The AA batteries are commonly used in portable electronic devices. The AA battery category has been standardized by ANSI in 1947, and was designated E91 by DIN and AM3 by JIS. Internationally the IEC designated the AA batteries as LR6 or alkaline, R6 or carbon-zinc, KR157/51 or nickel-cadmium, HR6 or nickel-metal-hydride, and FR6 or lithium-iron-disulfide. Other names also include MN1500 and HP7. In China, it is known as the #5 battery while in Germany it is known as Mignon. The AA battery is composed of a single electrochemical cell. An AA battery measures almost 51 mm in length, 13.5–14.5 mm in diameter. A traditional alkaline AA battery has mass of roughly 23 g, while the lithium AA batteries have mass around 15 g, and rechargeable NiMH batteries have mass about 31g.

The nominal output voltage of single-use AA batteries is 1.5 volts, while NiCd and NiMH rechargeable batteries have 1.2 V. The voltage of an AA battery is the same as a AAA battery, C cell or a D cell. But AA batteries, however, provide power for a longer period than AAA batteries, because their larger size allows them to store a greater mass of anode material, which is consumed as it does electrical work. Primary or non-rechargeable zinc-carbon AA batteries of 400–900 milliamp-hours capacity are commonly made using Leclanché cell technology while zinc-chloride batteries of 1000 to 1500 mAh are often tagged as long life or heavy duty.

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