From February 18, 2027, all new smartphones and tablets sold in the European Union must include a removable battery or at least one that is easily replaceable by the user. After the obligatory USB-C port, Brussels is tackling the last component that condemned our phones too quickly: the stuck battery.
Stated objective: extend the lifespan of devices, reduce electronic waste and strengthen the right to repair. But removable battery does not necessarily mean a return to the plastic covers of the 2000s, and certain exceptions will allow the most high-end models to keep a sealed design. This is where the technical details make all the difference.
From 2027, all smartphones will have to have a removable battery: what exactly is Europe planning?
The framework is based on two key texts: the regulation (EU) 2023/1542 on batteries, adopted on July 10, 2023, and ecodesign regulation 2023/1670 dedicated to smartphones and tablets. Since February 18, 2024, the first obligations have been in place, and June 20, 2025 will mark the arrival of the new sustainability label (autonomy, resistance, repairability).
Tipping point: February 18, 2027, where all portable device batteries must be “easily replaceable by the end user”. Concretely, an adult must be able to remove the battery with basic commercial tools, without specific training. Manufacturers are no longer allowed to require proprietary tools (unless provided free), heat, or solvents to remove the power supply.
Removable smartphone battery 2027: what this changes for your next mobile
The new rules are not limited to accessibility. Smartphone batteries must retain at least 80% of their capacity after 800 charge cycles. Another major advance: critical spare parts, including the battery and screen, must remain available for 7 years, with system updates guaranteed for at least 5 years. A European label will also display a repairability score and a QR code giving access to the “battery passport”.
However, there is a way out for the most premium smartphones. If a model proves that its battery remains at 80% capacity after 1000 cycles and that the device is at least IP67 certified, Europe no longer requires direct replacement by the user. This is typically the path chosen by Apple with its recent iPhones, which rely on more durable batteries and easier access for repairers, without a cover that unclips.
Smartphones 2027: should you wait for removable batteries before buying?
Today, almost 100% of smartphone batteries are stuck, while 42% of repairs concern precisely this component. The European Commission estimates that “Mobile phones and tablets produced under these rules will save almost 14 terawatt hours of primary energy each year by 2030”, or the electricity consumption of around 3 million homes. At the same time, right to repair measures could save consumers around 19.8 billion euros by 2030.
Should we therefore freeze our purchase until 2027? No. Your current smartphone will remain perfectly legal, and models released in 2025-2026 will already benefit from longer-lasting batteries and parts available for longer. On the other hand, if you keep your phones for 4 or 5 years or if you are aiming for a very expensive future flagship, monitoring the promise of charge cycles, the IP67 certification or the ease of replacing the battery will become a criterion as important as the camera or the power.