A swollen battery may catch fire or explode.
If you've noticed your laptop has bulged, you must proceed with extreme caution and at your own risk. Removing a swollen battery from an electronic device is hazardous, but leaving it inside a device isn't safe either. If you choose to remove it, make sure the device is off and the battery is completely drained.
Never attempt to remove a battery from a device that's powered on and hot!
That was exactly the procedure I followed a few days ago. I had been noticing that the shape of my MacBook had changed. For instance, the lid wouldn't close properly. The laptop began rocking sideways when placed on a flat surface. The system had also been suggesting that it was time to have the battery serviced.
It felt right. After seven years, I chose to replace the battery.
My laptop is a MacBook Pro (13-inch, mid-2012) that I bought in 2014. Not long after, I upgraded the RAM from 4 to 8 GB. In 2019, I learned that the RAM of this model could be upgraded to 16 GB. That's when I found Other World Computing (OWC). This company sells more than products. They sell solutions!
Besides helping you choose the right product, OWC also provides detailed instructions (e.g., video tutorials) and the necessary tools (e.g., screwdrivers). Not only have they saved me money, but also my life – especially when I learned I had to replace the computer hard drive.
I'm glad I did my research and found a way to extend my computer life.
While my experience with Apple has been the best, their devices also get old and start lagging. Investing in a new Mac requires a big sum of money, but that will wait as long as I can continue upgrading components. OWC makes it so easy that you don't even need a technician to do the job.
Doing your research will help you save – and I'm not only talking about money!
After replacing the hard drive with a solid-state drive, my MacBook has been working even better than before. Even if you follow the 3-2-1 backup strategy, you can't risk losing your computer drive. It's the same with an old battery. If you don't monitor its health, you could lose both your data and your device.
Have you ever been in a similar situation? If so, how did you proceed?