If AW6 Is Still Covered Under AppleCare, Can You Pay $79 To Replace Battery That's Not At 80% Health Or Below?

[Roy Biggins]

There's some contradictory discussion about this. I know if it's at 80% battery health or below and covered under AppleCare, they'll replace the battery for free. I'm wondering if battery health is reduced, but not quite down to 80%, can you just pay to have the battery replaced if it's covered under AppleCare?

 

[zhaoxin]

Of course. As without Apple Care, you can pay for a battery replacement at any time as you want. The genius only suggests you that your battery is not under 80%, so it may be not needed. But if you insist and say it does last shorter time than expected, he will replace the battery.

So I don't see any rejection reasons as long as you want to pay the battery replacement.

 

[jz0309]

There's some contradictory discussion about this. I know if it's at 80% battery health or below and covered under AppleCare, they'll replace the battery for free. I'm wondering if battery health is reduced, but not quite down to 80%, can you just pay to have the battery replaced if it's covered under AppleCare?

From all the various posts I’ve read on this topic the 80% rule applies and Apple will not replace it, AC or not.
Remember, Apple doesn’t replace the battery, they give you a refurb AW

 

[BugeyeSTI]

If you want to claim it on AppleCare+ it definitely will have to read below 80%. Not sure if you just want to pay the $99 out of warranty repair price without going through AC+

 

[wilberforce]

Of course. As without Apple Care, you can pay for a battery replacement at any time as you want. The genius only suggests you that your battery is not under 80%, so it may be not needed. But if you insist and say it does last shorter time than expected, he will replace the battery.

So I don't see any rejection reasons as long as you want to pay the battery replacement.

Incorrect, they will not let you pay for the battery replacement if it is over 80%. Even if you beg them: "take my money!"
"Battery replacement" is actually a whole new watch. They do not physically open the watch and replace the battery.

Hence the restriction: they do not want people coming in and basically getting a whole new scratch-free watch for $79.
I have heard of a very few exceptions made for extenuating circumstances, perhaps the genius/manager has some discretion in this.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

@wilberforce has this right. Paid battery replacement is only an option with a battery showing over 80%, when the battery is what’s being replaced. So basically, iPhone or Mac. Watch and iPad are full-exchange products so the battery must need replacement, even if you’re willing to pay for it.

 

[tuanlouis]

Apple will not perform battery replacement in any circumstances if the battery is greater than 80%, even you are willing to pay.

The only way to replace the battery above 80% is you will have to pay a whole unit replacement price which is nearly equivalent to buying a brand new one.

 

[dukebound85]

Of course. As without Apple Care, you can pay for a battery replacement at any time as you want. The genius only suggests you that your battery is not under 80%, so it may be not needed. But if you insist and say it does last shorter time than expected, he will replace the battery.

So I don't see any rejection reasons as long as you want to pay the battery replacement.

Ummm wrong.

Apple will not replace batteries over 80% even if you offer to pay batt replace fee.

this goes for all their devices, not just watches

 

[zhaoxin]

Ummm wrong.

Apple will not replace batteries over 80% even if you offer to pay batt replace fee.

this goes for all their devices, not just watches

Not all devices. I had replaced the battery of my iPhone 6s plus twice, both were over 80%. And even got the refund for the first time as there was a recall for iPhone 6s plus battery for iOS downgrade CPU performance from Apple.

In general with above other replies, I could assume that if the battery was replaced within your device, you could pay for it even over 80%, if the replacing battery was replaced the whole device, then it must be lower 80%.

 

[Jackbequickly]

Not all devices. I had replaced the battery of my iPhone 6s plus twice, both were over 80%. And even got the refund for the first time as there was a recall for iPhone 6s plus battery for iOS downgrade CPU performance from Apple.

In general with above other replies, I could assume that if the battery was replaced within your device, you could pay for it even over 80%, if the replacing battery was replaced the whole device, then it must be lower 80%.

Not the same for watches.

 

[zhaoxin]

Not the same for watches.

I knew. My reply was on the "all devices" that was first mentioned, which should include iPhone/iPad etc.

 

[dukebound85]

Not all devices. I had replaced the battery of my iPhone 6s plus twice, both were over 80%. And even got the refund for the first time as there was a recall for iPhone 6s plus battery for iOS downgrade CPU performance from Apple.

In general with above other replies, I could assume that if the battery was replaced within your device, you could pay for it even over 80%, if the replacing battery was replaced the whole device, then it must be lower 80%.

this is not 2015/2016. Apple does not allow for batt replacement anymore under 80% with current policies in place. I have tried with my iPhone 8 and MacBooks.

Glad you may have had better luck

recalls are a different matter..

 

[zhaoxin]

this is not 2015/2016. Apple does not allow for batt replacement anymore under 80% with current policies in place. I have tried with my iPhone 8 and MacBooks.

Glad you may have had better luck

recalls are a different matter..

Not 2015 or 2016. I kept my accounts in Numbers. So I can look those up on which days I replaced my battery. The first replacement was on Dec 17, 2017, the refund was in 2018. The second replacement was on Sept. 26, 2020. Yes, I had used iPhone 6s plus from the launching day until 2022, in which year I replaced it with an iPhone SE 3. I am those people who does not like the notch.

I didn't know why you couldn't replace your iPhone's battery. I am in China. So maybe the genius here was more adaptable.