As much as we enjoy modern phone designs, there is one trend many of us wish wasn’t going away. Sadly, phones with a removable battery are a dying breed, and our options are getting very, very limited in this niche market.
Phones with removable batteries are very convenient in a few ways. For starters, it makes it easy to hot swap batteries on the go, so you can carry multiple and switch them if your phone dies mid-day. Also, batteries degrade over time, and today’s standard solution is to take them to a professional to replace them. With removable batteries, this process is as simple as ordering a new battery and sticking it into the phone yourself.
Do you still want to enjoy these benefits? Your options are scarce now, but here are the best phones with a removable battery you can still get your hands on. But wait! Make sure you also keep reading to the end of this article as there are some important things you need to know before buying a phone with a removeable battery in 2025.
Samsung Galaxy XCover 7: The best phone with a removable battery overall Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 MSRP: €380.00 See price at Amazon Positives More affordable
More affordable Very rugged
Very rugged Removable battery Cons Hard to get in the USA
Hard to get in the USA Specs are modest Honestly, most phones with a removable battery are pretty low-end ones. They usually don’t get the specs we truly want, and the price is also commonly on the lower end of the spectrum. This is why it’s nice to have something like the Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 available. It’s by no means a premium handset, but the specs are pretty decent. It comes with a mid-range MediaTek octa-core processor and 4-6GB of RAM. The 6.6-inch display is nicely sized, and it features a nice Full HD+ resolution. You get a single camera, but it is a 50MP one with PDAF. The removable battery has a 4,050mAh capacity. The battery may seem small by modern standards, but remember, it is removable. This means you can easily purchase multiple and just carry them around, so you can swap them as you wish. The Galaxy XCover 7 is technically a rugged phone, too. It has an IP68 rating and a MIL-STD-810H certification, which is nice to see, considering the removable back. Devices with moving or removable parts aren’t usually as resistant, especially to water and dust. All that said, the Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 is also more expensive than other devices with similar specs. It is a niche product for those who really value a rugged design, and in our case, it is one of the very few phones with a removable battery. By the way, if you want a more capable version of this phone, the Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 Pro was also launched earlier in 2025. The phone is pretty good and has a removable battery, but it isn’t readily available in the US, which is why we didn’t list it as the top option. It could be a nice upgrade if you live outside the US. Read more
Fairphone 6: The best repairable phone with a removable battery Fairphone 6 MSRP: €599.00 See price at Amazon Positives Modular design
Modular design Repairable
Repairable Has a removable battery
Has a removable battery Pretty capable specs Cons Not readily available in the US The Fairphone 6 is a very special phone. To be honest, the fact that it has a removable battery isn’t even the most exciting part. The Fairphone 6, like its predecessors, was made with repairability in mind. Aside from being able to replace the battery, you can also easily replace the USB-C port, camera, and screen. Not only that, but it has also taken on a modular design that allows you to add attachments to the back. These can include finger loops, card holders, and lanyards. As a phone, it is a pretty good option, too. The device features good mid-tier specs, such as a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor and 8GB of RAM. The display measures a modest 6.3 inches, but it has an LTPO OLED panel with a 2,484 x 1,116 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. While not huge, the battery is nicely sized at 4,415mAh, but again, it is user-replaceable. Wired charging can reach 30W speeds, but it does not have wireless charging. Oh, and while it is so modular, it is actually very well protected against the elements. It has an IP55 rating and is MIL-STD-810H compliant. The phone is definitely not for everyone, but if you like repairability, flexibility, and really want a removable battery, you’ll love the Fairphone 6. Paul Jones / Android Authority Read more
Kyocera Duraforce Pro 3: The best rugged phone with a removable battery Kyocera Duraforce Pro 3 MSRP: $899.99 See price at Verizon Positives Very rugged
Very rugged Good specs for a rugged phone
Good specs for a rugged phone Removable battery Cons Expensive for the specs
Expensive for the specs Only available from Verizon Kyocera still stands strong in the world of the best phones with a removable battery. The Kyocera Duraforce Pro 3 launched in 2023, but it is still a pretty good option if you’re on Verizon, want a rugged device, and like removable batteries. It’s pricey at $899.99, but it could it could be worth it if you value the factors mentioned above. As already mentioned, this is a rugged phone. It has a full IP68 rating and a MIL-STD-810H certification, meeting the highest of standards in the mobile industry. The specs are pretty good for a mid-tier phone, too. It has a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor and 6GB of RAM. The screen is very small, at 5.38 inches. Well, at least it would be considered small by today’s standards. It does, however, get a Full HD+ resolution. The battery isn’t huge, at 4,270mAh. It also has a relatively decent triple-camera system. Again, this is a Verizon exclusive. That is about the only main downside. Otherwise, it is a pretty good phone with a removable battery. Read more
Nokia C12: The best budget phone with a removable battery Nokia C12 MSRP: $77.84 See price at Amazon Positives Very affordable
Very affordable Nice design Cons Small 3,000mAh battery
Small 3,000mAh battery Hard to get in the USA
Hard to get in the USA Overall low-end performance Are you looking for an ultra-affordable handset that is also one of the best phones with a removable battery? The Nokia C12 is only $99.99! It’s impressively affordable. We would have recommended the slightly better Nokie C12 Pro, but that model is nearly impossible to find now. You’ll definitely notice the difference in specs with the lower price. The device features a 6.3-inch display with a 720p resolution. It sports a Unisoc SC9863A1 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage. There is a single 8MP camera in the back, and a 5MP selfie shooter in the front. Even the battery is small at 3,000mAh. There’s nothing impressive here, but if you need a super basic phone and still enjoy the benefits of removable batteries, this is a good option for those on a tight budget. Read more
Is it time to move on from removable batteries?
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
Maybe you shouldn’t give up on phones with removable batteries quite yet. There are some changes coming, thanks to the European Council ruling that all phones sold in Europe should come with a user-replaceable battery by 2027. The ruling clarifies that the battery should be easily replaced without the need for tools. This is all done in an effort to reduce waste. And while this only applies to Europe, manufacturers are unlikely to create significantly different models for specific markets.
For example, Europe forced Apple to move to USB-C, so the company just moved to USB-C altogether. Similarly, there is a high chance manufacturers will just take the punch and create phones with removable batteries for all markets.
It's difficult to find a truly great phone with a removable battery, but there are other options.
Again, this is all some years away, and we are forced to live in the present. There is also a chance this may change by then, though a quick search tells us this is still to come. Regardless, you have to find temporary solutions for now, as you will have difficulty finding a good phone with a removable battery. You could accept defeat, get a phone with a non-removable battery, and look for other ways to keep your phone from running out of juice.
For starters, some phones have stunning battery life out of the box, so you might want to consider one of those before finding any other solutions.
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
Luckily, there are plenty of options to consider. The most obvious solution is to buy a portable battery pack to top off your phone’s battery. Waiting for your device to charge won’t be as fast as swapping out the battery. However, many phones have fast charging capabilities, so charging times aren’t nearly as bad as they used to be.
Similarly, you could also get a phone with wireless charging, which is available on a lot of phones today. You can dock the phone or lay it on a mat while at your desk, and it will charge as if it were plugged in. This will give your phone little bursts of juice throughout the day and hopefully prevent you from running dry.
Do you need more help with your battery issues? You might first want to find out what’s happening with your phone if your battery is dying too soon.
Finally, we have a guide on maximizing battery life, which includes a bevy of tips and tricks that should help any device last at least a full day. Many of these suggestions require making some sacrifices. Unfortunately, these are the things you’ll have to do going forward as removable batteries fade into the rear view of the phone history.
FAQs
Are there still phones with removable batteries? Options are very scarce, but there are still some semi-modern smartphones that come with a removable battery. This might change soon, though, as the European Council is pushing for removable batteries, and phones sold in Europe should come with user-replaceable batteries by 2027.
Which is the best phone with a removable battery? As of September 2025, we would say our favorite phones with a removable battery are the Samsung Galaxy Xcover 7 and 7 Pro. These have capable specs, 5G support, a rugged construction, and more. If you don’t like rugged phones, the Fairphone 6 is also great, offering mid-end specs, but a modular design that is hard to find in today’s market.
Are phones with a removable battery expensive? Most smartphones with a removable battery are budget devices, which means you’ll likely find a good deal. Some can get a bit pricier, though. One example is the Kyocera Duraforce Pro 3 at $900.
Why are there no phones with removable batteries? Removable batteries require a removable back. The mechanisms involved with this can make phones thicker and bulkier. It can also make it harder to make them water-resistant. In the race to smaller, thinner devices, most manufacturers have decided to do away with removable back covers.
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