If you’re like most people, you probably don’t carry a spare charger for your cell phone. But if you’re caught without a way to charge your cell phone battery, don’t worry – there is a way to charge a cell phone battery out of the phone.
In this article, we will discuss how to charge your battery without the need for an external charger. We’ll also discuss traditional charger alternatives if you can’t remove your battery.
Table of Contents
What You Need
In order to charge your cell phone battery out of the phone, you will need a few items.
If you are able to remove your battery, then these are some items you could use to charge it:
- Insulated wire
- A charged battery or more (such as AAA batteries)
- Electrical tape
If the phone battery is non-removable, then you’ll have to first remove the battery before you can try to charge it. These are the items you will need:
- Tiny screwdriver
- Credit card
- Pry tools (helpful)
- Heat pack (helpful) or similar heat source
- Razor blade (optional)
Charging a Cell Phone Battery that Comes Out of the Phone
Now that you know what items you need, let’s look at some helpful tips for getting the job done with a cellphone battery that comes out of the phone.
Step 1: Remove Your Battery
First, turn off the phone and remove your smartphone battery. Most phones have a removable back panel that allows you to access the battery. If your phone doesn’t have a removable back panel, you may be able to find the battery compartment by removing the SIM card tray.
And if this phone has a non-removable battery, then you will want to check out the section of this article about removing a non-removable battery before coming back to try this charging method.
Step 2: Collect AAA Batteries
Once you’ve located and removed your battery, it’s time to start charging it.
Locate some AAA batteries. You will probably need multiple, depending on how much voltage your phone battery needs to charge.
Do some research to discover how much voltage your phone battery requires. It’s important to match voltage between the AAA batteries and your phone.
For example, most smartphones (as well as other iOS devices) require 5 volts to charge, and most smartphones use chargers that are 1 amp. AAA batteries that are lithium and rechargeable put out about 1.5 volts, so you will likely need four AAA batteries for this job.
But as with anything, do your research. Work with electricity at your own risk. You definitely want to choose the correct amount of AAA batteries so that you don’t cause your battery any permanent damage.
Step 3: Use Insulated Wire to Connect Batteries
Once you have all the batteries gathered, you will want to use some insulated wire and electrical tape to complete the circuit. Simply touch the wire to the positive terminal of one AAA battery and connect it to the negative terminal of the next AAA battery, securing each end with tape.
You will complete the circuit by touching the negative end of the phone battery to the negative terminal of the first AAA battery, and then connect the positive end of the phone battery to the positive end of the last AAA battery.
This method is not one of the fast chargers, but that is okay. Keep a close eye on the wires so they don’t get too hot, and soon your battery will have nearly-full capacity and be ready to use.
How to Remove a Cell Phone Battery that is Non-Removeable
If your phone has a non-removable battery, then you will first have to figure out how to get your battery out of the phone. This method may seem a bit extreme, but if you are in an emergency situation where charging your phone is absolutely necessary, this is certainly an option for you.
Step 1: Remove Back Panel and Find Battery Compartment
To get started, you will want to remove your phone’s back panel in order to access the battery compartment. To do this, you will want to turn the phone off, flip it face-down.
Heat your heating pad in the microwave (or however you can safely heat it) and then place it down over the bottom of your phone’s back cover for a minute or two. This will soften the glue. Remove the bottom cover and repeat the process to remove the phone’s top-end cover.
Now that those covers are off, use your tiny screwdriver to unscrew the tiny screws that are in each corner of your phone, remove the SIM card tray, and remove the entire back cover so that you can see the battery.
Step 2: Remove the Ribbon Cables Overlaying the Phone Battery
On the battery, you will notice a couple of ribbon cables. You’ll need to unscrew the plate(s) holding them on, then gently remove these ribbon cables by prying them up with your tiny screwdriver or pry tools. Be careful not to damage them as you will need to put them back in place later on.
Step 3: Lift Up the Phone Battery
Now it is time to remove your battery. It may be strongly glued in, so you will need to gently pry it up from one side, working along the edge of the battery. Be careful not to pry too hard, because you do not want to bend the battery and damage it permanently.
Once you have it pried up enough, slip a credit card under the battery to pry it the rest of the way lose. Remove the adhesive strips if they are stuck to the battery and stick them back in the phone to re-use when you reassemble the phone.
Now your battery is ready to be charged!
Methods You Can Use to Charge Your Cell Phone Without a Charger
What if you just can’t get your battery out of your phone, and you need to charge it? Or perhaps the methods above are too extreme for your particular needs.
If you don’t have a traditional phone charger, this could feel so frustrating. Fortunately, there are some ways to charge your cell phone even if you don’t have a traditional charger and cannot get your battery out to charge it externally.
Method 1: Charge with a Solar-Powered Charger
If you have access to sunlight, use a solar-powered charger. These increasingly popular chargers use the sun’s energy to create power and store it within the charger. Simply plug its USB cable into your battery to charge!
Depending on the strength of the sun and the efficiency of the solar charger, it could take several hours to fully charge your phone.
Method 2: Charge with an External Battery Pack
Another option is to use an external battery pack, which is a portable battery that you charge ahead of time, then use it to charge your phone via a USB cable. Be sure to pick one that has enough power to give a full charge to your phone. Simply charge the battery in advance, and then, when you need to charge your phone, connect the battery pack to your phone using the charging cable.
That’s it! Most external battery packs are relatively expensive, but they can charge a phone multiple times before needing to be recharged themselves, and they are great for power outages or backpacking trips, too!
Method 3: Charge with a USB Port and Laptop
If you have a laptop with a working battery and a USB port, you can use it to charge your cell phone.
To do this, simply connect your phone to the laptop using a USB cable. The phone will then draw power from the laptop’s battery and start charging.
This could take several hours, depending on the capacity of both the laptop and phone batteries. It isn’t recommended as your main charging station, but it definitely works in a pinch.
Method 4: Charge with a Wireless Charger
If you have a new phone that supports wireless charging, then you’re in luck! Wireless chargers use electromagnetic induction to transfer power from the charger to your phone, and they’re incredibly easy to use.
To charge your phone wirelessly, simply place it on the charging pad and make sure that it’s aligned correctly. Most wireless chargers will have an indicator light that will turn on to let you know that it’s working.
Method 5: Charge with a Hand Crank Charger
If you’re really in a bind, you could try a hand crank charger. They use the power of your own body to generate power, which is then stored within the charger.
To use it, simply connect your phone to the charger and start cranking the handle. The faster you crank, the more power will be generated and stored in the battery. It could take several minutes of cranking to charge your battery, so be patient!
These chargers are great for emergency situations, but they’re not very practical for everyday use.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a variety of ways that you can charge your cell phone battery without using the phone itself. Which method you choose will depend on your individual needs and situation. Any of them could save your phone battery when you need it most!
Have you ever been caught with a dead phone battery when you needed your phone? Let us know in the comments!