Apple recently kicked off its battery replacement program for selected iPhone 5 units, Tech Times reported.

The program started on Aug. 22 in the U.S. and China. Users from other countries can have their batteries replaced starting on Aug. 29.

Based on the company's official statement, it discovered that a small percentage of iPhone 5 units were sold with defective batteries. Specifically, the batteries of these affected gadgets have a shorter life.

As a solution, Apple is offering a free battery replacement for iPhone 5 owners. The units eligible for the program were sold between September 2012 and January 2013, according to Forbes. Owners can also verify if their devices are included in the program by checking the unit's serial number through Apple's website.

The company noted, however, that the replacement program applies only to the iPhone 5, and not the 5C and 5S models.

Once owners have verified that their units are eligible for the program, they can either take their iPhone 5 to an authorized Apple service provider, contact the company's technical support or set an appointment with an Apple retail store.

If the iPhone 5 has other damages, like a cracked screen, the owner will have to pay for the repair fee before getting a battery replacement.

As for those who are eligible for the procedure but still bought a new battery prior to the replacement program, they can contact the company about receiving a refund.

Apple advised users that before having their batteries replaced, they should back up the iPhone 5 data using iTunes or iCloud. They should also switch off the device's Find my iPhone feature and erase the unit's personal settings and other contents to ensure the protection of their privacy, Time reported.

Aside from the battery replacement program, Apple also announced a similar procedure to replace the faulty sleep/wake buttons of selected iPhone 5 units.