Apple’s DIY repair service is now available in the US

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Apple is launching a phone repair service in the US today that will include spare parts for older phones. Apple said it would sell over 200 individual parts and tools to customers. They are only available in the US for now, but Apple plans to expand the program to other countries as well as additional devices, like Macs with M1 chips, later this year.

Apple's Self Service Repair Store has parts available. The company said in a press release that tool rental kits will be available to rent for seven days at a cost of $49 for customers who don't want to buy tools.

Apple has historically placed limits on the availability of genuine replacement parts. Apple's devices have occasionally shown ominous warning signs if they have been repaired with non-genuine components. With the Self Service Repair initiative, anyone in the US can buy a replacement part directly from Apple, without fear of it malfunctioning.

The majority of customers should still go to a professional repairer despite Apple's advice that its do-it-yourself repair program is for individual technicians. There is nothing stopping confident customers from attempting repairs of their own, and Apple is offering repair manuals that are available to view before purchasing parts.

If customers return a replaced part for recycling, Apple will give them a credit on the price of the new part. The potential credit for returning a replaced part is $24.15, according to the article. The cost of a display for the same phones is between $225.96 and $309.96 with a potential $33.60 credit.

The launch of Apple's Self Service Repair program comes amid a wave of repair announcements from other manufacturers. In the last few months, both Valve and iFixit have collaborated with each other to sell spare parts for their products, as well as to facilitate repairs of the Steam Deck.

It is hoped that these initiatives will prevent devices from ending up in landfills by making it easier to repair them. Apple faced pressure from activist shareholders to change its stance on independent repairs.