I realised that I needed an Apple iPod battery replacement kit when my iPod could no longer take charge.

I could have sent it off to Apple for a replacement or had a third-party specialist replaced it for me.

I ordered my battery kit and the cheapest option I thought was to replace the battery myself.

Here, I’ll guide you through how you could also replace your iPod battery without hassle.

Although the Apple iPod battery replacement technique worked with my 4th generation iPod, it definitely will work with 5th generation iPods as well.

You’ll also learn about how I maximised my iPod battery’s capacity and you could too.

Replacing Your Battery

1. Open up a gap between the front face and the back shell by inserting the tool that came with your Apple iPod battery replacement kit. The easiest way to do this is to squeeze your iPod a bit, while pressing towards the side you are trying to insert the tool into.

Once you insert the tool, gently slide it from the top edge to the bottom edge of your iPod. This releases all clips on the left side of your iPod. Continue sliding the tool around the bottom edge to the right side of your iPod.

2. Once you remove the back shell of your iPod, place it face down on a dry cloth and gently lift the back casing.

3. With extreme caution lift up the hard drive and gently remove the cable connecting the hard drive by pulling the black ribbon cable connected to the hard drive.

4. Take care not to bend any pin on the hard drive. Put the hard drive aside once is disconnected and you’ll see your iPod’s battery that needs to be removed.

5. Place your battery-removal tool in the groove at the edge, and gently apply a little force downwards on the tool to pry the battery upwards. If you’re finding it difficult removing the battery, you may want to heat it up with a hair dryer to get the glue to loosen its hold.

6. Gently remove the battery.

7. Remove the first screw to lift up the logic board so that there will be enough room to remove the battery wire and connector.

8. Remove the second screw.

9. Once the screws are removed from the logic board as shown in Figs. 7 & 8, lift up the edge of the logic board gently and remove the wire from underneath. Unplug the battery from the connector.

10. Firmly press the Apple iPod battery replacement into the battery opening and make sure the wire is oriented in the right way, insert the plug and route the wires over the top of the circuit board. Place the hard drive back on the iPod, and line the connectors up.

Click here to learn more about Apple iPod battery replacement >> - opens in new window.

See also Apple iPod Battery Replacement Articles:

• How To Charge Your iPod The Expert Way
• DIY Guide to iPod Battery Replacement

How to maximise your iPod’s battery life

Battery life means the length of time your iPod will run before it must be recharged. It also means the total amount of time your battery will last before it must be replaced.

If you want to extend the battery life of your iPod for any given charge cycle, you can conserve power by following these tips…

1. Use 'Hold' to save battery life

When you're not using your iPod, set the 'Hold' switch on. This will prevent the controls from accidentally turning on. Turn your iPod off if you're not listening by pressing the 'Play' button for about two seconds.

2. Turn off Backlight

If you set the backlight to always on, your iPod’s battery life will reduce drastically. Turn it off when necessary or set it to turn off automatically after 10 or 15 seconds. To turn backlight off go to Settings > Backlight Timer > Off.

3. Turn off Equaliser

An equalizer allows you to adjust various audio frequencies within the sound spectrum (much like the bass and treble controls on a stereo system). The iPod comes standard with over 20 equalization presets, such as Jazz, Rock, or Bass Booster and thus uses more battery power. Turn off EQ if you're not using it. Remember also to set EQ in iTunes to flat. From the iPod main menu go to Settings > EQ > Off.

4. Fast forward

If you fast forward through your playlists frequently your iPod will be using more power thus decreasing overall battery life. By creating playlists in iTunes, you can decrease your need to fast forward. Also using the shuffle feature may also help minimise your need to use the fast forward feature. I’ve always used an iPod battery backup when my iPod couldn’t hold its charge and it has been very useful.

Tips:

Software updates – Make sure you update your iPod with the latest iPod software www.apple.com/ipod/download. This will keep you up-to-date with new ways of optimising your iPod’s battery performance.

Regular use – For proper maintenance of your iPod’s battery, it’s important to go through at least one charge cycle per month.