Tech companies haven’t always made it easy for consumers to repair their products. Without the manuals, parts, and tools we need, there aren’t many options available, and lobbying paid for by many big companies has worked to keep it that way.
Thankfully, the right-to-repair movement has picked up momentum over the past couple of years, putting pressure on giants like Apple, Samsung, Google, and even John Deere to make it easier for both consumers and independent repair shops to repair their devices. While both Apple and Samsung now have self-repair programs that let customers fix their own devices, there’s still a long way to go to make them more widely applicable, available, and cheaper.
In a handful of US states, lawmakers have signed right-to-repair laws pressing companies to improve the repairability of their products. New York passed a right-to-repair law last year, but it went into effect with amendments that introduced OEM-friendly loopholes. Meanwhile, other states, including Minnesota and Colorado, have been more successful recently in passing right-to-repair laws of their own.
You can catch up on all the latest right-to-repair developments in the stream below.
Highlights
Jul 3
The FTC is investigating PC manufacturers who scare you away from your right to repair
Ever seen one of those “warranty void if removed” stickers covering the screw holes on a gadget? Today, the FTC is reminding ASRock, Gigabyte, and Zotac that they’re illegal.
Read Article >In fact, the FTC sent letters to ASRock, Gigabyte, and Zotac that suggest the FTC’s concerns aren’t just
skinsticker-deep. Each letter tells the manufacturer to change its warranty and review its customer support practices to make sure they aren’t illegally threatening your warranty.Jun 26
Apple will soon offer better support for third-party iPhone displays and batteries
Photo by Dan Seifert / The VergeApple’s putting renewed focus on its repairability efforts today. The company has extended its self-service diagnostics tool to Europe, giving customers in 32 countries an easier way to test products for potential issues.
Read Article >But perhaps more interesting is the fact that Apple also published a new whitepaper — “Longevity, by Design” (PDF link) — that explains “the company’s principles for designing for longevity.” I’m sure there’ll be a lot of analysis about every page, but within the paper is actually some news: Apple says that later this year, it will extend more software features to third-party iPhone components.
Jun 24
iFixit looks inside the new Surface AI PCs.The first wave of Copilot Plus PCs has landed, and iFixit has already posted a Surface Pro and Surface Laptop teardown.
There’s no magic AI dust to fix the Recall mess, but they are notably repairable, with icons and QR codes to ease the process if that affects your buying decision. Expect more from us soon about how these match up with Microsoft’s promises.
Jun 6
Google nixed the scary language about stealing your phone if you use unauthorized repair parts.Old:
Unauthorized Parts: You will not send in a Device containing non-Google-authorized parts – if You do, Your Device will not be returned to you.
Unauthorized Parts: If You send a Device containing non-Google-authorized parts for repair, in certain situations (e.g., safety), Service Provider may not be able to repair Your Device. Service Provider will return Your Device except when health or safety requirements prevent us from doing so. If Service Provider can’t return Your Device, Google will work with You on next steps.
Google claims it never actually kept people’s phones.
May 23
The Samsung right-to-repair story just got worse
Image: SamsungiFixit just broke up with Samsung over its shaky commitment to right to repair, but things may be worse than we thought. Samsung is apparently forcing independent repair shops to give up your personally identifying information — and report you for using aftermarket parts.
Read Article >404 Media has now obtained a leaked copy of a contract between Samsung and an independent service provider, which states that for every repair, an independent repair shop must send Samsung your name, address, telephone number, your phone’s unique serial number and IMEI, your “customer complaint,” and all the details of your repair.
May 23
iFixit is breaking up with Samsung
A Samsung phone, opened up to suggest repair. Image: SamsungiFixit and Samsung are parting ways. Two years after they teamed up on one of the first direct-to-consumer phone repair programs, iFixit CEO and co-founder Kyle Wiens tells The Verge the two companies have failed to renegotiate a contract — and says Samsung is to blame.
Read Article >“Samsung does not seem interested in enabling repair at scale,” Wiens tells me, even though similar deals are going well with Google, Motorola, and HMD.
May 14
On The Vergecast: iPad wins, Sonos misses, and right-to-repair tales
Image: Alex Parkin / The VergeThe new iPads are out, and they’re terrific. They’re also expensive, and they’re a lot of iPad. Do you really need an OLED screen, an M4 processor, all that engineering to make it so thin and light, and the increasingly great but also increasingly expensive new controllers?
Read Article >On this episode of The Vergecast, we explore that very question with The Verge’s Chris Welch, who uses the iPad in as varied and powerful a way as you’ll find. We talk about the upsides of OLED, the pros and cons of huge screens, and what really makes an iPad an iPad.
May 7
Compression-mounted laptop RAM is fast, efficient, and upgradeable
The first laptop with LPCAMM2 memory is finally here. The folks at iFixit got their hands on the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 (Gen 7), which uses LPDDR5X memory in an LPCAMM2 module that you can upgrade or replace by simply unscrewing from the laptop’s motherboard.
Read Article >That’s a major change from existing LPDDR memory in most modern laptops. This type of memory is typically soldered onto the motherboard, making it much more difficult to upgrade. LPCAMM2 — or Low-Power Compression-Attached Memory Module — offers modularity without losing the power efficiency of LPDDR.
Apr 30
Kobo and iFixit partner for OEM parts and repair guides
Here’s what the inside of your Kobo looks like. Image: iFixitE-readers might be relatively cheap when compared to your typical smartphone, but it’s still a bummer when they break, given how hard it is to find parts for them. Now, iFixit has announced that it’s offering OEM replacement parts for certain Kobo e-readers, along with detailed guides on how to install them, starting today. The first e-readers being supported are Kobo’s latest: Kobo Clara Colour, the Clara BW, and the Libra Colour.
Read Article >Kobo owners can buy OEM batteries, motherboards, front and back covers, and screen assemblies for those devices on iFixit’s new Kobo Repair Hub page. iFixit has a detailed guide for installing each part.
Apr 23
The EU’s new right-to-repair rules make companies fix your device after a warranty expires
Cath Virginia / The VergeThe European Union has officially adopted a new set of right-to-repair rules designed to encourage people to repair broken devices, rather than replace them. One of the rules extends a product’s warranty by one year if it’s repaired while still covered.
Read Article >The European Union already requires companies to offer a two-year minimum warranty on products, but these new rules take things a step further. Even after the warranty period ends, companies are “still required to repair common household products,” including smartphones, TVs, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and other items. If a product breaks while under warranty, consumers can choose between a replacement or a repair. If they choose to repair, the warranty will be extended for a year.
Apr 11
Apple will open the iPhone to repair with used parts
Photo by Dan Seifert / The VergeApple is finally making it easier for users to repair their iPhones with used parts. In an update on Thursday, the company announced that this fall, owners of “select” iPhone models will be able to repair their devices with used, genuine parts while retaining full functionality.
Read Article >When repairing a phone, Apple requires iPhone users to go through a process called parts pairing, which makes them match the serial number of their device to that of a new part sold by Apple. If a user replaced a part with an aftermarket or used component, the iPhone would display pesky notifications saying that Apple isn’t able to verify the newly installed piece. In the case of Face ID and Touch ID sensors, the part might not work at all.
Mar 27
Oregon’s governor signs right-to-repair law that bans ‘parts pairing’
Oregon joins Minnesota, California, and New York in giving consumers and repair shops more control over device repairs. Image: iFixitOregon Governor Tina Kotek has now signed one of the strongest US right-to-repair bills into law after it passed the state legislature several weeks ago by an almost 3-to-1 margin. Oregon’s SB 1596 will take effect next year, and, like similar laws introduced in Minnesota and California, it requires device manufacturers to allow consumers and independent electronics businesses to purchase the necessary parts and equipment required to make their own device repairs.
Read Article >Oregon’s rules, however, are the first to ban “parts pairing” — a practice manufacturers use to prevent replacement components from working unless the company’s software approves them. These protections also prevent manufacturers from using parts pairing to reduce device functionality or performance or display any misleading warning messages about unofficial components installed within a device. Current devices are excluded from the ban, which only applies to gadgets manufactured after January 1st, 2025.
Mar 21
Microsoft’s new Surface devices are easier to repair than ever before
The new Surface Pro 10 for Business is easier to repair. Image: MicrosoftMicrosoft is making it easier to service and repair its new Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 devices. The software giant is adding QR codes on the internal components of both new Surface devices, alongside internal markings on the Surface Pro 10 for Business, to make it easier to identify the screws and driver types for certain components.
Read Article >“They have easy serviceability with clear visual icons and built-in repair instructions,” explains Nancie Gaskill, general manager of the Surface business, in an interview with The Verge. These changes make the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 the “most easily serviceable Surface devices ever,” according to Gaskill.
Mar 14
The FTC and DOJ think McDonald’s ice cream machines should be legal to fix
Image: iFixit via YouTubeThe Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice’s antitrust division filed a comment with the US Copyright Office asking for an expanded exemption to copyright law for the right to repair certain devices. The comment was submitted on Thursday, amid the Copyright Office’s deliberations over whether to issue new exemptions to Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), a law that prohibits breaking software copy protection. Under Section 1201, repairing your own devices can often become a copyright violation.
Read Article >Exemptions to DMCA Section 1201 are issued every three years, as per the Register of Copyrights’ recommendation. Prior exemptions have been issued for jailbreaking cellphones and repairing certain parts of video game consoles. The FTC and DOJ are asking the Copyright Office to go a step further, extending the right to repair to “commercial and industrial equipment.” The comment singles out four distinct categories that would benefit from DMCA exemptions: commercial soft serve machines; proprietary diagnostic kits; programmable logic controllers; and enterprise IT.
Mar 5
Oregon is about to sign — or veto — the strongest right-to-repair law yet
Photo by Sean Hollister / The VergeOregon’s landmark right-to-repair law is nearly here — today, SB 1596 passed the Oregon legislature, and is headed to Governor Tina Kotek’s desk to sign or veto within the next five days. It’s a big deal, because the Oregon law would be the first to ban “parts pairing,” a practice where companies can keep you from using components (sometimes even official ones) unless that company’s software is satisfied that they belong.
Read Article >Similar to California’s right-to-repair law, the Oregon bill also requires companies to make the same parts, tools, and repair documents available to any owners that it offers to authorized repair shops, and without charging any more for them.
Feb 21
Framework is selling a cheap modular laptop
A picture of the Framework 13 from The Verge’s 2021 review. Photo by Monica Chin / The VergeFramework is now selling a $499 version of its modular 2021 Laptop 13, a “barebones configuration” equipped with an 11th-generation Intel i7-1165G7 CPU (Intel is now on its 14th generation for mobile processors). The company says this is a first for its affordable “B-stock Factory Seconds” machines that use leftover parts and ship without memory or storage included. So it’s cheap, but you’ll need to provide a couple of parts on your own.
Read Article >Framework writes in its announcement that it’s also selling refurbished DDR4 RAM for half what it would cost new “to reduce the all-in price.” The base B-stock Laptop 13 configuration is one step up from the version that Monica Chin said in her Verge review was “uniquely friendly to user upgrades,” but notably lacked available screen or GPU upgrades.
Feb 20
The right to repair — and play games anywhere
Image: Alex Parkin / The VergeLast year was a big one for the right-to-repair movement, with California and other states passing laws that promised consumers they can fix their own stuff — or take that stuff to a third-party repair shop without breaking their warranty or their gadgets. This year, more states are considering laws to the same effect, and the tech industry appears to be more behind the effort than ever. (Some companies appear to be only begrudgingly behind it, but it’s a win for the movement nonetheless.)
Read Article >But whenever you ask about the state of the right-to-repair fight, you tend to hear a lot of optimism and then two scary-sounding words: parts pairing. Those words, and what they mean for your ability to actually fix your stuff, are what might be holding back a true repair revolution.
Feb 9
Apple argues against right-to-repair bill that would reduce its control
Photo by Dan Seifert / The VergeApple might’ve backed a right-to-repair bill in California, but it was spotted lobbying against a new bill in Oregon that tries to ban the practice known as parts pairing. Cybersecurity expert Tarah Wheeler posted footage from and testified during a hearing about the state’s proposed right-to-repair bill, where testimony showed the company doesn’t want to give up full control of the repair process, as reported earlier by 404 Media. John Perry, Apple’s senior manager for the secure design team, said that Apple uses parts pairing to “make repair easier” while ensuring the device and its data “remains secure.”
Read Article >The bill in question, SB 1596, would require companies to provide the documentation, tools, and parts both customers and independent repair shops need to fix broken products. However, unlike the bill in California, it also targets parts pairing, a restriction imposed by companies like Apple that can prevent customers from repairing a device with aftermarket parts.
Jan 24
Samsung is making DIY fixes easier for some of its TVs
Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeSamsung is making parts and repair guides available for a bunch more of its devices, including three sizes of this year’s The Frame TV and both of its flagship foldable phones. The company says that for many of the TV and other display repairs, you’ll only need simple tools like a screwdriver to make a fix happen.
Read Article >Samsung says DIYers will be able to replace “parts related to picture, power, WiFi connection, [and] sound” for various display types. Users can also buy repair guides and parts for some of the company’s 2023 soundbars. Samsung even says all it takes to do any of these repairs are “common tools like a Phillips-head screwdriver.” (From experience, I urge you to be careful popping the bezel off the TV. The “TAB” connections from the motherboard to the display are fragile and not worth trying to replace.)
Jan 23
Framework Laptop 16 review: two weeks with the ultimate modular laptop
The Framework Laptop 16. Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The VergeThe Framework Laptop 16 is the most ambitious notebook I’ve ever touched. There’s never been anything like it before. There’s so much to cover that it won’t fit in this review, so I’m hosting an AMA today on The Verge to answer your burning questions.
Read Article >Never has a computer company made a laptop so user-repairable, so customizable, so… modular. Never have I owned a laptop that’s a workhorse by day, physically transforms into a competent gaming PC by night, then morphs into an RGB-LED-studded five-screen DJ controller when the mood strikes. Never have I swapped out a laptop’s entire butt for a bigger one containing a discrete graphics card, then powered the whole rig with a world’s first 180-watt USB-C PD power supply. And never have I been able to lift out a laptop’s keyboard and touchpad, shift them to the left or right, then add a numpad, or a matrix of dazzling LEDs, or a simple pop of color alongside.
Jan 21
iFixit says getting to the Motocompacto’s battery is “a bit of a pain in the arse chore.”The site’s teardown showed the company’s engineers “spared at least some thought” to making it something you can fix yourself, ultimately giving it a middling score.
One thing is for sure: it is a suitcase-shaped electric scooter.
Jan 11
Google supports Oregon’s Right to Repair bill.The company “reaffirm”-ed its support for the bill, SB 542, and released a white paper about its “approach to repair,” as spelled out in a blog post. Google couldn’t resist a swipe at Apple, which has been criticized for its parts pairing practices:
We also do not require burdensome parts pairing or registration, meaning that a properly installed screen or battery will work no matter who is doing the repair. This accessibility is table-stakes, as far as we are concerned.
Nov 13, 2023
The right-to-repair movement is just getting started
Illustration by Nico H. Brausch for The VergeSeveral months back, Apple refurbisher John Bumstead received a batch of about 20 MacBooks from an e-waste recycler. Bumstead, who routinely refurbishes MacBooks that are more than 10 years old, shouldn’t have had a problem salvaging these computers, the oldest of which were from 2018. But only half of them were fully restorable.
Read Article >Five of the MacBooks were “activation locked,” meaning the prior owner had forgotten to wipe the device and nobody else could reactivate it. Another five had broken screens that would lose True Tone unless Bumstead replaced them with expensive new screens from Apple, something that would have eaten up most of the revenue he could earn refurbishing them.
Nov 9, 2023
Maine’s right-to-repair law for cars wins with 84 percent of the vote
A January 13, 2020 picture from a right to repair hearing in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo: David L. Ryan / The Boston Globe / Getty ImagesThe right-to-repair movement gained a significant victory yesterday as a Maine law regarding auto repair rights won over 84 percent public support, according to Ballotpedia’s unofficial tally. As 404 Media reported, the “Question 4” measure asked if voters want auto manufacturers to enable owners and their preferred mechanics to access their car’s diagnostics systems. Voters said yes.
Read Article >Maine follows four states that enacted new right-to-repair laws this year. In California, a law signed into effect last month now guarantees seven years of parts for electronics and appliances.
Oct 26, 2023
iFixit now sells Microsoft Surface parts for repair
Image: iFixitiFixit has started selling genuine replacement parts for Microsoft Surface devices. The company now offers SSDs, batteries, screens, kickstands, and a whole bunch of other parts for 15 Surface products.
Read Article >Some of the devices on that list include the Surface Pro 9, Surface Laptop 5, Surface Go 4, Surface Studio 2 Plus, and others. You can check out the entire list of supported products and parts in this post on Microsoft’s website. In addition to supplying replacement parts, iFixit also offers disassembly videos and guides for each product, as well as toolkits that include things like an opening tool, tweezers, drivers, and more.