You've now got until January 2016 to replace your iPhone 5 battery

iPhone 5
Always needing to charge your iPhone 5? You now have until 2016 to fix it.

Apple has announced it is extending its iPhone 5 battery replacement program until January 2016. The program was launched last year and allowed anyone who had bought an iPhone 5 between September 2012 and January 2013 up to bring in their handset to an Apple Store for a free battery replacement.

The offer had been valid for up to two years after the purchase, which would have meant you had up to the beginning of 2015 to bring in your phone.

Apple has now extended the deadline to January 2016, which is good news if you still have an iPhone 5 and have noticed the times between charges is getting ever shorter.

Battery boost

The battery issues are severe enough for Apple to not only create the program but to also extend it as well, although the Cupertino company has stated that it believes only a small percentage of iPhone 5s sold between September 2012 and January 2013 with specific serial numbers are affected.

If you feel your iPhone 5 could be eligible for a battery replacement you can enter in the serial number, which can be found under Settings, into Apple's official iPhone 5 battery replacement website.

Eligible phones can then be taken to an Apple Store to have the battery replaced for free. If you're still clinging on to the iPhone 5, then it's definitely worth checking out.

Via 9to5mac

Matt Hanson
Managing Editor, Core Tech

Matt is TechRadar's Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there's no aspect of technology that Matt isn't passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. Ever since he got an Amiga A500+ for Christmas in 1991, he's loved using (and playing on) computers, and will talk endlessly about how The Secret of Monkey Island is the best game ever made.