Apple to replace iPhone 6s batteries after fault causes some to randomly shut down

Cara McGoogan 2 December 2016 • 10:29am

Apple has admitted that a manufacturing fault has been causing some iPhone 6s devices to switch off at random even when they have a significant amount of battery.

Apple said it would fix the iPhone 6s handsets that shutdown unexpectedly for free. It added that the problem affects some devices manufactured between September and October 2015.

The fault, which affects the batteries on a small number of iPhone 6s devices, can be resolved by replacing the battery.

@AppleSupport my iPhone 6S turns off at random points (40% battery), what should I do?
— Mood (@howthe_) March 4, 2016

Hi @AppleSupport, any reason why my 13 month old iPhone 6S turns itself off when on 50% + battery then wont turn back on until plugged in?
— Ashh (@Ashh0910) December 2, 2016

"Apple has determined that a very small number of iPhone 6s devices may unexpectedly shut down," the company said. "This is not a safety issue and only affects devices with a limited serial number range that were manufactured between September and October 2015."

Apple has added a tool to its website where customers can check if their phone is affected. It will change the battery on all affected models for free.

Those who have replaced their batteries at their own expense can also contact Apple about getting a refund.

Check if your phone is eligible for a fix

To check if your iPhone 6s is one of the affected models go to the Unexpected Shutdown Issues page on Apple's website.

Find your device's serial number by going to General -> Settings -> About. Then enter the country where you bought the device and the serial number on Apple's site and hit Submit. Apple will tell you if it is an affected model.

If it is, the company will replace your battery for free so long as your phone is in working order. Apple advises customers to take their faulty iPhone 6s to an Apple Store, Apple Authorised Service Provider or to contact its Technical Support team. It also said customers should call their service provider in advance to check availability for replacements, and to book ahead of time on its website for appointments at the Apple Store.

Before taking your phone for battery replacement, Apple advises that customers back up their data to iTunes or iCloud, turn off Find my iPhone, and erase data and settings. You can do this last step by going to Settings -> General -> Reset -> Erase all Content and Settings.

Phone that are damaged in anyway, such as having a cracked screen, will need to be fixed beforehand or at an additional cost during the replacement process, Apple said.