Dell XPS · Battery Safety
Dell XPS Touchpad Lifting or Not Clicking? It’s Probably a Swollen Battery
If the touchpad on your Dell XPS has stopped clicking, sits proud of the palm rest, or the case has started to bulge, the most likely cause is a swollen lithium-ion battery pressing up from underneath. Power the laptop off, unplug the charger, and stop using it. This page explains why the XPS shows the fault at the touchpad first, what Dell officially advises, and how to get the battery replaced safely — with free collection across Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset. Rated 4.9 on Google.
- ● Power off & unplug first
- ● Free local collection across Dorset
- ● Independent Dell specialists since 2001
First things first
The 60-second answer — and what to do right now
A touchpad that suddenly stops clicking, feels stiff, or visibly lifts out of the palm rest is the classic first symptom of a swollen battery on a Dell XPS. The lithium-ion pack sits directly beneath the touchpad, and when its cells swell they push upwards before you notice anything else.
- Shut the laptop down fully — not sleep, a proper shutdown.
- Unplug the charger and any docking station.
- Stop using it. Don’t press the bulging area, and don’t squeeze the laptop into a tight bag.
- Put it somewhere cool and flat, away from soft furnishings, until it’s dealt with.
A swollen battery is not something to panic about, but it is a safety risk that Dell tells owners to take seriously and act on straight away. The one thing you should not do is carry on using the laptop and hope it settles down — swelling only goes one way.
Why the touchpad?
Why an XPS shows battery swelling at the touchpad first
The XPS range is deliberately thin. Inside the sealed aluminium-and-carbon-fibre chassis there is almost no clearance between the top of the battery and the underside of the touchpad. On most laptops a swelling battery has somewhere to go; on an XPS it presses straight into the touchpad mechanism.
That’s why the first sign is so often mechanical rather than electrical:
- The touchpad click goes stiff, then stops working altogether.
- The touchpad or spacebar area sits raised or rocks when pressed.
- The palm rest or bottom panel develops a visible bulge, or the base no longer sits flat on a desk.
- In later stages the case seams start to separate.
This pattern is well documented in Dell’s own community forums on the XPS 15 9570 and 9560 and the XPS 13 9350 and 7390, among others — and it isn’t a design defect unique to those machines. Lithium-ion swelling can happen to any laptop as the cells age; the XPS chassis just makes it visible at the touchpad first. If yours clicks fine but the pointer misbehaves, that’s more likely a driver or hardware fault than a battery — the giveaway for swelling is physical lifting or a click that’s gone dead.
Dell’s guidance
What Dell officially says to do (and not do)
Dell publishes formal guidance on this — knowledge base article 000128491, “Swollen Battery Information and Guidance” — along with per-model swollen-battery technical sheets. Plainly restated, Dell’s advice is:
- Swelling is an industry-wide lithium-ion issue, typically caused by battery age, charge cycles or heat exposure — not something you did wrong.
- Stop using the laptop immediately, power it off and disconnect the AC adapter.
- Allow the battery to discharge naturally rather than recharging it.
- Do not puncture, crush, press on, bend or pry the battery or the panels around it.
- Do not attempt to remove a swollen battery yourself. Dell is explicit on this point — a swollen pack should be handled by a trained technician and disposed of properly.
That last point matters more on an XPS than on most laptops. The battery isn’t a clip-out pack: it sits under a Torx-screwed base panel and is often secured with adhesive, inside a chassis with very tight tolerances. Prising at a swollen cell in that environment is exactly what Dell’s guidance is written to prevent.
One more honest note: if your XPS is still under Dell warranty, contact Dell first. Swollen batteries on in-warranty machines are Dell’s to sort under its own swollen-battery process, usually at no cost to you, and that’s the route we’d genuinely recommend. We’re here for the many XPS machines that are past their warranty.
Forum fixes
The nylon-washer trick — please don’t
Search the forums for this fault and you’ll find a popular workaround: open the laptop, fit small nylon washers or spacers under the touchpad or base panel to hold things apart, and carry on using the machine with the swollen battery still inside.
We understand the appeal — it makes the click work again for a while. But it’s a bad idea, and worth saying so directly:
- It clamps pressure onto a swollen cell, which is precisely what Dell’s guidance says never to do.
- The battery keeps swelling underneath — the washer hides the symptom while the actual risk grows.
- You’ve now reassembled a compromised battery into a sealed metal chassis you carry around in a bag.
The swollen pack needs to come out. Spacers, tape, clamps and “just don’t press that corner” are all versions of ignoring it.
The proper fix
Getting the battery replaced safely
The honest fix is straightforward: a trained technician removes the swollen pack, checks the touchpad, keyboard and chassis for pressure damage, fits a replacement battery and disposes of the old cell properly. On an XPS that means Torx drivers, adhesive work and patience — not a five-minute swap, but a routine job done carefully.
Here’s how it works with us:
- Free local collection across Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and the surrounding Dorset area — we come to you, so the laptop isn’t rattling around in a courier van. We don’t run a walk-in shop; collection, on-site visits and by-appointment meetings at Kinson Community Centre are how we work.
- Diagnosis first, then a written quote. Battery replacement is quote-based because parts vary by model — we confirm the exact battery your XPS needs and price it before any work starts. No surprises.
- We tell you if it’s not worth it. On an older XPS with other faults, a new battery may not be the best use of your money — and we’ll say so. If replacement makes more sense, our refurbished Dell Latitude laptops start from £510 with a fast SSD, setup and data transfer included.
Given the safety angle, we treat swollen-battery jobs as urgent: call 01202 775566 (Mon–Fri 9–5) or text 07520 615332 and we’ll arrange collection promptly. We’re independent Dell specialists — not authorised or endorsed by Dell — but we’ve been supplying and repairing Dell machines since 2001, and we’re a family-run firm rated 4.9 on Google.
After the repair
Helping the new battery last longer
Nothing makes a lithium-ion battery immortal, but a few habits genuinely slow the ageing that leads to swelling:
- Keep it cool. Heat is the biggest accelerant — avoid leaving the laptop in hot cars, on duvets, or running hard on a blocked vent.
- Don’t live at 100% on the mains. If your XPS spends its life docked, Dell’s Power Manager / MyDell software can cap the charge level, which is kinder to the cells.
- Watch for early signs. A click going stiff, a lid that no longer sits flush — caught early, a swelling battery is a smaller, safer job.
If you’d rather not be the one watching, our monthly support plans (from £18.25 per computer for home users, from £24.38 per computer for business) include proactive health monitoring, and every visit or session ends with a written Service Report — so battery wear, temperatures and anything else we spot is on record in plain English, not left to memory.
// RELATED
- Dell laptop battery replacement in Dorset — our main battery service page for all Dell ranges
- Dell XPS repair in Bournemouth — screens, hinges, WiFi and everything else XPS
- Dell IT support in Dorset — the full Dell hub
- Book a collection or repair online
FAMILY-RUN SINCE 1995 · ★ 4.9 ON GOOGLE · 200+ COMPUTERS UNDER OUR CARE · NO FIX, NO FEE · SAME-DAY REMOTE SUPPORT
// GOOD QUESTIONS
Frequently asked
How do I know it’s a swollen battery and not just a broken touchpad?
Feel and look. If the touchpad sits raised, rocks, or the palm rest and base have any bulge or gap, it’s almost certainly the battery pushing up from beneath — the XPS battery sits directly under the touchpad. If everything is perfectly flat and only the cursor misbehaves, a driver or touchpad fault is more likely. If in doubt, power off and let us check it; diagnosis comes before any quote.
Is a swollen battery dangerous?
It’s a safety risk that Dell tells owners to take seriously, rather than an emergency. A swollen cell is damaged and unpredictable, especially if punctured, crushed or heated — which is why Dell’s guidance says stop using the laptop, power off, unplug, and don’t press or pry at it. Handled calmly and promptly, it’s a routine repair.
Can I keep using the laptop if I just avoid pressing the touchpad?
We wouldn’t, and Dell’s guidance says not to. The swelling continues whether or not you touch that area, and every charge cycle and warm session adds stress to a cell that’s already failed. Power it off and get the pack removed.
Should I let the battery drain down?
Yes — Dell’s official guidance is to power off, disconnect the charger and allow the battery to discharge naturally rather than topping it up. A lower charge level makes the pack safer to handle and transport. Don’t try to force-drain it by running the laptop hard, though; just leave it powered off.
Can I remove the swollen battery myself?
Dell’s guidance is explicit: don’t. On an XPS the battery sits under a Torx-screwed, tightly-fitted base panel and is often held with adhesive, so removal involves exactly the prying and flexing you must not apply to a swollen cell. It should be removed by a trained technician and disposed of properly — that’s the part of this job we’d never suggest you DIY.
My XPS is still under Dell warranty — should I contact Dell or you?
Dell first, honestly. A swollen battery on an in-warranty machine is covered by Dell’s own process at no cost to you, and as independent specialists we’d never want you to pay for something Dell owes you. We look after the many XPS laptops that are outside warranty.
How much does an XPS battery replacement cost?
It’s quote-based, because the correct battery differs between XPS models and generations. We diagnose first, confirm the exact part, and give you a written quote before any work starts — and if a repair doesn’t make financial sense on an older machine, we’ll tell you rather than take the job.
Which XPS models does this affect?
Swelling with touchpad symptoms is widely reported on Dell’s own community forums for the XPS 15 9570 and 9560 and the XPS 13 9350 and 7390, but it isn’t limited to those. Any lithium-ion battery can swell with age, charge cycles or heat — the slim XPS chassis just shows it at the touchpad first.
Can you fix it the same day?
We treat swollen-battery jobs as urgent and can usually arrange collection quickly Mon–Fri 9–5, but we won’t promise a same-day fix — the right battery for your exact model sometimes has to be ordered, and we’d rather fit the correct part than rush the wrong one. We’ll give you a realistic timescale when we quote.
Are you Dell-authorised?
No — we’re independent and not authorised or endorsed by Dell. Our Dell relationship is as a reseller since 2001, and we’ve been repairing and supporting Dell machines across Dorset ever since. Family-run since 1995, rated 4.9 on Google.
Swollen battery? Don’t press it — talk to us today
Family-run, independent Dell specialists since 2001 (not authorised by Dell). Free local collection, diagnosis first, and a clear quote before any work. Mon–Fri 9–5 on 01202 775566, or text 07520 615332.
01202 775566 · help@365techies.co.uk · MON–FRI 9AM–5PM