We Have the Right to Repair Everything We Own
It’s high time we demand the right to open, tinker with, and repair everything we own.
We have the right to:
Fix our own things or choose which service shop to use
Manuals and diagnostic tools the dealers use
Unlock and jailbreak the software on our devices
Would you buy a car if it was illegal to replace the tires?
Would you buy a bike if you couldn’t fix the chain?
Manufacturers say that repair information is proprietary and work to shut down independent repair shops.
Fortunately, not all companies are that way. Support companies that are repair friendly, like Dell and Patagonia. Help us create documentation for companies that aren’t.
88% of Voters
in Massachusetts overrode the car companies and passed the automobile owners’ Right to Repair law in November, 2012.
114,322 Americans
signed a petition to legalize cell phone unlocking. The White House supports cell phone unlocking—but your voice is still needed to convince Congress.
600,000 People
have joined iFixit to teach each other how to repair their own stuff, and thousands more are pitching in every day.
You bought it. You own it.
You have the right to improve the things you buy. If you want to paint racing stripes on your car, go for it! Ownership means you should be able to open, hack, repair, upgrade, or tie bells on it. Once you’ve paid money for a product, the manufacturer shouldn’t be able to dictate how you use it—it’s yours.
But that’s exactly what some manufacturers intend to do. It’s common practice to refuse to make parts, tools, and repair information available to consumers and small repair shops. Apple created a special screw specifically to make it hard to repair the iPhone.
If you want to make a custom wood frame for your iPod, go for it!
Manufacturers have created a monopoly on repair.
When there's only one repair shop around, prices go up and quality goes down. Companies have every incentive to drive up prices and drive down competition. Don’t let them.
An army of repair technicians stands ready to fill in
the gap.
All they need is a little help.
Companies don’t want you to get their products fixed.
It took a lawsuit to force Apple to offer a battery replacement program for the iPod. But even so, their repair service for the iPod Shuffle is more expensive than a new iPod. Many companies, including Apple, refuse to sell replacement parts to independent shops. That just isn’t right.
Manufacturers keep repair codes secret.
Independent repair technicians need the same information that the manufacturer repair shops have. The Ford dealership has access to diagnostic codes that your neighborhood mechanic would kill for.
Cars all have computers—and now, fixing an engine means deciphering the code the computer spits out. But those codes are often proprietary, and manufacturers limit access to the tools that can read them. That’s why Massachusetts passed Automobile Owners’ Right to Repair laws in 2012, and why groups such as AAA, Autozone, and Valvoline are pushing for similar legislation to be passed nationally.
Consumers’ Bill of Rights
To keep the right to repair in consumers’ hands, we need to enact real reform. It’s time to establish a consumers’ bill of rights.
We have the right
to open everything we own
to modify and repair our things
to unlock and jailbreak the software in our electronics
We must have access
to repair information
to products that can be repaired
to reasonably-priced, independent repair shops
Learn More
The White House says cell phone unlocking is “common sense, crucial for protecting consumer choice”
The automotive Right to Repair Coalition says freedom of repair will protect consumers and promote competition
Take Action
Support repair-friendly manufacturers, and avoid the ones that aren’t. We’ve rated tablets and cellphones by repairability to make it easy.
Make your voice heard: Tell your Congressman to legalize jailbreaking and unlocking our hardware.
Join our newsletter and we’ll keep you up to date as the right to repair movement progresses.