Many phones and tablets these days are designed with style and quality build in mind. This approach has an unfortunate side effect: the device may not be as easy to disassemble and repair as you would like. Laptops are better at this, especially PCs, but there are still some headaches.
Repairability has received a lot of attention in recent years, with technology critics praising manufacturers for focusing on delivering repairability to consumers as a key feature. Apple, in particular, has made several advances in improving iPhone repairability. After all, doing so will extend the life of your expensive equipment, keeping them in your hands longer and keeping them out of landfills. But before you open the iFixIt (which recently posted a popular iPhone Air teardown video) kit and start exploring, there’s one huge mistake you should avoid – leaving the device to be repaired connected to a power source. If it’s a laptop or cell phone, make sure its battery is not connected.
Learn more: 5 Ways to Upgrade Your Devices Using Your Laptop USB-C Port
Why it’s so important to disconnect the battery first
Mobile phone lying on table, plugged in, warning sign on screen – Tero Vesalainen/Shutterstock
While unplugging the power cord from an electronic device may sound like a logical first step when considering self-healing, cutting the power source may not be an obvious idea when you’re using a device that charges from its internal battery. Disconnecting this power source is important for your safety and the safety of the components in your device.
First, the personal safety point of view. By unplugging the battery from its connector, you’re essentially cutting off the charge to any exposed components in your phone or laptop. If a battery connector cable is present, disconnect that cable rather than removing the entire battery – unless replacing the battery is the purpose of the repair, in which case the cable should be disconnected first anyway. In other cases, be sure not to use a metal spudger, or excessively pry or puncture the battery – doing so may pose a significant risk of injury. One more important disclaimer: We don’t recommend repairing electronic equipment unless you know what you’re doing.
Then there’s the security of the device itself. The battery in your phone or laptop is the power source connected to a complex series of components, all of which draw power from the battery. So if you leave the battery connected but disconnect another component, you could cause a short circuit.
How to disconnect your phone or laptop battery
There is a laptop on the table, which when opened reveals a pair of hands starting repairs. -brizmaker/Shutterstock
An important note: With thousands of different phones and laptops on the market, we can’t guarantee this is an exhaustive explanation or guide. It’s a good idea to search for a reputable repair site for your specific device to know where the battery is located and how to disconnect it.
Generally speaking, for mobile phones, the battery is usually one (sometimes two) flat black rectangles that sit horizontally in the device. Sometimes they are located behind certain components, and sometimes they are visible when you open the device. Once the battery is located, there is usually a cable extending from the battery that supplies power to the device (usually a very thin ribbon cable). Disconnecting this connection using a plastic spudger tool or small plastic tweezers will power down the system and allow you to continue working.
Laptop disassembly may be a little easier, but it’s still important to think carefully about the process you plan. Opening the device is usually simpler than a phone and usually only requires removing a few screws. It is highly recommended to use an anti-static wrist strap to ground yourself when using your laptop. Once inside, the batteries are usually visible (they often look like larger versions of cell phone batteries), but in some devices, such as MacBooks, these may be hidden behind other components. Locate the battery, engage the battery release slider (if present), disconnect the battery connector cable (if present), remove the battery if there is no connector cable, and continue.
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