IPHONE 16 PRO MAX battery is swelling

Since Apple won't repair it for you, I don't see what you have to lose by taking it to an independent phone repair shop and seeing if they can help you. If you can't get someone to fix it, you should dispose of it properly and get a new phone.

Continuing to charge and use it would be dangerous. Don't.

No.

Recycle it responsibly and buy a new phone, preferably in the country where you live.

k4m450 wrote:

Hi,

I’m having a problem with my iPhone 16 Pro Max. I was charging it in the kitchen and everything was fine, but then a friend called; I picked up the phone to answer, but it was so hot that I had to drop it. It fell and the back glass shattered, but the strangest part happened later. I unplugged it and left it alone because I was afraid it might catch fire. The next day, I picked it up and the back casing seemed odd—I noticed it had lifted up. It turned out the battery was swelling. I took the phone to Apple, but they wouldn't accept it because it’s out of warranty. On top of that, I bought it while in the States but live in Poland, so they won't take it. Is there any way to repair it, or is the phone a total loss?

Personally, I wouldn't invest anything in the phone. I'd recycle it and buy a new iPhone.

Swelling of a battery does not normally develop simply because a device has been used for a long period, nor is it necessarily caused by dropping the device. Battery swelling is generally the result of internal chemical or physical changes within the battery.

If you notice that the battery is swelling or the device is bulging, stop using the device immediately and do not attempt to press the battery or open the device yourself. Have the battery inspected and replaced by an Apple Authorised Service Provider using an appropriate replacement battery.

Search for accessories that have completed MFi certification. Once an accessory has completed MFi certification requirements and is reported to Apple as sold/distributed, it will be searchable in our public database of authorized Lightning, headset, charging, iAP-enabled, and Find My network-enabled accessories.

If you have either dropped the device accidentally or exposed it to liquid or used it beyond acceptable temperature limits then…

Take your device to an Apple Retail Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider, or contact Apple Support:

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Contact Genius Bar.

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