EU rules: removable smartphone batteries required from 18 February 2027

A trip back to the 2000s: from next year, smartphone batteries will have to be removable within the European Union. Here is what you need to know.

In recent years, the European Union (EU) has been anything but idle when it comes to regulating the tech sector. Online age checks, platform interoperability, app store monopolies, the mandatory USB-C port… lawmakers have introduced a series of rules to rein in an industry that for a long time largely set its own standards.

This new requirement follows the same direction. From 18 February 2027, smartphone and tablet makers selling devices in Europe will be required to fit removable batteries.

What the law actually requires

In practice, batteries must be “easily removable and replaceable” by the end user. That does not necessarily mean a full return to the clip-on back covers of the 2000s; rather, it implies devices that can be opened without specialised tools, or, where tools are needed, with tools supplied free of charge in the box.

Manufacturers will also be required to ensure replacement batteries remain available for seven years after a model stops being sold. In other words, consumers should not be left without options if a battery starts to lose performance.

As our colleagues at 01.net point out, the legislation has two aims. The first is environmental: by extending device lifespans, the EU wants to cut electronic waste and curb planned obsolescence. The second supports the right to repair: even without technical skills, an everyday user should be able to swap a battery without going through after-sales service.

Two criteria for avoiding the rule

Some brands may still be able to avoid this obligation, provided they meet two conditions at the same time. First, the device must be certified at least IP67, meaning it is resistant to both water and dust. Second, its battery must retain at least 80% of its capacity after 1,000 full charge cycles.

These are demanding thresholds, which in reality align with the specifications typically seen on premium smartphones. Apple, for example, says that models from the iPhone 15 onwards meet the second condition. The company could therefore be exempt, as long as its devices also maintain their IP certification.

Our analysis

This legislation forces manufacturers into a genuine strategic decision: either rethink product design to comply with the rule, or invest in batteries that perform well enough to qualify for an exemption. That could widen the gap between high-end phones and entry-level models, since the latter would, by default, be the ones most likely to face the removable-battery constraint.

For European consumers, however, the change is a tangible step forward. Being able to replace your own battery could realistically add two or three years to a device’s usable life - and deliver similar savings by delaying the purchase of a new phone.