CellChart
Comparison

CR2016 vs CR1620

The CR2016 and CR1620 are 3 volt lithium coin cells whose codes use the same four digits in a different order. The CR2016 is 20 mm across and 1.6 mm tall with 85 to 90 mAh. The CR1620 is 16 mm across and 2 mm tall with 75 to 78. Nothing about them interchanges.

CR2016 and CR1620 drawn side by side at the same scale: CR2016 is 20 mm across, 1.6 mm thick; CR1620 is 16 mm across, 2 mm thickCR2016CR1620 CR2016 3V + ⌀ 20 mm 1.6 mm CR1620 3V + ⌀ 16 mm 2 mm
CR2016 vs CR1620 at the same scale: 20 mm across, 1.6 mm thick against 16 mm across, 2 mm thick.
CR2016CR1620
ChemistryLithium manganese dioxide (Li/MnO2)Lithium manganese dioxide (Li/MnO2)
Voltage3 V3 V
Diameter20 mm16 mm
Height1.6 mm2 mm
Capacity85-90 mAh75-78 mAh
Also sold asDL2016, ECR2016, BR2016 (wide-temp variant), 5000LCDL1620, ECR1620, BR1620 (wide-temp variant)

Read the digits as a size rather than a model number. The first pair is the diameter in millimeters, the last pair the height in tenths, so the CR2016 is 20 mm wide and 1.6 mm tall while the CR1620 is 16 mm wide and 2 mm tall. Four millimeters of diameter settles the question. A CR1620 dropped into a CR2016 holder sits well inside the contact ring and connects to nothing, and a CR2016 will not enter a 16 mm recess at all. The spring-contact tolerance that rescues same-diameter pairs does not exist here.

The capacity ordering catches people out. The CR2016 holds 85 to 90 mAh and the CR1620 holds 75 to 78, so the thinner cell carries more, because width adds far more volume than four tenths of a millimeter of height. Both are working key fob cells. The CR1620 is standard in plenty of Toyota, Mazda and Nissan remotes and also fits digital watches, slim laser pointers and small remotes. The CR2016 appears in fobs too, alongside pocket calculators, digital watches and LED novelties.

One trap belongs to the CR2016 alone. LED novelties and some fobs stack two of them in series for 6 volts, in the space a single CR2032 would fill. If two thin cells came out, two go back, bought together and changed together. Nothing like that happens with the CR1620. For either size, note which way up the cell sat before lifting it out, since a reversed coin cell is the usual reason a fob stays dead after a fresh battery. The brand prefixes cover the same parts: DL2016 and ECR2016, DL1620 and ECR1620.

All about CR2016 All about CR1620

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a CR1620 instead of a CR2016?
No. The CR1620 is 16 mm across and the CR2016 is 20, so the smaller cell sits well inside the contact ring and connects to nothing. Going the other way, a 20 mm cell will not enter a 16 mm recess at all. Match the code on the old battery.
Which holds more charge, the CR2016 or the CR1620?
The CR2016, at 85 to 90 mAh against 75 to 78. That surprises people, since the CR1620 is the thicker of the two. Volume decides it, and four extra millimeters of diameter count for more than four tenths of a millimeter of height.
Why are the CR2016 and CR1620 codes so alike?
Because both numbers describe a size, and these two happen to use the same digits in a different order. The first pair is the diameter in millimeters, the second pair the height in tenths. CR2016 reads 20 by 1.6, CR1620 reads 16 by 2.0. Read them that way and mix-ups stop.
How long does each cell last in a key fob?
A CR2016 runs one to two years in a fob and a CR1620 two to three, since both draw current only while the button transmits. Cold weather cuts output temporarily, so a tired cell usually fails first in winter. Shrinking range is the cue to replace it.

⚠️ Keep away from children. Swallowed button batteries, especially 20 mm lithium coins, cause severe injury within hours. If a child swallows one, call the 24/7 National Battery Ingestion Hotline (US) at 800-498-8666 or poison control at 800-222-1222 immediately. What every parent should know.