Smart ring battery lifespan: how long it lasts and who replaces it

How long a smart ring battery lasts

The honest answer is that most makers don't say. Oura, RingConn, Samsung and Circular publish how many days a single charge lasts (see our battery life guide), but on the pages we checked, none of them publishes how many years or charge cycles the battery is built for.

One brand does. Ultrahuman's Ring AIR FAQ gives about 500 charge cycles and says “a gradual reduction in battery life can be expected after 1 to 2 years” ( Ultrahuman). Two caveats. The Ring AIR isn't sold in the US anymore, and we didn't find a matching figure for the Ring PRO that replaced it here. Still, it's the only maker statement on battery aging we found, and it's a useful benchmark: expect the ring you buy to run noticeably shorter per charge within a couple of years.

That matters because a smart ring's battery can't be swapped. When it fades far enough that the ring no longer gets you through the days you need, the ring is done.

So “how long does an Oura Ring last?” has an unsatisfying but honest answer: as long as its battery holds enough charge for you, and Oura doesn't publish an estimate of how long that is. The same goes for RingConn, Samsung and Circular. What the brands do publish is how they treat the battery under warranty, and that's where they differ.

You can't swap the battery

The brands are clear about this. Oura's safety page describes a “rechargeable, non-replaceable 15mAh (US6) - 22mAh (US13) Lipo battery” ( Oura Support). RingConn says its batteries are “sealed inside the device and are not designed for user replacement” (RingConn). The ring is a sealed shell around a very small battery, and there is no door to open.

Don't try. Oura's safety guidance is blunt: “Don't puncture the Oura Ring or its battery.” If you think a battery is damaged or changing shape, that's a safety question, not a repair project. Our smart ring battery swelling guide covers what to do.

What each brand says about battery aging and coverage

A few details worth reading twice. RingConn's battery guide (dated July 26, 2026) says its standard warranty covers original components for 1 year outside the EEA and 2 years inside it, but not normal capacity loss. Its optional 2- and 3-year Product Protection, sold only in the US and only at checkout, is different: RingConn says “the battery is included as part of the overall device” ( RingConn Support). Oura's warranty FAQ lists batteries among excluded consumable parts and describes no battery replacement program; refurbished Oura rings get a 90-day limited warranty (Oura Support). Ultrahuman's Terms of Sale give a 12-month limited warranty “against defects in materials and workmanship” for any new Ultrahuman Ring, without naming the Ring PRO specifically. For returns and the rest of each policy, see our smart ring warranty and returns guide.

Samsung and Circular are the gaps. The Galaxy Ring's US listing on Amazon carries a one-year manufacturer warranty in its title, and we found no Samsung page describing how the battery is treated. We also couldn't verify how Samsung's paid Care+ coverage treats the Galaxy Ring battery, so ask Samsung directly before you count on it. Circular gives a one-year US warranty (two years in the EU) and 14-day returns, but we didn't find battery terms. “Not found” isn't the same as “excluded,” but it isn't a promise either.

Why “batteries excluded” matters

A one-year warranty covers defects. A battery that holds less charge after two years isn't a defect in the warranty's eyes; it's normal wear, and the terms that mention it, Oura's and RingConn's, exclude it outright. So on any ring you keep for three years, the battery is on you for at least two of them.

That's the ownership math this site cares about. On a no-fee ring, the money a membership would have taken is free to go toward protection that actually names the battery. The fee side of that sum is laid out in what a smart ring really costs over three years.

The Oura Ring 4 battery filing

In September 2026, Android Authority reported that Oura's pre-IPO filing showed an “$84.4 million increase in warranty expenses during fiscal 2025,” tied to Oura Ring 4 battery problems (Android Authority). The report is about battery performance. It doesn't mention swelling.

What it tells a buyer is simple: battery trouble happens even at the market leader, at scale, and it costs real money to fix. It doesn't change Oura's written policy, which still lists batteries as excluded consumables. If you own a Ring 4 whose battery has dropped off sharply, contacting Oura support is still worthwhile. Our Oura Ring 4 review covers the rest of that ring's story.

How to tell if your battery is aging

Since no maker publishes an aging curve for the rings sold in the US, the only way to know is to track it yourself. It takes no equipment:

• Set a baseline in the first two weeks. Note how many days a full charge lasts with the settings you'll actually use. That number reflects your size, settings and habits, which makes it more useful than the box claim.
• Check again every few months, same settings. A slow slide is normal wear, and it's what Ultrahuman's “gradual reduction” describes.
• Compare a new ring with the claim for your size. If a brand-new ring falls far short from day one, that's a question for support inside the warranty period, not aging.
• Change one thing at a time. Turning on RingConn's vibration alerts or Circular's performance mode cuts battery life by design. Don't mistake a settings change for a fading battery.

Oura owners can do all of this without paying: the ring's battery level is one of the things Oura still shows without the membership (Oura Support).

Smart ring battery replacement: your real options

Since you can't swap the cell yourself, “battery replacement” really means one of these:

1. A warranty claim for a defect. If the battery fails early, inside the warranty period, contact the maker. Normal fade won't qualify under most of these terms, but a genuine fault may.
2. Paid protection. RingConn's US Product Protection covers the battery as part of the device, and it has to be bought at checkout, so decide then. UltrahumanX covers accidental damage and one Ring PRO replacement; we didn't find whether it can be added after purchase.
3. A trade-in. RingConn runs a trade-in program for eligible devices.
4. A new ring. When the battery no longer gets you through the days you need, that's the end of the ring. We didn't find a published battery-swap service from any of these brands in the terms we checked.

Buying used or refurbished

A used ring comes with a battery that has already spent part of its life, and you usually can't tell how much. A maker-refurbished ring is a safer bet, but read the coverage: Oura gives refurbished rings a 90-day limited warranty, against one year for a new ring. If you buy from a private seller, check whether the maker's warranty passes to a second owner before you pay; we didn't verify that for any brand. With a sealed battery and no swap service, the price of a used ring should reflect a shorter life.

What to look for if you want a ring to last

• Coverage that names the battery. Look for wording that includes it, like RingConn's “the battery is included as part of the overall device,” rather than a warranty that excludes it.
• Headroom in the per-charge claim. A ring that starts at 10-14 days a charge has more room to fade before it drops below a week than one that starts at 6.
• A charging case. A case in the box makes a ring easier to live with as its battery fades, because topping up doesn't need a wall outlet.
• No fee on top. If the ring may need replacing in a few years, you don't want to have also paid a membership the whole time.

More on each in our RingConn Gen 2 review and Galaxy Ring review, and the full no-fee ranking is in the best smart rings without a subscription.

Habits that protect the battery

We only pass on what the makers themselves say here. Oura warns that “extended exposure to extreme temperatures (below -20°C / -4°F or above 60°C / 140°F) may lead to battery damage,” and says not to puncture the ring or its battery. Beyond that, the brands we cite don't publish charging-habit advice, so we won't invent any. Keep the ring and its case out of extreme heat and cold, use the charger it came with, and if you buy a third-party case, remember its compatibility is the seller's claim, not the ring maker's. Our chargers and charging cases page covers that. Everything else on battery and fit lives on the battery and sizing hub.