The European Union’s upcoming battery regulation will not force Apple, Samsung, Google, Xiaomi or other phone makers to return to hand-removable rear covers. Instead, it aims to prevent a worn battery from becoming an automatic reason to replace an otherwise functional device.
From February 18, 2027, EU Regulation 2023/1542 requires portable batteries in a wide range of products to be removable and replaceable by end users during the product’s lifetime. Ordinary commercially available tools may be used, but manufacturers cannot require proprietary tools, heat, solvents or procedures that could damage the battery or the product.
The requirement covers far more than phones, reaching many consumer electronics and household devices.
- Headphones
- Smartwatches
- Robot vacuums
- Electric toothbrushes
- Trackers
- Toys
There are limited exemptions for medical products, equipment whose continuous power supply is safety-critical, and devices where battery removal could compromise data integrity. The regulation is not retroactive, so it does not impose new requirements on devices already in consumers’ hands.
Smartphones and tablets already have separate EU requirements
Conventional smartphones and tablets sold in the EU have been covered by separate ecodesign and energy-labeling requirements since June 20, 2025. Those rules focus on battery endurance, spare-parts access, software support and a repairability rating rather than prescribing a particular chassis design.
The smartphone rules allow different engineering approaches, including designs intended to preserve water and dust resistance. Their practical test is whether repair is obstructed by unavailable parts, excessive adhesive or software that rejects a compatible replacement battery.
Foldables with a flexible main display do not automatically fall under the special rules for conventional smartphones. Their repairability depends on a more complex combination of battery access, hinge construction, internal display and sealing.
For the mobile industry, the key question is therefore not whether sealed phones disappear in 2027. It is whether manufacturers can make battery replacement realistically achievable while maintaining the durability and ingress-protection designs expected from modern devices.
