How to Remove a Smoke Detector Battery

Rotate the body of the detector gently to remove it from wherever it is located. Some models may require that you squeeze plastic flaps instead. Most detectors have a bracket attached to the wall or ceiling, and a round case that hooks onto the bracket. The sensor for the detector may be attached to either part, although in most battery-operated smoke detectors the sensor and battery will be in the round case. At least one detector model has the battery compartment on the front of the detector (the side you see when it is fully assembled and attached to the bracket); if yours is like this, leave the detector where it is.

Open the battery compartment door, if your model has one. The battery compartments on some detectors are simple hollows that don’t hide the battery; others have covers similar to those on portable radios.

Pull out the battery gently. Some models have a wired cap that fits over the positive and negative terminals of the battery; pull this off. It may take a bit of effort, so make sure you don’t damage the battery or wiring when trying to take it off.

Match the positive and negative terminals of the new battery to the comparable connections on the wired cap or inside the battery compartment.

Snap the wired cap onto the terminals and insert the new battery in the compartment. Close the compartment door and test the detector. Reattach the detector to the bracket.