The discharge‐recharge cycle process of the lead dioxide electrode was followed by means of optical microscopy. The lead dioxide microstructure obtained from the original formation, using cured electrode materials consisting of a mixture of and basic lead sulfates, was different from that obtained by recharge from an electrode reduced to normal lead sulfate. The lead dioxide electrodes, obtained from various sources and with various microstructures in the original as‐formed condition, all converted to practically the same microstructure after receiving only a few cycles. Although the microstructure underwent further change with increasing cycling, the plates from different manufacturers continued to resemble one another after any given number of cycles.