Guide · updated 10 November 2026
AA and AAA battery voltage: alkaline, NiMH and lithium compared
A new alkaline AA reads about 1.60 V on a multimeter. A fully charged NiMH AA reads about 1.40 V, and a new lithium AA about 1.80 V. Same size, three scales. AAA cells follow the scale of AA cells of the same chemistry. Find the chemistry on the label, then use the matching column.
iPhone and iPad (iOS 17 or later): free on the App Store. Android later.
The chart: AA and AAA at rest
| Verdict | AA alkaline, AAA alkaline | AA NiMH, AAA NiMH | AA lithium, AAA lithium indicative |
|---|---|---|---|
| FULL | 1.55 and up | 1.35 and up | 1.78 and up |
| GOOD | 1.45 to 1.55 | 1.28 to 1.35 | 1.74 to 1.78 |
| WEAK | 1.30 to 1.45 | 1.20 to 1.28 | 1.70 to 1.74 |
| Below Weak | under 1.30REPLACE | under 1.20RECHARGE | under 1.70REPLACE |
Measured at rest, with nothing connected. A reading exactly on a boundary counts as the higher band. Indicative: few sources or a flat curve, so treat these bands as a guide.
How to measure an AA or AAA cell
- Take the cell out of the device and wait a minute.
- Set the multimeter to DC volts. On a meter without auto-range, pick the 2 V range.
- Touch the red probe to the end with the small raised cap (plus) and the black probe to the flat end (minus).
- Hold the probes still until the digits settle, and read the voltage with two decimals.
- Look it up in the column for the cell's chemistry.
Test every cell from a device on its own. One empty cell among good ones is enough to stop the device.
Alkaline
The voltage of an alkaline cell falls steadily as it empties, so the bands track the remaining charge well. From 1.45 V the cell is GOOD. Between 1.30 and 1.45 V it is WEAK: fine for a clock or a remote control, not for a camera or a toy. Under 1.30 V, replace it.
NiMH rechargeable
A NiMH cell works at about 1.2 V for most of its charge, and a charged one rests at 1.35 V or a little more. Never judge it on the alkaline scale: a healthy NiMH cell looks weak there. Under 1.20 V at rest, recharge it. More: NiMH rechargeable battery voltage.
Lithium, not rechargeable
A lithium AA holds about 1.80 V until it is nearly empty and then drops fast. A resting reading therefore says little: a cell at 1.74 V can have most of its life left or be near the end. Under 1.70 V it is close to empty. The lithium bands are indicative.
Why other pages give other numbers
You will find 1.2 V, 1.0 V and 0.8 V quoted as the voltage where an AA cell is dead. Those are voltages under load: datasheet discharge tests run an alkaline cell down to 0.8 or 0.9 V while it drives a load. At rest, with nothing connected, the same cell recovers and reads higher. A cell that rests under 1.30 V has already given up most of its charge, whatever the device's own cut-off is.
The shortcut in the app
Coming Coming in an app update. It is not in the app you can install today.
The battery tester in TestNMeasure has a tile for each of these: AA and AAA as alkaline, NiMH and lithium. Pick the tile, touch the probes to the cell, and the app shows FULL, GOOD, WEAK, REPLACE or RECHARGE with the next step. A reading above the range of the tile you picked says "Check the battery type", which catches a lithium cell tested as alkaline. More: Battery tester.
The app you can install today already shows the meter's reading large on your phone, with five stability bars that light when the reading is steady. One tap saves each reading with a label and a note, which helps when you sort a drawer of cells.
Where the numbers come from
The bands come from battery makers' datasheets and handbooks (Energizer for alkaline and lithium cells, Energizer and Duracell for NiMH) and common battery testers. They are the bands the app uses. You can also type a reading into the battery checker, or start from the general guide: how to test a battery with a multimeter.
What the app does here, and what it doesn't
| What it does | Plan |
|---|---|
| Pick the battery type and see FULL, GOOD, WEAK or the end of its life from the DC volts, with the next step. | Free Coming |
| A large readout that shows which digits have settled; OL and UL are shown as OL and UL, never as a number. | Free |
| Five stability bars show when a reading is steady. | Free |
| One tap saves the current reading, with an Undo. | Free |
| Add a text note and a short label to any capture. | Free |
Not yet, or not planned
- No load test: the battery tester reads the voltage without load, so it cannot show a car battery's cranking strength.
- Reads what your meter measures; it doesn't change the meter's accuracy or ranges.
Questions
What should an AA battery read on a multimeter?
A new alkaline AA reads about 1.60 V. It is FULL from 1.55 V and GOOD from 1.45 V. A charged NiMH AA reads 1.35 V or a little more, and a new lithium AA about 1.80 V.
At what voltage is an AA battery dead?
An alkaline AA that rests under 1.30 V is empty for most devices: replace it. A NiMH AA under 1.20 V at rest needs a recharge. A lithium AA under 1.70 V is close to empty.
Is 1.3 volts low for an AA battery?
For an alkaline AA, yes: 1.30 V is the bottom of the WEAK band, so the cell is nearly used up. For a NiMH rechargeable AA it is fine: that cell is GOOD from 1.28 V. For a lithium AA it means empty.
Is a 3.7 V battery an AA?
No. An AA battery is 1.5 V (alkaline or lithium) or 1.2 V (NiMH). A cell marked 3.7 V (or 3.6 V) is a Li-ion cell. Some Li-ion cells have the size of an AA and are sold as 14500, but they are not a replacement: more than twice the voltage can damage a device made for AA batteries.
How to check AA battery without tester?
A multimeter is enough. Set it to DC volts, touch red to the capped end and black to the flat end, and compare the reading with the chart for the cell's chemistry. The meter needs no battery-test range.
Try it in the demo
A simulation of the app in your browser, with made-up readings: no meter and no install needed.
Get TestNMeasure for iPhone and iPad.
iPhone and iPad (iOS 17 or later): free on the App Store. Android later.
Questions or a meter to suggest? Mail support@testnmeasure.app.
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