Dell Latitude E6540 Battery Replacement

Introduction

If you own one of these laptops, you are likely referencing this guide because your system shipped with the Core i7/Radeon 8790M GPU with a 6-cell battery that is either prematurely consumed, or does not run long due to the power draw this configuration is known for.
This guide will show you how to replace the battery in the E6540.

Note: If you have a slice battery installed, the slice battery must be removed first.

Along with battery replacement instructions, this guide will show you where the COA is located with versions of the system that shipped with Windows 7 (which is the vast majority) on most E-series Dell laptops of this era. When you are not using Dell SLIC media, this key is required to activate Windows.
Note: On Windows 8.1 systems, the key is stored in the BIOS and a tamper-evident sticker is attached to the bottom of the service panel on the laptop.

What you need

Step 1 Hibernate your laptop

Dell Latitude E6540 Battery Replacement, Hibernate your laptop: step 1, image 1 of 2

Dell Latitude E6540 Battery Replacement, Hibernate your laptop: step 1, image 2 of 2

It is possible to plug the laptop in to avoid hibernating the system.
Locate the Hibernate option in the Start menu. Let the system fully hibernate (or shut down) before removing the battery.

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Step 2 Unlock the battery

Dell Latitude E6540 Battery Replacement, Unlock the battery: step 2, image 1 of 2

Dell Latitude E6540 Battery Replacement, Unlock the battery: step 2, image 2 of 2

Flip the laptop over and unlock the 2 battery tabs. The tabs will remain unlocked until the battery is removed.

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Step 3 Remove the old battery

Dell Latitude E6540 Battery Replacement, Remove the old battery: step 3, image 1 of 3

Dell Latitude E6540 Battery Replacement, Remove the old battery: step 3, image 2 of 3

Dell Latitude E6540 Battery Replacement, Remove the old battery: step 3, image 3 of 3

The "extended runtime" battery on this model will stick out a few inches by design. This cannot be avoided.
Remove the battery. Pull the battery up from the back.

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Step 4 Install the new battery

Dell Latitude E6540 Battery Replacement, Install the new battery: step 4, image 1 of 3

Dell Latitude E6540 Battery Replacement, Install the new battery: step 4, image 2 of 3

Dell Latitude E6540 Battery Replacement, Install the new battery: step 4, image 3 of 3

This step does not apply if this guide is being used as a prerequisite.
Align the battery with the tabs on the chassis. Drop the battery in place once lined up. If needed, use light pressure to seat it in the computer.