Right to Repair Explained: How New Laws Are Making Phones Easier to Fix

🔧 What "Right to Repair" Means

"Right to repair" is a simple idea. If you own a phone, you should be able to get it fixed where you choose, and parts and repair info should be easy to get.

Over the last few years, Europe and several US states have turned that idea into law. This guide sums up what those laws say, in plain words. It's not legal advice.

One term comes up a lot. Parts pairing means a phone uses software to recognize each part by a unique ID, so it can tell when a part has been swapped.

🇪🇺 Europe: The Right to Repair Directive

The EU adopted its Right to Repair Directive in June 2024. EU countries had to put it into their own laws by July 31, 2026.

• Makers of products covered by EU repair rules, including phones, must offer to repair them for a reasonable price and within a reasonable time.
• Makers can't use contract terms, hardware, or software tricks to block repairs of those products, unless there's a legitimate reason.
• Spare parts they sell must be priced reasonably.

Source: the European Commission's summary.

📱 Europe: Phone Rules Since June 2025

Since June 20, 2025, new phones and tablets sold in the EU must meet ecodesign rules. The main points:

• Key spare parts, like batteries, screens, cameras, and charging ports, must be available to repair shops for at least 7 years after a model stops being sold.
• Parts must ship within 5 to 10 working days.
• Software updates must be available for at least 5 years after the last unit is sold.
• Batteries must keep at least 80% of their capacity after 800 full charges.
• Repair shops must get fair access to the software needed for repairs.

Phones also get a label with a repairability score from A to E, where A is the easiest to repair. Source: the European Commission.

🔋 Europe: Replaceable Batteries From 2027

The EU Batteries Regulation says that from February 18, 2027, batteries in many products must be removable and replaceable by the owner, without special tools or heat.

Phones are a special case. The European Commission's 2026 guidance says the phone ecodesign rules take priority. Under those rules, a phone battery can be one that only a trained repair person can swap, but only if it lasts at least 1,000 full charges while keeping 80% of its capacity, and the phone is rated IP67 for dust and water.

There's also a separate exemption for devices built mainly to be used around water and meant to be rinsed or washed.

🔌 Europe: USB-C for Everyone

Under the EU's common charger rules, phones and tablets sold in the EU that charge by cable need a USB-C port since December 28, 2024. The same rule has applied to laptops since April 28, 2026.

These EU rules apply to products sold in the EU. They don't apply to products sold only in the US.

🌴 California: SB 244

California's Right to Repair Act (SB 244) took effect July 1, 2024. It covers phones and other electronics made and first sold or used in California on or after July 1, 2021.

• The law sets two price cutoffs, based on the maker's wholesale price (not what you pay for a repair). If a product's wholesale price is $100 or more, makers must offer parts, tools, and repair guides for at least 7 years after the model was last made.
• If the wholesale price is $50 to $99.99, it's at least 3 years.
• Owners and repair shops must be able to get these on terms as good as the maker's own repair network gets.
• Video game consoles aren't covered.

The law also applies to independent repair shops. A shop that isn't part of the maker's official repair network must tell customers that in writing before the repair. It must also say if it uses used parts or parts from a supplier other than the maker.

Franchitti's Fix provides that notice in writing on every invoice and receipt.

🗽 New York and Minnesota

New York: The Digital Fair Repair Act took effect December 28, 2023. It applies to products made or sold in New York after July 1, 2023, and requires makers to share repair info and parts with independent shops.

Minnesota: The Digital Fair Repair Act took effect July 1, 2024. It covers equipment sold on or after July 1, 2021. Makers must offer parts, tools, and repair guides to owners and independent shops on fair terms.

🌲 Oregon and Colorado: Rules on Parts Pairing

Oregon: SB 1596 took effect January 1, 2025. For devices first made and sold in Oregon after that date, makers can't use parts pairing to:

• block a working replacement part, even one the maker didn't approve,
• reduce how well the device works, or
• show misleading warnings about parts that the owner can't dismiss.

The law has an exception for limiting a battery after a heat event. Penalties apply to violations on or after July 1, 2027.

Colorado: HB24-1121 took effect January 1, 2026. It covers electronics first made and sold in Colorado on or after July 1, 2021, with exemptions such as video game consoles. For devices first made, and sold or used in Colorado, after January 1, 2026, makers can't use parts pairing to block a working replacement part, reduce performance, or show misleading part warnings. Parts pairing is still allowed to record repair history and for standalone biometric parts, like a separate fingerprint sensor, that aren't bundled into a screen, battery, port or keyboard.

Other states have passed repair laws too. Your state legislature's website has the latest.

🍎 What Apple Has Changed

These changes came as states and the EU passed repair laws. Apple describes them as part of its work on longevity and repair.

• April 2024: Apple announced that used Apple parts could be used in iPhone repairs, with a new parts calibration process starting that fall.
• iOS 18: Repair Assistant finishes setting up Apple parts on the phone itself. On iPhone 15 and later, a part from another iPhone of the same model can be calibrated this way.
• Activation Lock for parts: a used part that is still linked to someone else's Apple Account has to be unlocked before it can be set up. See Apple's page.
• Third-party screens and batteries: in its Longevity, by Design paper, Apple said it would let people turn on True Tone with third-party screens "to the best performance that can be provided," and show battery health for third-party batteries with a note that Apple can't verify it.
• Self Service Repair: Apple sells parts and tools and posts repair manuals for people experienced with electronics repair. See Self Service Repair.

In the same paper, Apple says it supports federal repair rules in the US that balance repair with safety, privacy, and security.

💬 My Take: Where I Think SB 244 Falls Short

📍 What It Means for You in San Diego

• More parts and repair guides are available to independent shops for newer phones.
• You have a choice: the maker, a shop in the maker's network, or an independent shop.
• Ask any shop what kind of parts they use and what warranty they give.
• A message like "Unknown Part" in Settings is a label, not a fault. See iPhone "Unknown Part" Message After a Repair.
• Have AppleCare+? Read Does a Third-Party Repair Void AppleCare+? first.

📚 Sources

• Directive (EU) 2024/1799 on common rules promoting the repair of goods (EUR-Lex)
• European Commission: Directive on repair of goods
• Regulation (EU) 2023/1670, ecodesign rules for smartphones and tablets (EUR-Lex)
• European Commission: new EU rules for smartphones and tablets start applying (June 20, 2025)
• Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, the Batteries Regulation (EUR-Lex)
• European Commission guidelines on battery removability and replaceability (2026 update)
• European Commission: EU common charger rules (Dec 28, 2024)
• California Public Resources Code § 42488.2 (SB 244, Right to Repair Act)
• California Legislative Information: SB 244
• New York Attorney General: Digital Fair Repair Act
• New York General Business Law § 399-NN
• Minnesota Statutes § 325E.72, Digital Fair Repair Act
• Minnesota Attorney General: The Right to Repair in Minnesota
• Oregon Laws 2024, Chapter 69 (SB 1596)
• Colorado General Assembly: HB24-1121
• Apple Newsroom: repair options update (April 11, 2024)
• Apple: Longevity, by Design (June 2024)
• Apple Support: Use Repair Assistant to finish an iPhone or iPad repair
• Apple Support: If a part is locked to someone else's Apple Account
• Apple Support: Self Service Repair

Checked October 18, 2026. Laws change, so check the official source for the latest. This is a plain summary, not legal advice.