User-Replaceable Batteries Make a Strong Comeback

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How it started
In 2023, the European Union introduced two significant pieces of legislation aimed at reshaping the design of portable tech products with batteries, focusing on enhancing longevity, repairability, and recyclability. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1670 took effect last year, specifically targeting smartphones and tablets, while Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 will come into play next year, encompassing nearly all battery-powered tech.

The broader rules, effective from February 18, 2027, are straightforward: users must be able to remove and replace batteries using basic tools or specialized tools provided for free with the product, and compatible spare batteries must be available for at least five years. While changing a battery doesn’t have to be as easy as popping off a clip-on cover, it shouldn’t be much more complex than unscrewing a few standard screws. This regulation extends to headphones, e-readers, portable gaming consoles, laptops, and more—if it has a battery, it’s likely included.

There are some exceptions. Smartphones and tablets are the primary ones, as they are already governed by another law mandating manufacturers to provide various spare parts for at least seven years. Some parts must be available to professional repairers, while others need to be accessible to end users and designed for easy replacement with basic tools. Batteries fall under this requirement but come with a crucial exemption: if a battery retains 83 percent capacity after 500 charging cycles, 80 percent after 1,000 cycles, and the device has an IP67 rating, then battery replacement can be restricted to professionals. Essentially, if your phone is waterproof and its battery lasts at least three years with minimal capacity loss, it doesn’t need to be user-replaceable. The EU clarified last year that the existing smartphone and tablet regulations take precedence over the new, broader rules.

Certain devices are entirely exempt from both sets of regulations, including specific medical devices and products designed for environments frequently exposed to water, such as swimming gadgets or bathroom appliances like electric toothbrushes. The EU has recently gathered feedback on additional proposed exemptions, which could include wearables like smartwatches and fitness trackers, arguing that their small battery enclosures pose a risk of damage during removal. Campaign group Right to Repair Europe opposes further exemptions, citing the user-removable battery in the Pixel Watch 4 as evidence that it can be done.

How it’s going
Manufacturers are already gearing up for these changes. While over-ear headphones with replaceable batteries have been rare, recent launches indicate they’re about to become more common. Fender led the way with its Mix headphones, which cleverly conceal easy battery access under one ear cushion. Sennheiser followed suit with its Momentum 5 headphones, allowing battery replacement with just a Phillips-head screwdriver.

Fairphone has been championing this cause for years, with its smartphones and headphones featuring user-replaceable batteries, including the latest Fairphone 6. Impressively, it has even created earbuds with easily replaceable batteries, the Fairbuds. Despite the exemption for other wearables, wireless earbuds are included in next year’s regulations, giving the industry less than a year to adapt.

“Our current products already meet and exceed these upcoming requirements because we’ve prioritized repairability and longevity from the start,” said Fairphone’s public relations manager Alon Brandt. “We’ve actively influenced these new EU regulations, demonstrating what’s possible when longevity is prioritized. Our devices are designed to embody the circular economy from the outset, making compliance a baseline rather than a challenge.”

More products are on the horizon, not just in audio. Code snippets hint that Amazon is planning to launch Kindle e-readers with user-replaceable batteries, though the timeline remains unclear. Leaked images of an upcoming Xbox Elite 3 controller suggest it will also feature a user-replaceable battery, and rumors indicate that Nintendo is developing a version of the Switch 2 with a removable battery, expected to launch in Europe.

However, this raises concerns for buyers outside Europe. While Sennheiser produced a single, user-replaceable version of the Momentum 5 for global release, other manufacturers might opt for different versions for the EU and other markets. This could mean that US buyers miss out on the benefits of these EU policies. Inés Alberico, campaign manager at Right to Repair Europe, believes this is unlikely to happen frequently. “While some brands might try to limit certain repairability features to EU models,” she noted, “manufacturers generally prefer global product designs.”

On the flip side, some companies might choose to bypass the EU altogether rather than comply with the rules. Reports indicate that Meta is delaying the launch of the Ray-Ban Display smart glasses in Europe due to the battery regulations, and smaller manufacturers might also decide that the EU isn’t worth the hassle. While it’s a significant market, redesigning to meet EU requirements isn’t as simple as swapping one screw type for another.

“When designing for battery accessibility, it’s a balancing act between user convenience, product size, and structural durability,” Brandt explained. “Making a battery easy to replace requires extra clearance and careful planning for wear over time, impacting the overall design and layout. Additionally, opting for pop-out components instead of glue changes how the device withstands everyday impacts, necessitating precise mechanical architecture to safely distribute forces without compromising serviceability.”

Outside of Fairphone, smartphones have largely remained unchanged—since last year’s regulation doesn’t mandate user-replaceable batteries as long as battery longevity is high, we’re unlikely to see a return to the days of easy-access battery compartments. Instead, manufacturers are focusing on batteries that maintain capacity over years of use—Realme and Oppo have both highlighted batteries that retain 80 percent of charge after 1,600 cycles—while high IP ratings are becoming standard even at lower price points, not just in Europe. Last year’s Moto G Power 2025 boasted an IP69 rating for under $300.

The only notable change has been Apple’s introduction of a new electrical-release adhesive for the battery compartment in its latest iPhones, which requires a small electrical charge from another battery to detach the cell. Apple has not commented on whether this change is in response to the EU’s regulations, though it’s unclear why it would be—modern iPhone batteries are designed to retain 80 percent of their capacity after 1,000 charging cycles, aligning with EU standards. The company has been selling spare parts and repair kits to users for several years, though not for every product type, and the process isn’t always straightforward.

What’s next
With the new law not taking effect until February 18, 2027, companies have ample time to prepare. However, it’s likely we’ll see more manufacturers roll out products with user-replaceable batteries across various categories, including audio, e-readers, and gaming handhelds. Only time will tell if most of these products will be EU-exclusive or if the new European laws will influence tech globally.

This could also affect the likelihood of similar legislation emerging elsewhere. Several US states have right-to-repair laws either enacted or in development, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see state lawmakers introduce similar requirements to encourage companies to bring EU-designed products to the US.

Some product categories may adapt more slowly than others. Tech companies may breathe a sigh of relief that wearables are likely to be exempt, but if wireless earbuds aren’t included in that exemption, there could be a rush to redesign their compact forms for easier battery replacement. “The in-ear design demands extreme miniaturization to accommodate the driver, antenna, processor, microphones, and battery,” a recent report from consultants Futuresource noted, suggesting that meeting the requirements could make earbuds larger and more expensive to produce.

There’s also uncertainty regarding how certain aspects of the law will be interpreted. The law states that user repairs must be possible using “commercially available tools,” defined as “tools available on the market to all end-users.” Alberico points out that this broad definition could include many tools not typically found in households, potentially allowing manufacturers to require less common screws that necessitate specialized electronics toolkits. Additionally, there’s no strict definition of the “reasonable” price for spare parts that manufacturers must set. “This will likely take time—and possibly litigation—to clarify in practice,” Alberico stated. “Without fair access to affordable spare parts, repair will struggle to be the simplest and most appealing option for consumers.”

The major disappointment is that the separate legislation for phones and tablets means we won’t see significant changes in those areas, as long as manufacturers ensure their batteries and devices are durable. “This creates a false tradeoff between durability and repairability,” Alberico remarked. “Robust, waterproof devices shouldn’t have to sacrifice user-replaceable batteries. While the ecodesign legislation has improved battery durability and replaceability, at Right to Repair Europe, we’ll continue to advocate for all products to be designed with user-replaceable batteries.” Whether the EU will heed this call remains to be seen. Otherwise, the primary product people want to replace batteries in may remain one of the few where they can’t.

By the way
* The smartphone and tablet ecodesign rules are also why the EU now mandates battery and repairability labels that rate devices.
* The US may not enjoy all the benefits of the EU rules, but last year Fairphone began selling its repairable Fairbuds XL headphones in the US. Here’s hoping its phones follow suit, currently available to US buyers only through open-source software company Murena at a premium price.
* It’s likely no coincidence that Apple released what iFixit calls the “most repairable MacBook in 14 years” just ahead of the new regulations.
* States like California, Colorado, and Texas now have right-to-repair laws, but unlike the EU regulations, these largely don’t require manufacturers to design devices for repairability with basic tools for everyday users.