Battery and Charging
"Unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple battery"
You may see this message after a battery replacement carried out outside of Apple or an Apple-authorised service. Apple uses it to flag that battery health reporting may not be available.
Where you'll see it and for how long
Lock screen pop-up: shows for the first 4 days
Settings message: shows for 15 days
After that, you may still find it under Settings → Battery → Battery Health
What it means for you
If your refurbished phone shows this message, there's nothing to worry about. Every battery fitted during The Big Phone Store's refurbishment process meets or exceeds the original manufacturer's specification — we use OEM-grade components only. The message is an Apple notification, not a fault with the phone.
Our battery standard
Every refurbished iPhone leaves us with at least 85% battery health — we replace any battery below that, no exceptions. Many competitors don't even set a minimum.
Want a fresh battery? You can add a battery upgrade at checkout at cost price. Our battery upgrade price is significantly cheaper than a local repair shop. You can also send your phone back for an upgrade later.
What is battery health — and how is it different from battery percentage?
These two things confuse a lot of people.
Battery percentage is how much charge your phone has right now — like a fuel gauge.
Battery health is how much total capacity the battery can hold compared to when it was new. A battery at 85% health holds less charge than a new one, so it will run down faster.
Our minimum is 85% — higher than the industry norm. If battery health drops below that before we ship a device, we fit a new battery.
If you choose a battery upgrade on models like iPhone XR, XS, XS Max, iPhone 11, or newer, Apple may show the "unable to verify" message covered above. That's normal after any Apple battery replacement.
My iPhone won't charge
Quick checks
Restart your iPhone first
Try a different cable and plug — test them on another device to confirm they work
Check the charging port for fluff or debris — the cable should sit flush when plugged in
Try a different wall socket
Try a wireless charger if you have one:
Charges wirelessly but not by cable → likely a port, cable, or connection issue
Won't charge either way → may point to a battery or power-related fault
Cleaning the charging port
Power the phone off first
Use a small plastic tool to gently lift out any lint — don't poke metal into the port
Send it back if
It won't charge after trying multiple cables, plugs, and sockets
The port looks damaged or the cable won't sit flush after cleaning
Email us at [email protected] with photos of the device (front on and off, back, and your current charging equipment) and we'll take it from there. Most repairs are turned around the same day we receive the device.
My battery is draining fast
To give you the right advice, we need to see what's actually causing it.
Send us two screenshots from Settings → Battery:
Last 24 Hours
Last 10 Days
These show your battery health, which apps are consuming the most power, and whether background activity or signal issues are the cause. Once we have those, we can tell you exactly what to change — whether that's an app setting, background refresh, or something else.
My battery is swollen
Stop using it immediately.
A swollen battery is a lithium battery that has been compromised. It's a fire risk.
Don't charge it
Don't press on the screen or back of the phone
Don't try to open or remove the battery yourself
If you notice a smell coming from the phone, keep it away from flammable materials
Send it back to us straight away. Don't take it to a third-party repairer — lithium battery handling requires a controlled environment. Our team handles every battery as a fire risk and disposes of damaged ones in a dedicated fire-safe container.
Email us at [email protected] or visit our help page to start the process.