue; buying a battery of unknown origin to save money stacks risk on top of risk.

3. How to talk about price honestly: only the sourced Dell parts prices, everything else stated as not found

On price, this guide's rule is strict: only figures with a public source are given, and anything not found is written as not found, never estimated. This is not to make the article harder to write, but because replacement prices vary so much with model, capacity, warranty status and labour that an estimated figure could easily mislead a reader into thinking their machine costs the same.

The four items below are the only prices in this guide with a Dell Hong Kong official website source. Each one must be read together with the same note, which must not be dropped:

Three points must be understood together when reading this table. First, these are parts prices, not all-in battery replacement service prices, and labour and repair service charges are not included. Second, they apply only to the listed compatible models; buying the wrong model cannot be used interchangeably. Third, prices vary by model and capacity, and no single item's price can be taken as the replacement price for all Dell laptops.

For other brands, this guide's conclusion is consistent and must be stated honestly: the Apple Hong Kong MacBook battery replacement all-in price — no public price list found, individual written quotation required; the Lenovo Hong Kong official battery replacement all-in price — no public price list found, individual written quotation required; the HP Hong Kong official laptop battery replacement all-in price — no public price list found, individual written quotation required; the ASUS Hong Kong official battery replacement all-in price — no public price list found, individual written quotation required; the Acer Hong Kong official battery replacement all-in price — no public price list found, individual written quotation required. A general all-in Hong Kong in-store battery replacement price table for any brand was likewise not found, and must be enquired about by model from the manufacturer or authorised point.

One further point, so readers are not confused by other figures they find online: Apple MacBook replacement prices in different third-party round-up articles contradict each other, and none of them is an Apple Hong Kong official source. This guide therefore does not adopt any third-party Apple price, and only records the fact that third-party round-up prices are inconsistent with each other. If a reader sees an article stating a fixed Apple price with no Hong Kong official source, that should be treated as a problem.

The correct way to compare replacement quotations is to break each one apart: is the part genuine or third-party, what is its part number, what is its voltage and Wh capacity, is labour included, is the testing fee included, are delivery or call-out charges included, how long is the warranty, and how will the old swollen battery be handled? Comparing only a single total figure compares nothing, because the items inside each total may be completely different.

4. Before-replacement backup and handover checklist: verify the backup, do not rely on an upload icon

Before repair, data security is your own responsibility. Dell's official repair guidance states it plainly: before sending a machine for repair, back up all personal data, remove confidential data, remove external devices, and remove or disable passwords, including the BIOS password. Dell also states that if technicians need to reinstall the operating system, hard-drive data will be deleted, and Dell is not responsible for lost or damaged data. That sounds blunt, but it is precisely why backup is a required step before repair, not an optional one.

The backup scope should be wider than you might first think. Documents and spreadsheets, of course, but also the Desktop, Downloads, photos and videos, custom work folders, browser bookmarks, local mailboxes in a desktop email client, and professional software data such as accounting, tax, creative projects and game saves. A restore point or repair disc is not a complete backup of personal files; do not confuse the two.

The most commonly missed step is this: after backing up, open a few files at random from the backup location to verify that they really open and their contents are complete. Do not treat an upload icon or sync icon as proof of completion. Seeing a file name in the cloud is not the same as having its full contents uploaded.

Encryption and login details are the second area where things go wrong. After a hardware change, the system may ask for a recovery key, so confirm in advance where the BitLocker recovery key is stored, and make sure it can still be accessed while the laptop is not in your hands. Never keep the key only inside the same laptop. FileVault users should likewise confirm their recovery arrangements. On logins, ask whether the repair needs your usual login account or whether a temporary account can be used; do not hand over bank passwords or a complete password vault; if login details must be shared, change the relevant passwords afterwards; and company machines should follow the company's IT procedure.

Two situations must not be confused here. For battery replacement repair, the correct approach is backup, plus signing out of accounts, plus removing external items, plus handling passwords as instructed by the repair point. That is not the same as wiping the machine. Wiping, that is erasing all content and settings, is a step for selling, giving away or recycling a device. Wiping a whole machine just to replace a battery is excessive, and it increases the risk of data loss.

Before handing the machine over, also do the following:

• Photograph the machine's current condition, including existing scratches, dents, hinge and screen damage, so you can check for new damage when collecting it.
• Photograph the swelling symptoms, for example a bulging bottom cover or a trackpad pushed up, together with a note of when the fault started.
• Note the model, serial number or Service Tag, battery part number and Wh capacity, cycle count and capacity report screenshots, purchase date and warranty-check result. Battery part numbers and Wh capacity should be taken from official specifications, system information or a repairer's quotation — do not open a swollen machine just to read a label.
• Write down the fault details: when it started, what triggers it, and whether any software was installed, updated or repaired recently. That is far more useful than "the machine is broken".
• Bring the original power adapter, because for power and charging repairs technicians need to test with the original adapter; state at handover whether the adapter is original or third-party.
• Remove external hard drives, SD cards, USB devices and memory cards; apart from the power adapter, accessories should generally not be sent together.
• Get a receipt or job sheet stating the brand and model, the reported fault, visible damage, accessories received, and the service number.
• Ask in advance about the special arrangements for a swollen battery: whether the repair point accepts swollen batteries, and whether there are booking or special packaging requirements. Do not turn up unannounced without asking.

If the machine will no longer switch on, or files cannot be accessed, do not panic, and do not force a large backup onto a storage device that makes unusual noises, disappears intermittently or crashes repeatedly, as that may worsen physical damage. State at handover that data preservation is the priority, and let the repairer assess whether data rescue is needed first.

5. Battery replacement or a new machine: work through a checklist, do not rely on feeling

For replacement versus a new machine, our research found no official counting formula from any brand. The framework below is therefore not an official standard, but a checklist compiled from several third-party decision frameworks. Readers should fill it in using their own machine's actual written quotation and actual condition, and should not treat a preset threshold as the answer.

The first dimension is age and system support. A laptop's typical life depends on its class; third-party guides give different year ranges for entry-level, mid-range, high-end and gaming machines, but whatever the class, the older the machine, the higher the chance that other parts will fail one after another after a battery replacement. On system support, consider whether the old machine still supports the operating system and software currently needed, and whether it meets current security requirements. As an example, a third-party analysis article noted that a particular macOS major version was the last to support older Intel Macs, with later versions supporting Apple silicon only. That is a third-party analysis view, and it can serve as a reminder to think one extra step before replacing the battery in an older Intel Mac, but it must never be written as an Apple official replacement guide.

The second dimension is whether there are problems besides the battery. Screen, keyboard, trackpad, charging port, cooling and SSD health — are any of them faulty? If a swollen battery has already pushed up the trackpad or bent the casing, a battery replacement may not fully repair the knock-on damage, and the repair point should inspect it before quoting. If, besides the battery, there is also screen damage, keyboard or hinge ageing, storage problems or motherboard problems, the total repair cost stacks up, and a new machine may be more sensible.

The third dimension is the replacement total cost as a proportion of a comparable new machine's price. Here there are two third-party rules of thumb, which must be stated side by side and never presented as a single standard. The most common version is the 50% rule: if the repair cost is below half of a comparable new machine and the machine is under five years old, repair is favoured; above half, or with two or more major parts damaged at the same time, a new machine is favoured. A more conservative boundary is about one-third: if the battery replacement cost is below about one-third of a new machine and the old machine still meets your needs, keeping it is favoured; when it approaches half, age, performance, screen, memory, storage and other repair needs must be weighed carefully. The 50% rule and the one-third boundary are different boundaries from different authors. Both must be stated as third-party rules of thumb, not official standards, and must not be written as an industry standard or a manufacturer rule. In the end, compare using the actual written quotation in your hand against a new machine of comparable class, size and memory level, not figures estimated from the internet.

The fourth dimension is whether everyday performance is already insufficient. If the machine is slow even when plugged in, freezes often, or cannot run everyday software, a battery replacement does not solve the performance problem, and a new machine also buys a performance improvement. Conversely, if performance still meets the work needs of the next year or two, keeping the original machine with a new battery is much more reasonable.

The fifth dimension is downtime and data migration cost. How long will repair take? Different channels can differ greatly, and users in a hurry must count downtime in the decision, not just price. Battery replacement preserves the original machine's data and settings, while a new machine requires data migration, software reinstallation and signing into accounts again. For users with BitLocker or FileVault encryption, backup and restore arrangements must be confirmed before changing machines.

The sixth dimension is environmental consideration. Replacing a battery can extend the whole machine's life and reduce electronic waste; when changing machines, the old machine should go through a proper recycling channel. Environmental benefit can be a secondary factor, but should not be written as the main argument, because safety and actual need come first.

Before deciding, walk through this sequence: first confirm whether there are problems besides the battery; get the full model number and ask two repairers for written quotations, stating genuine and third-party options and warranty periods; place the total replacement cost side by side with a comparable new machine's price, then apply the 50% or one-third framework as a reference; ask yourself how much longer the machine can be used after replacement, and whether it will still meet work needs for the next year or two; if the answer is that it is already insufficient, the replacement money should be kept for a new machine. Before changing machines, sort out data transfer and old-machine recycling.

6. Post-replacement acceptance checklist: do not discover problems only after taking it home

When you collect a repaired machine, that moment is the start of acceptance checking, not the end. The checklist below should be worked through on the spot at the repair point, and observed again over the first few days at home.

First, health and cycle count. On Windows, open Terminal or Command Prompt, type `powercfg /batteryreport`, and open the generated battery-report.html. In the "Installed batteries" section, compare Design Capacity, the capacity when new, with Full Charge Capacity, the current full-charge capacity. The closer the two, the healthier the battery. Health percentage is calculated as Full Charge Capacity divided by Design Capacity, multiplied by 100. The same report also shows Cycle Count. On macOS, battery health and maximum capacity percentage can be seen in System Settings under Battery, or cycle count and condition can be seen through About This Mac, System Report, and Power.

On acceptance standards, the nature of the statements must be made clear: a new battery's health should be close to 100%, that is Full Charge Capacity close to Design Capacity; a new battery's cycle count should be close to zero or very low. These two statements are reasonable expectations, not manufacturer-mandated standards, and must not be written as manufacturer rules. If a new battery's health is already clearly below design capacity, ask the repairer immediately rather than treating it as nothing.

Cycle count has a special point that must be stated: not every laptop reports cycle count. Some models show a dash or blank in the report, meaning that machine's firmware does not provide reliable cycle data. That is normal, and the absence of a display alone must not be treated as proof of a problem. The correct approach is to check using health plus the repair receipt, and not to treat cycle count as a universal hard standard.

Reported capacity itself can fluctuate slightly with calibration and firmware estimation, and a slight fluctuation does not mean the battery is faulty. But a large drop in a short time is worth noting: record the date and circumstances and follow up with the repair point, rather than waiting indefinitely on the assumption that it will sort itself out.

Second, appearance and body re-check, against the pre-swelling symptoms. Place the laptop flat and check whether the bottom cover sits flat on the desk and no longer rocks; check whether gaps in the casing have disappeared and bottom-cover screw positions are neat; check whether the trackpad has regained normal click feel and the keyboard is no longer pushed up; check whether the screen lid closes normally with no displacement. These four items are acceptance checks against Dell's official swelling symptom list, and must not be written as a manufacturer post-replacement acceptance document. On collection, also compare with the photographs taken before handover, to confirm there are no new scratches, dents or hinge damage.

Third, charging and usage performance over the first few days. Charge with the original power adapter, and note whether charging is normal, whether there is abnormal heating, and whether the charge percentage jumps suddenly; note whether battery life has clearly recovered, and whether the machine shuts down suddenly before low battery; note whether the system shows battery health warnings again, such as a "service recommended" or "Service Battery" type warning. If after replacement there are still sudden large drops, early shutdown at high charge, persistent overheating or unstable charging, treat them as a possible defect and follow up immediately, rather than assuming the new battery needs endless calibration.

Fourth, warranty documents, which must be collected in full on collection. The repair receipt or job sheet should state the brand and model, the replacement part number, whether the part is genuine or third-party, the warranty period, and the service number. A warranty period already asked about before replacement should be checked again on collection, to make sure the written wording matches what was said before. Also ask who is responsible for handling the old swollen battery through legal and recycling channels, and do not take it home for long-term storage yourself.

7. How to look after a new battery: if it stays plugged in long-term, do not keep it at full charge long-term

Replacing the battery does not mean you can go back to using it any way you like. Swelling causes include normal battery ageing, usage patterns, and heat or humidity and other environmental conditions, and a new battery will still age over time, so care habits still matter. Everything below is a principle for slowing ageing, not a promise that swelling will never happen again.

Lenovo's official documents are the clearest and should be cited first. Lenovo's official documents state that if a computer stays plugged into power long-term, consider switching battery charging to Conservation Mode. In Conservation Mode, the battery does not charge fully, and charge is maintained at 75%–80%, which benefits long-term battery health. Before going out and wanting a full charge, switch the mode back to normal or fast charging first.

Model differences must be noted, and must never be written as a single Lenovo figure. Lenovo support pages state that on some models Conservation Mode stops at 55%–60%, for example on certain IdeaPad or Yoga models, while ThinkPad custom charge thresholds allow a stop-charge percentage to be set. The correct wording is: Lenovo Conservation Mode is officially 75%–80%, and 55%–60% on individual models, subject to your machine's Lenovo Vantage or manual.

Other brands' charge limits are even less uniform. According to a 2026 third-party round-up, Dell, HP, ASUS, Surface, Samsung and other brands each use different names and limit values, and they vary by model. They must never be written as a single uniform 80% across all brands. For example, the third-party round-up mentions different ASUS levels, HP BIOS settings available only on some business models, and a fixed Surface limit mode, but all of these are third-party round-ups, not each brand's official original text, and when cited they must be stated as varying by model and subject to the manufacturer's tool or manual. The practical approach is simple: open your own machine's manufacturer tool, such as Lenovo Vantage, Dell Power Manager, ASUS MyASUS, or the relevant HP tool, see whether your machine has a charge-limit setting, and choose according to your usage. If the machine sits on a desk as a desktop replacement long-term, switch the limit on; if you often need to take it out, charge fully before going out, and switch the limit back on when you return to the desk.

For long-term storage, the general lithium battery storage principle is to keep charge at about 50%, then switch off, and store in a cool, dry place. Storing long-term at full charge degrades capacity, while storing long-term fully empty may enter a deep-discharge state and may not charge again. This about-50% principle is a general lithium battery recommendation, and must not be written as a brand-specific mandatory rule for a particular brand's laptop. During storage, also avoid long-term high temperatures and direct sunlight, keep ventilation while charging, and do not place the laptop on soft surfaces such as beds or sofas, because soft surfaces trap heat. High temperature accelerates electrolyte breakdown, a point qualitatively supported in the research on causes, but laboratory cell figures must not be written directly as a percentage by which your laptop will swell.

Other habits: a lithium battery does not need to be regularly run to zero and then fully charged, and deep discharge harms cells more than staying in a middle range. Track capacity changes regularly using the Windows built-in report or the macOS battery health page, and a sudden large drop is worth noting. The goal of these habits is to slow ageing, not to make a battery live forever.

8. 2025–2026 safety background: keep product categories separate, do not mix them up

On recent safety news, the most important sentence comes first: our research found no new recall in 2025–2026 targeting laptop built-in batteries. Every 2025–2026 case mentioned below is not a laptop battery, and when writing about them the product category must be stated in the same sentence. They must never be written as laptop battery recalls.

In December 2025, the INIU case announced by the US CPSC, whose product category is a power bank, involved about 210,000 INIU power banks recalled over overheating, fire and burn risks. This case can serve as safety background for lithium battery products generally, reminding readers that swelling or overheating symptoms mean stop using the product, but it must not be written as a laptop case.

The Casely case, first recalled in April 2025 and announced again in April 2026, whose product category is a phone charger, involved about 429,200 Casely phone chargers recalled over battery overheating and fire. This case likewise can only serve as background on the wider lithium battery safety environment, and must never be simplified into a laptop battery death or laptop battery recall.

The NEWDERY case, warned about by the CPSC in June 2025 and subsequently recalled, whose product category is a furniture battery pack, that is a battery pack for recliner furniture, is not a laptop battery. This case again shows that lithium battery safety issues span many product categories, but the product category of each case must be kept separate and not mixed together.

Keeping product categories separate is not pedantry, but because readers will directly apply a recall impression to their own laptop. If an article is written as if laptop batteries had a new recall in 2025–2026, readers may wrongly think their machine must be affected, or conversely think that because their machine is not affected they need not act. Both misunderstandings are dangerous. The correct attitude is: the absence of a new laptop built-in battery recall does not mean a swollen battery in your machine can be ignored; swelling itself is already a safety signal that must be handled, and there is no need to wait for a recall before acting.

9. Frequently asked questions

Q1: If the laptop is still in warranty, does that mean the battery must still be covered?

No. Dell battery warranty is generally one year, and is calculated separately from the laptop warranty; ASUS laptop batteries are stated as having a one-year limited international warranty. Before replacing a battery, always check the battery warranty status first, and do not assume that a laptop still in warranty means its battery is still in warranty.

Q2: How should I choose between genuine, third-party and third-party repair options?

Decide by looking at warranty status, compatibility and warranty consequences together. Dell warns that non-Dell or incompatible batteries may increase fire or explosion risk; Lenovo warns that an unauthorised battery may not charge, and related damage is not covered by warranty; ASUS warns that fitting the wrong model carries an explosion risk. Before choosing, check the full model, part number, voltage, Wh capacity and connector, and require the genuine-or-third-party status, part number and warranty period to be written into a written quotation.

Q3: How much does a battery replacement cost?

The only figures with a public source are the four Dell Hong Kong official website parts prices in section 3 above, and each one is a parts price, labour not included, for specified models only. Apple, Lenovo, HP, ASUS and Acer Hong Kong battery replacement all-in prices were all not found in public price lists, and require individual written quotations. Never treat third-party round-up prices as Hong Kong official prices.

Q4: Before sending a machine for repair, do I need to wipe the whole machine?

No. For battery replacement repair, the correct approach is backup, backup verification, signing out of accounts, removing external items, and handling passwords as instructed by the repair point. Wiping is a step needed when selling, giving away or recycling a device. Do not confuse the two situations.

Q5: After replacing a battery, must the cycle count be zero?

Not as a hard standard. A new battery's cycle count should be close to zero or very low, as a reasonable expectation, not a manufacturer-mandated standard. Moreover, not every laptop reports cycle count, and some models showing a dash or blank is normal. Check using health plus the repair receipt, and do not conclude there is a problem from the absence of a display alone.

Q6: How do I work out whether to replace the battery or the machine?

Use the checklist in section 5, item by item: age and system support, problems besides the battery, total replacement cost as a proportion of a comparable new machine, whether everyday performance is sufficient, downtime and migration cost, and environmental consideration. On proportion, the 50% rule and the about-one-third boundary must both be stated as third-party rules of thumb, not official standards, and the final comparison must use the actual written quotation.

Q7: How do I look after a new battery so it does not swell again so soon?

If it stays plugged in long-term, do not keep it at full charge long-term. Lenovo Conservation Mode is officially 75%–80%, and 55%–60% on individual models, subject to your machine's tool or manual; other brands' limits vary by model, and must never be written as a uniform 80% across all brands. For long-term storage, keep about 50% charge, switch off, and store in a cool, dry place, as a general lithium battery storage principle. These habits only slow ageing; they do not guarantee swelling will never happen again.

Q8: In 2025–2026, was there a new laptop battery recall?

Our research found no new recall in 2025–2026 targeting laptop built-in batteries. Among recent public cases, the INIU case, whose product category is a power bank, the Casely case, whose product category is a phone charger, and the NEWDERY case, whose product category is a furniture battery pack, are all not laptop batteries, and must not be written as laptop recalls.

Sources

1. Apple battery service and recycling — Apple Battery Service and Recycling

2. Dell notebook battery warranty support (battery warranty generally one year, calculated separately) — Dell Notebook Battery Warranty Support

3. Dell swollen battery handling manual (do not pry, do not reinstall a swollen battery) — Dell Handling Swollen Rechargeable Li-ion Batteries

4. Dell out-of-warranty repair arrangement (backup, remove confidential data and passwords) — Dell Out-of-Warranty Repair Arrangement

5. Dell Hong Kong website, 3-cell 40Wh battery part page — Dell 3-cell 40Wh Replacement Battery

6. Dell Hong Kong website, 4-cell 45Wh battery part page — Dell 4-cell 45Wh Replacement Battery

7. Dell Hong Kong website, 4-cell 52Wh battery part page — Dell 4-cell 52Wh Replacement Battery

8. Dell Hong Kong website, 6-cell 91Wh battery part page — Dell 6-cell 91Wh Replacement Battery

9. Dell swollen battery information and guidance knowledge base — Dell Swollen Battery Information and Guidance

10. Lenovo official Safety and Warranty Guide (unauthorised batteries, do not dismantle, crush or puncture) — Lenovo Safety and Warranty Guide

11. Lenovo Conservation Mode official document (75%–80%) — Lenovo Conservation Mode

12. Lenovo support page (individual models, Conservation Mode 55%–60%) — Lenovo Battery Charge Stops at 60% Support Page

13. ASUS warranty page (laptop battery one-year limited international warranty) — ASUS Warranty Information

14. ASUS Premium Care (Battery Service Package extension) — ASUS Premium Care

15. ASUS laptop manual (built-in battery only to be removed by an authorised technician) — ASUS Laptop User Manual

16. Windows battery report method — Windows Battery Health Check Guide

17. Microsoft Q&A on new battery and battery report (new battery report should reflect new battery firmware data) — Microsoft Q&A: New Battery and Battery Report Issue

18. Hong Kong government waste electrical equipment recycling information (WEEE) — Government Waste Electrical Equipment Recycling Information

19. Environmental Protection Department rechargeable battery recycling programme — EPD Rechargeable Battery Recycling Programme

20. INIU power bank recall report (product category is a power bank) — INIU Power Bank Recall Report

21. Casely phone charger recall analysis (product category is a phone charger) — Casely Phone Charger Recall Analysis

22. NEWDERY furniture battery pack recall report (product category is a furniture battery pack) — NEWDERY Furniture Battery Pack Recall Report

23. Why lithium batteries swell (electrolyte breakdown producing gas) — Why Lithium Batteries Swell

24. Data backup before laptop repair (verify after backing up) — Data Backup Before Laptop Repair Guide

25. Preparing a computer before repair (photograph before handover, bring original adapter) — Preparing a Computer Before Repair Guide

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