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Galaxy Ring gets stuck to its owner’s finger because of a swollen battery [UPDATED]

The owner of the smart ring had to visit a hospital to get it removed from his finger.

By Ilia Temelkov

Updated: Oct 02, 2025, 1:36 PM

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Galaxy Ring gets stuck to its owner’s finger because of a swollen battery [UPDATED]

Update from October 2, 2025:

A Samsung spokesperson reached out to us with the following statement:

“The safety of customers is our top priority. This is an extremely rare case, and we are in direct contact with Mr. Rotar to retrieve the product and learn about the concerns.”

Original story from September 29, 2025 follows below:

Samsung’s Galaxy Ring is meant to be an unobtrusive health tracker, but an apparent malfunction led to a hospital visit and a missed flight for one owner of the ring.

A swollen battery makes a Galaxy Ring get stuck on its owner’s finger

Just before boarding a flight, tech YouTuber Daniel Rotar shared on X that his Galaxy Ring has started swelling while on his finger. He shared photos of the malformed device and reported that he couldn’t take it off, and it caused him pain. He said he tried using water and soap to help remove it, but that only made the battery expand further.

The close-up photos of the Galaxy Ring show the expanded inner part of the ring pushing into Rotar’s finger. The outer part of the device is made of titanium, which wouldn’t expand to give space for the swollen battery. Rotar said his ring had some issues before, as its battery stopped lasting for more than a day and a half, but when the accident happened, its battery was depleted.

A missed flight and a trip to the hospital

Samsung Galaxy Ring. Image Credit – PhoneArena

A couple of hours later, Rotar reported that he was denied boarding to his flight and was sent to a hospital to get the ring removed. There, doctors used ice to reduce the swelling of his finger and a medical lubricant.

Images of the ring off his finger show the inside part of it visibly damaged. Part of the inner plastic appears distorted and is separating from the case. The experience made Rotar write, “Won’t be wearing a smart ring ever again.”

Do you have a smart ring?

Yes, I have a Galaxy Ring

10.75%

Yes, but it’s from another brand

5.38%

No, but I plan getting one

16.13%

No, and I don’t want one

67.74%

That wouldn’t be the first report of a swelling Galaxy Ring battery we’ve seen online. A few months ago, a Reddit user shared that his ring expanded while on his finger, though not as bad as Rotar’s images suggest.

That’s a scary story

Batteries expand sometimes, and Samsung is very well informed about that fact. I don’t think that accident is a sign of a bigger problem with the Galaxy Ring’s battery. However, it’s a good reminder that people should take care of their devices’ batteries. More importantly, if you experience any battery issues, don’t wait and reach out for a battery check before they become bigger.

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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.

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