Philips HeartStart FRx at a glance
The Philips HeartStart FRx is a rugged, semi-automatic public access AED for people trained in basic life support or AED use. It's a prescription device in the US, approved by the FDA in 2020 and still listed and supported there.
| Detail | Philips HeartStart FRx |
|---|---|
| Made by | Philips; since January 8, 2026, Heartstream, under a Philips brand license |
| Shock | Semi-automatic: 150 J for adults, 50 J with the Infant/Child Key |
| Adult pads | SMART Pads II 989803139261, use-by date at least 2 years from manufacture |
| Children | Same pads plus the Infant/Child Key 989803139311 |
| Battery | M5070A lithium, typically 4 years installed |
| Self-test | Daily, pre-connected pads included, plus weekly and monthly tests |
| Ready indicator | Blinking green Ready light |
| CPR help | Spoken CPR guidance and a metronome, started with the blue i-button |
| Standby range | 32 to 122°F (0 to 50°C) |
| FDA approval | May 11, 2020 (P180028) |
Philips built the FRx for responders with basic life support or AED training. It's sealed to IP55 against dust and jets of water, rated to survive a 4-foot drop, and weighs about 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) with its battery and pads. It's semi-automatic, so it shocks only when the rescuer presses the flashing orange Shock button. Philips gives it an expected service life of 10 years. Its CPR guidance, started by pressing the blue i-button early in the CPR pause, talks the rescuer through each step and adds a metronome, but it doesn't measure compressions.
The FRx now comes from Heartstream. Philips sold its emergency care business, maker of HeartStart AEDs, to Bridgefield Capital on January 8, 2026, and Heartstream sells HeartStart models under a Philips brand license. Its US site lists three AEDs: the FRx, the OnSite and the HeartStart Home. For the FRx it offers a Get in touch button rather than online ordering, along with support videos and the US Owner's Manual (Edition 15, March 2023) used here.
Other Philips (now Heartstream) models we cover: Philips HeartStart OnSite, Philips HeartStart FR3 and Philips HeartStart FR2 and FR2+.
Philips HeartStart FRx pads
The FRx uses HeartStart SMART Pads II (989803139261) on adults and children alike. Each package carries a use-by date at least 2 years after manufacture; replace the pads by that date and after every use.
SMART Pads II come pre-connected: the cable stays plugged into the FRx and the pads wait in their closed case, so the daily self-test can check them. A new FRx ships with one set installed. Keep the case shut until a rescue so the gel doesn't dry out, and fit new pads after any use. SMART Pads II don't work in the OnSite, and the OnSite and Home cartridges don't fit the FRx.
When you fit new pads, Philips asks you to write their expiration date on a fresh maintenance tag. It also recommends storing a spare pads case and a spare battery with the AED, and the FRx carry case has room for both. Used pads go out as infectious waste; recycle the empty case.
Using the Philips HeartStart FRx on children
Yes. For a child aged 8 or younger, or under 55 pounds (25 kg), fit the Infant/Child Key (989803139311) and keep using the same SMART Pads II. The FRx then cuts its shock from 150 to 50 joules.
The Infant/Child Key (989803139311) covers infants and children aged 8 or younger, or under 55 pounds (25 kg). Insert it before placing the pads. The FRx then announces Infant/Child Mode, cuts its shock from 150 to 50 joules and switches its CPR guidance to infants and children. Philips places the pads front and back, and it doesn't matter which pad goes on the chest. If the key comes out during a rescue, the FRx returns to adult mode.
Don't store the FRx with the key in place: the daily self-test fails and the AED chirps. Philips's manual lists the key's size and material but gives it no expiration date, so it only needs replacing if it's lost or damaged.
For the general rules on child pads, ages and placement, see our guide to pediatric AED pads.
Philips HeartStart FRx battery
The FRx takes the M5070A, the same non-rechargeable lithium battery as the OnSite and HeartStart Home. Install it by the date on its label and expect it to last about 4 years in the AED.
The M5070A is a disposable 9-volt, 4.2 amp-hour lithium manganese dioxide battery, and a new FRx comes with one installed. Philips rates a new battery for at least 200 shocks or 4 hours of use. Before installation it keeps for at least 5 years from manufacture, so go by the install-by date on its label; once in the FRx it typically lasts about 4 years.
FRx units sold for aircraft come with a TSO-certified aviation battery, part 989803139301, which has the same ratings. The FRx checks its battery in every daily self-test. When the battery runs low, the FRx chirps and the blue i-button flashes, and at that point it can still give 9 shocks and 15 minutes of monitoring. Recycle used batteries.
How other models compare is in our AED battery replacement guide.
Philips HeartStart FRx part numbers and shelf life
These are the parts an FRx owner replaces, with Philips's part numbers and shelf lives. Only the pads and batteries expire; the Infant/Child Key carries no expiration date.
| Part | Part number | Shelf life | Replace |
|---|---|---|---|
| HeartStart SMART Pads II Adults, and children with the Infant/Child Key | 989803139261 | Use-by date at least 2 years from manufacture | By the use-by date, or after any use |
| Infant/Child Key Children under 55 lb (25 kg) or up to 8 years | 989803139311 | Not stated by Philips (no expiration date) | If lost or damaged |
| M5070A battery Battery (also fits the OnSite and HeartStart Home) | M5070A | At least 5 years from manufacture before installing; typically 4 years installed | When the FRx warns of a low battery (typically about 4 years after installing) |
| FRx Aviation Battery Pack FRx units sold for aircraft (TSO-certified) | 989803139301 | Same as the M5070A: at least 5 years before installing; typically 4 years installed | When the FRx warns of a low battery |
Need replacements? Total AEDs, AED Log’s sister store, sells pads, batteries and the AED itself for the Philips HeartStart FRx. Any authorized distributor works; the FDA advises buying AED accessories only from authorized sources.
Philips HeartStart FRx self-test and status indicator
The FRx checks its battery, its pre-connected pads and its internal circuits every day, plus further weekly and monthly tests. A blinking green Ready light means it's ready; chirps mean it needs attention.
Every day the FRx checks its battery, the connected SMART Pads II and its internal circuits, and it also runs weekly and monthly periodic tests. Taking the battery out for five seconds and putting it back runs a fuller battery insertion test that takes about a minute. Because that test drains the battery, Philips suggests running it only at first setup, after each use, after a battery change, or if the AED may have been damaged.
A dark Ready light with single chirps and a flashing i-button means a self-test error, a pads problem, a key left in or a low battery; press the i-button to hear which. Triple chirps point to a possibly serious fault: take the FRx out of service and contact Heartstream. No light and no chirps means no battery, a flat battery or a unit that needs repair.
If the indicator ever shows a problem, our guide to AED self-test failures and status lights covers what to do first.
Philips HeartStart FRx maintenance checklist
Philips asks FRx owners to check the Ready light, replace used, damaged or expired supplies and inspect the case periodically, logging each check. It doesn't set a fixed interval.
- The Ready light blinks green, and the FRx isn't chirping.
- The SMART Pads II case is closed, within its use-by date and plugged into the FRx.
- The Infant/Child Key isn't left inserted in the FRx.
- The installed battery hasn't reached a low-battery warning, and any spare is within its install-by date.
- The case has no cracks or other damage, and the FRx is stored between 32 and 122°F (0 and 50°C).
- A spare pads case and spare battery are on hand, as Philips recommends.
- The check is recorded in your inspection log.
After the Philips HeartStart FRx is used
- Check the outside of the FRx for damage or dirt, and plug in a new set of SMART Pads II.
- Remove the Infant/Child Key if it was used.
- Check supplies for damage and expiration dates, then update the maintenance tag and inspection log.
- Unless your protocol says to leave the battery in, take it out for five seconds and put it back to run the self-test.
Print our free AED inspection checklist to record each check, or read the full AED maintenance guide.
Philips HeartStart FRx recalls
The FDA's recall database lists several Class II recalls of the FRx since 2012. All are closed except a 2021 notice to owners who missed earlier recalls, which is still open.
| Date | Product | Class | What it’s about and what to do | Status | FDA record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 9, 2021 | HeartStart FR2, FRx, HS1 (34 units) | II | Owners missed by earlier recalls. Philips exchanges affected AEDs; return the reply form. | Open | Z-0078-2022 |
| Sep 10, 2019 | HeartStart FRx and HS1 (140 units) | II | Circuit assemblies repaired outside required procedures; units replaced. | Closed 2024 | Z-1271-2020 |
| Mar 14, 2018 | HeartStart FRx and HS1 | II | A resistor issue could prevent a shock. | Closed 2020 | Z-1913-2018 |
| Jul 26, 2012 | HeartStart FRx and HS1 (OnSite, Home) shipped December 2005 to July 2012 | II | Philips clarified the maintenance information in its owner’s manuals and asked owners to contact it to confirm their AED was working. | Closed 2020 | Z-0642-2013 |
Every AED recall, by manufacturer, is on our AED recall list.
How AED Log tracks the Philips HeartStart FRx
In AED Log you pick the Philips HeartStart FRx from the built-in catalog, record its pads and battery with their lot numbers and dates, and get a warning before either expires, plus a monthly inspection reminder.
Each pad set and battery is its own record with its own expiration date, so a pad set or battery never lapses unnoticed. Choose the part from the catalog and its shelf life fills in the expiration date for you; you can always type the date printed on the package instead. Alerts go out by email, Slack, Teams or Discord to the people responsible for that site, and the monthly inspection checklist asks about the status indicator, the pads and the battery. See pad and battery expiration tracking and AED management for more, or see every AED model.
Philips HeartStart FRx FAQ
How long do Philips HeartStart FRx pads last?
Philips labels each SMART Pads II package with a use-by date at least 2 years after manufacture. Replace the pads by that date and after any use. The same pads serve adults and, with the Infant/Child Key, children.
How long does the Philips HeartStart FRx battery last?
The M5070A battery keeps at least 5 years from manufacture before installation, so fit it by the date on its label. Once in the FRx it typically lasts about 4 years. The FRx chirps and flashes its blue i-button when the battery is low.
Can you use the Philips HeartStart FRx on a child?
Yes. For a child aged 8 or younger, or under 55 pounds (25 kg), fit the Infant/Child Key and use the regular SMART Pads II. The FRx then lowers its shock from 150 to 50 joules. Don't store it with the key installed.
What battery does the Philips HeartStart FRx take?
The M5070A, a non-rechargeable 9-volt lithium manganese dioxide battery that also fits the OnSite and HeartStart Home. FRx units sold for aircraft use the TSO-certified aviation battery 989803139301 instead.
Does the Philips HeartStart FRx need a prescription?
Yes. The FRx is a prescription device in the US, so a physician's order is needed to buy one. The OnSite, by contrast, is sold over the counter with its adult pads cartridge.