How to Check Battery Health on iPhone and Android

You can check your battery’s health in a minute or two without any extra apps on most phones. On an iPhone it’s built into Settings; on Android it depends on the brand, but Samsung and newer Google Pixel phones both have a built-in way to see it. Here’s where to look, what the numbers mean, and when a replacement is actually worth it.

What “battery health” actually means

Every lithium-ion battery slowly loses capacity as it goes through charge cycles. “Battery health” (often shown as “maximum capacity”) compares how much charge your battery can hold today with how much it held when it was new. A phone showing 85% can store roughly 85% of its original charge, so a full battery simply doesn’t last as long as it used to.

A charge cycle is using 100% of the battery’s capacity in total, not necessarily in one go. Draining from 100% to 50% on Monday and again on Tuesday adds up to one cycle. That’s why cycle count is another useful measure, where your phone shows it.

How to check battery health on an iPhone

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Battery.
3. Tap Battery Health (on some iOS versions this is called Battery Health & Charging).

You’ll see Maximum Capacity as a percentage, and a Peak Performance Capability message. If that message says your battery supports normal peak performance, you’re fine. If it mentions unexpected shutdowns or performance management, the phone has had to limit performance to stay stable, which is a strong sign the battery is worn.

On iPhone 15 and later models, you can also see the cycle count and the battery’s manufacture date. If you can’t find it under Battery, go to Settings > General > About and scroll down.

How much should an iPhone battery have left?

Apple says batteries in iPhone 14 and earlier are designed to keep 80% of their original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles, and iPhone 15 and later models at 1,000 cycles, under ideal conditions. So a phone dipping into the low 80s after a couple of years of daily use is behaving as designed. Apple publishes these figures on its own battery support pages.

If your iPhone shows a message that it can’t verify the battery, or says “Service” in the Battery Health screen, that’s worth having looked at.

How to check battery health on a Samsung Galaxy

Samsung doesn’t show a simple percentage in the same way Apple does, but it does give you a pass/fail style check:

1. Open the Samsung Members app (it comes pre-installed on most Galaxy phones).
2. Look for Support or Get help, then Phone diagnostics.
3. Choose Battery status.

The result will describe the battery’s life as normal, weak or bad. On recent versions of Samsung’s software you may also find diagnostics in Settings under Battery and device care. Menu names shift between software updates, so if you don’t see these exact words, search “diagnostics” or “battery” in the Settings search bar.

How to check battery health on a Google Pixel and other Android phones

Newer Pixel phones show battery health directly: go to Settings > Battery and look for Battery health. It shows an estimated capacity and whether the battery is in normal condition. Older Pixels don’t have this screen.

Other Android brands vary a lot. Some show a cycle count or battery condition under Settings > About phone, some have it in a built-in diagnostics or support app, and some don’t show it at all. The quickest approach is to type “battery” into the Settings search bar and look for words like health, capacity, condition or cycle count.

What about third-party apps?

Some Android apps estimate battery capacity by watching how quickly it charges over several days. They can give you a rough idea, but they’re estimates, not a reading from the battery itself. Treat the result as a hint, and stick to well-known apps from the Play Store that don’t ask for permissions they don’t need.

What the numbers tell you (and what they don’t)

A health percentage is useful, but how the phone behaves matters just as much. A battery at 82% that still gets you through the day is fine to keep. A battery showing a healthy number can still cause trouble if it’s damaged or the reading is off.

Pay more attention to these signs than to the number alone:

• The phone shuts off with 20% or 30% still showing, especially in the cold.
• Battery percentage jumps around, for example from 40% straight to 10%.
• You now need to charge twice a day with the same habits as before.
• The phone gets noticeably warm when you’re doing very little.
• The screen or back is lifting, or the phone doesn’t sit flat.

We cover these in more detail in 7 signs your phone battery needs replacing.

If your phone’s screen or back panel is bulging or separating, stop charging it and don’t press on it. A swollen battery can be a safety risk. Power the phone off and get it checked rather than continuing to use it.

Habits that help your battery last longer

Battery wear can’t be stopped, but it can be slowed:

• Avoid heat. Don’t leave your phone on a car dashboard or charging under a pillow. Heat is harder on batteries than almost anything else.
• Turn on optimised charging. iPhones have Optimised Battery Charging, and many Android phones have an adaptive or battery protection setting that limits or delays charging to full. Search “charging” in Settings to find yours.
• Don’t worry about small top-ups. Charging from 40% to 80% is perfectly fine. You don’t need to drain the battery to zero first.
• Use decent chargers and cables. Very cheap, uncertified chargers can be unreliable. If your phone charges slowly or not at all, see our phone-not-charging checklist before blaming the battery.

When is it worth replacing the battery?

If the phone itself is still doing everything you need, a new battery is usually a much smaller step than buying a new phone. It’s worth considering when:

• Your iPhone’s maximum capacity is under 80%, or it shows a performance management or service message.
• Your Samsung diagnostics report the battery as weak or bad.
• You’re seeing unexpected shutdowns or big percentage jumps.
• Any swelling is visible (in which case, don’t wait).

Before any repair, it’s a good idea to back up your phone so your photos and messages are safe no matter what.

Get your battery checked at Davie Mobile

If the numbers look low or your phone is acting up, Davie Mobile at 1717 Davie Street in Vancouver’s West End can take a look. See our battery replacement service, call (672) 208-6756 to check your model, or ask us for a quote. You can also browse our chargers and cables if a better charging setup is what you need.