Apple'due south products aren't known for existence easy to repair - in fact you could accuse Apple of making them hard to repair by gluing and soldering components into place and using special security fixtures which make them difficult or impossible to remove.

In add-on, the company has ever indicated that only authorised service providers should open a Mac and perform repairs and upgrades. Changing a broken iPhone screen at home, or replacing a MacBook battery, isn't considered safe for consumers. In fact, only businesses with an Apple-certified technician are supposed to perform repairs on Apple products.

With no choice but to pay for an expensive repair or buy a new Mac, iPad or iPhone, consumers frequently choose to replace their Apple production. The trouble is that, according to the Right to Repair website, over 53 million tonnes of electronic waste is produced each year, and merely a fraction of this is recycled.

Added to this, the fact that Apple stops supporting software updates for various products after a number of years, and the availability of parts for servicing becomes more scarce the older the product gets, means that the lifespan of Apple products isn't as long as it could be. For more information read: How long do Macs last?

Apple is by no means the only electronics visitor guilty of making hard to fix products that end up beingness thrown away before their time, simply it tin certainly practise its part past improving the repairability of its products, and making repairs easier and cheaper.

Whether you are an environmentally witting person looking for a new product that will have a expert few years ahead of it earlier information technology becomes landfill, or someone who doesn't want to be landed with an expensive or hard to repair device, nosotros have details of just how repairable Apple's products are. And if you are looking to go an Apple product repaired we also have advice for you.

Get Apple products repaired

Tin can I repair my Apple tree production?

People do endeavor repairs and upgrades at dwelling house, merely they risk damaging their machines - and will void their warranty.

If y'all did desire to attempt a repair or upgrade at habitation you'd need to arm yourself with a range of specialised tools, including heat pads to loosen the agglutinative that holds the display in identify. Y'all'd as well demand to become hold of the correct spare parts. Read: Best Mac and iPhone tools for repairs and upgrades.

Apple sends genuine Apple parts to authorised service providers, and, since August 2022 for iPhone and August 2022 for Mac, independent repair businesses can too go admission to 18-carat parts. But as a consumer you lot won't exist able to get hold of these parts. In the past iPhones have shown error messages if non-Apple parts are used, then this isn't an outcome you can ignore.

Despite this we have a guide to upgrading the components within a Mac, and one of our colleagues on TechAdvisor did once replace an iPhone screen, but these aren't things we would recommend unless you are really actually confident tinkering with electronics.

For the average person we'd recommend making an date at an Apple Shop or seeking an Apple Authorised Service Provider to behave out the repair for you. We'll discuss who to do that next.

How do I get my Apple products repaired?

The next question is where can yous go to go Apple products repaired. The obvious answer is Apple, only that's not your merely selection. We'll run through your options below:

Apple tree offers you three different ways to get a product repaired, you lot can:

  1. Visit an Apple Store.
  2. Send your product to Apple.
  3. Use an Apple tree Authorised Service Provider.

Click the links above to jump to those instructions.

The latter selection might exist all-time if you don't have an Apple Store nearby and don't desire to be without your Mac, iPhone or other Apple tree product while it'south being stock-still.

Some people might be wondering if they can only walk into an Apple Store for a repair. Unfortunately that's not an pick - fifty-fifty when stores aren't shut due to Coronavirus. We do explain how to make an Apple tree Shop engagement at the Genius Bar in a separate commodity, but nosotros'll summarise the steps below.

Earlier you begin we recommend that you check to run into if the product qualifies for a free repair. Nosotros have a divide articles about the various repair schemes and recalls.

  • Read Mac and MacBook recalls and repair programs to observe out if your Mac is included in a call back?
  • And accept a look at iPhone and iPad production recalls & free repair programmes for details of those recalls.

If your Mac, iPhone or iPad is included in ane of these recalls or repair programs y'all may be able to get information technology repaired for free. Its a good thought to cheque earlier you arrange a repair, non just to replenish yourself with the knowledge of what should be on offering to yous, but besides because if you lot don't become to an Apple Store or an Apple Authorised repair shop and so you lot won't exist able to take advantage of the gratuitous repair.

We have a number of articles that offer advice well-nigh getting Apple products repaired. Read:

  • How to get a Mac repaired
  • How to go a cleaved iPhone stock-still or replaced
  • How to fix a cracked iPhone screen
  • How to dry out a wet water damaged iPhone
  • How to repair a cleaved Apple Watch

How to book a repair with Apple tree

  1. Go to Apple's website.
  2. Enter your Apple ID and password.
  3. Choose your production.
  4. Click Commencement a Service request.
  5. Chose the topic that all-time represents your problem - for case, if your Mac won't turn on cull Startup or Power.
  6. You'll eventually be offered the options to talk to Apple Support, Chat, or Bring in to Repair. The latter option will permit you to make an appointment at a Genius Bar. Click on that option.
  7. Enter your Apple tree ID and password again if required.
  8. Enter your series number (or if you are lucky you lot may exist able to choose your bodily Mac, if it's associated with your account). Click on the correct model.
  9. The next screen will ask you to Bring in for Repair. Yous will exist able to search for your closest Apple Store or Apple Authorised Service Provider (which in our example is an iStore).

How to send a product to Apple tree for repair

If you'd prefer non to go to a shop then Apple will ship you lot a box yous can employ to ship information technology to an Apple Repair Centre. You demand to transport it within 30 days.

You can arrange shipping your device to an Apple Repair Eye either over the phone or online. Apple tree says this service is available for most Apple products. It seems that most Macs are exempt (at least in the Uk), but Apple Watches, iPhones, and iPads can be posted in, for example.

  1. Go to Apple'due south repair website.
  2. Click Start a repair request.
  3. Choose the product you wish to send to Apple (or enter your serial number if the production isn't listed).
  4. Choose one of the options, e.chiliad. Prepare Online or Limited Replacement (which might be an option for you if you take AppleCare+).

Does Apple repair or replace?

If yous take AppleCare+ you lot can accept advantage of the Express Replacement Service that is available for some Apple products. In this case Apple tree will send yous a replacement product earlier your damaged or non-working product is returned to them (you have ten days or y'all will pay the full price of the replacement). At that place may be an additional fee and yous but get to use this feature of AppleCare+ for the beginning two instances of accidental damage. Read: Is AppleCare+ worth information technology. We besides compare AppleCare+ to normal insurance.

How long practice Apple repairs take?

If yous are able to take your Apple product to an Apple Store or an Apple tree Service Provider they might be able to ready it at that place for you lot, depending on whether they have the equipment.

However, some problems may be more complex and crave being sent on to an Apple Repair Centre, in which example information technology should take from 6-8 days.

Apple advises that iPhone repairs accept between half dozen-8 days if you send your iPhone to an Apple Repair Centre, for example.

How much do Apple repairs cost?

The cost of Apple repairs depends on a number of factors. Generally battery and screen replacements are cheaper than other replacements. And if you have AppleCare+ y'all may exist able to become your Apple production fixed for zilch or but a small fee - and a replacement production virtually immediately.

How much does an iPhone repair cost?

iPhone screen repair

Starts at £136.44/$129 for an iPhone 6, rising to £316.44/$329 for the iPhone 12 Pro Max (one time it is out of warranty). Y'all can see all the prices here. If yous have AppleCare+ the repair is gratis for the first two incidences, but yous need to pay £25 for whatever additional screen repairs.

iPhone battery repair

Starts at £49/$49 for iPhone SE, six, 6s, vii, 8 and the 2nd generation iPhone SE handsets. Battery repair for the iPhone 10, XS, SR, 11 and 12 serial iPhones is £69/$69. If your iPhone is still in the one twelvemonth warranty menses, or yous have AppleCare+ the repair is free. More data here.

Other harm could toll as much as £566.44/$599 if your iPhone is out of warranty. More here.

How much does an iPad repair cost

iPad screen repair

Unfortunately Apple doesn't offer the same kind of service for replacing iPad screens as information technology does for replacing iPhone screens. If your iPad screen is accidentally broken, yous have the choice of replacing your iPad for an out-of-warranty fee. AppleCare+ does include accidental damage protection, but at that place may be an excess fee.

An out of warranty fee to replace an iPad stretches from £206.44/$199 to £616.44/$649. More information hither.

iPad battery repair

A battery replacement on all eligible iPad models cost £99/$99 (or is gratuitous if its in warranty or you have AppleCare+)

How much does an Apple Sentinel repair cost

Apple Picket screen repair

As with the iPad, if your Apple tree Picket screen gets damaged, you lot have the option to service your Apple Spotter for a fee. AppleCare+ gives you adventitious damage protection where you lot may be subject to an backlog fee.

An out of warranty fee to supersede an Apple Scout stretches from £156.44 to £476.44/$499. More information here (Really the toll could be a lot college than that, if you lot had the original Apple Lookout man Edition, which cost £8,000/$10,000 new, the out-of-warranty service fee is £2,600.44/$2,800.

Apple Watch battery repair

If your Apple Sentinel battery holds less than eighty per cent of its original bombardment chapters and information technology'southward covered by AppleCare+, you will become Apple tree Watch bombardment service for no boosted accuse.

If your sentinel is out of warranty and so the battery service fee is £82.44/$79. More than information here.

How much does an Mac repair price

If your Mac is still in warranty, or you have AppleCare+ your repair volition be gratis. The cost of a repair will vary depending on the nature of the trouble.

Mac battery repair

Apple tree will repair the battery in MacBook laptops, prices range from £129/$129 to £199/$199. Check this page for details.

For example, a 16in MacBook Pro Battery replacement costs £199.

Mac screen repair

The price of a screen repair depends on whether yous have AppleCare+ comprehend. If you purchase AppleCare+ for Mac so for iii years from your AppleCare+ purchase date you lot will accept encompass for two incidents of accidental damage protection every 12 months, each subject to a service fee which is £79/$99 for screen damage and £229/$299 for other damage. More here.

Tin I go my Apple product repaired somewhere else?

You could use an independent repair store only be enlightened that they cannot provide repairs covered by Apple tree's warranty or AppleCare plans.

If you would prefer to use an Apple Authorised Service Provider you can locate ane hither.

Apple tree has this link to data about Apple-certified repairs of the iPhone.

In 2022 Apple tree extended a scheme that allows small independent shops to legitimately set iPhones. Now these workshops can besides fix Macs.

Does Apple do free repairs?

If your production is within warranty - which is one year from the signal of sale (even if y'all were purchasing a refurbished Apple product) - and goes wrong you lot tin can get Apple to gear up it for free.

Other reasons that might assist yous get a costless repair is if your product has been recalled or qualifies in a repair program. As we mentioned earlier, we have a separate articles well-nigh the various repair schemes and recalls. Read: MacBook recalls and repair programs - is your Mac included? and Apple product recalls & complimentary repair programmes for iPhone & iPad.

How easy to repair are Apple products?

When you are choosing a new Apple product y'all would exist wise to take into account how probable it is to get cleaved and how piece of cake it will be to repair. One of the main killers of smartphones these days are batteries, another is the ease at which nosotros break the screens - despite all the technical advances of the drinking glass used in the manufacture of smartphones.

Apple has improved the repairability of the iPhone in terms of the screen and bombardment, but what of its other products? Replacing a screen on an iPad is not every bit simple as on an iPhone, for example, and the price is a lot higher.

Hopefully that volition modify. The Eu backed Right to Repair motility and is aiming to put in identify laws that will make it compulsory for new devices to be easier to repair due. Hopefully leading manufacturers to build products with removable and replaceable parts.

Every bit a result of this campaign, French legislation has already forced Apple to label products to show a repairability score. The consequence of the changes should pb to more reparable products with extended lifespans so that they are less probable to end up in landfill early on.

Apple - and other companies - now have to indicate a 'repairability index on products. Read more almost why Apple's been forced to reveal repairability of products in France.

The repairbility of a product should exist office of the decision when choosing a new product to buy, and thanks to the French legislation Apple is now being forced to reveal this information.

The visitor includes a repairability score for many of the products it sells on its French Apple Store.

Apple's scores are based on the following:

  1. Access to documentation.
  2. Disassembly (how easy information technology is, what tools are required, etc).
  3. Availability of spare parts.
  4. Price of spare parts (compared to buying new).
  5. Admission to software updates, gratis technical support and the ability to reset the software.

Apple isn't the just one revealing how easy (or difficult) it is to repair Apple products. iFixit is famous for offering guides to the repairability of various Apple tree products where they highlight the issues that might lead you to needing a repair in the first place - for example, the smashable glass on the front and back of the iPhone. Luckily the glass forepart of the iPhone is pretty simple and relatively inexpensive to repair, but replacing the glass back could exist an expensive task.

Another affair to bear in heed is that in that location comes a fourth dimension in every Apple products life when it becomes Obsolete or Vintage. These are terms that Apple tree uses to depict products one time they haven't been sold for more than than 5 or eight years. One time a product is vintage Apple will simply repair it if it has the parts (and then at a price, obviouly). Once a production is Obsolete and then there is no possibility that Apple will repair information technology.

With Apple calculation the 2022 MacBook to the vintage list the list of unsupported products is growing. Read more than here: How long do Macs last?

How easy to repair is the iPhone?

Wondering what is the easiest iPhone to repair? Unfortunately the iPhone isn't getting any easier to repair, although the two things near likely to need repair - the screen and the battery - are easy enough to admission (although even those aren't repairs y'all could perform at abode).

However, since launch of the iPhone XS and XR, repair companies and abode fixers have institute that it is no longer possible to alter the battery without finalising the change using Organization Configuration, an online tool Apple makes available to its own stores and authorised repair companies.

iPhone 12 series repairability

iFixit gives the iPhone 12 series a score of 6/10 for repairability. In favour of the 2022 range of iPhones is the easy access for screen and battery replacement and the fact that most components are modular. The main criticism is the drinking glass back - the problem being that if the back glass breaks, it is necessary to remove every component and replace the unabridged chassis. iFixit reports that the replacement of the screen and camera of the iPhone 12 series must be activated via the System Configuration app - which again counts our abode-fixers.

Apple tree's ain scoring (which you can see on the French version of its website) sees the iPhone 12 series awarded 6/10.

iPhone SE 2022 repairability

iFixit hasn't scored the iPhone SE 2022, but Apple has - in that case information technology gets 6.ii/ten.

iPhone 11 repairability

iFixit also gave the iPhone 11 series 6/10 for similar reasons to the iPhone 12 series, noting that replacing the battery had been simplified, just once more criticising the fact that the rear drinking glass tin can merely be fully replaced with a complete housing swap.

Apple'southward scoring sees the iPhone 11 and xi Pro getting 4.6/10, while the iPhone 11 Pro Max gets four.v/10.

iPhone XR repairability

The iPhone XR gets the same score of 6/10 from iFixit, with the the ease of replacing the screen and battery highlighted, and the same problem with replacing the glass back highlighted.

Apple gives the XR four.5/10.

iPhone XS series repairability

The iPhone XS is the same, gaining a score of 6/x from iFixit for the same reasons. Apple gives the XS Max 4.5/10, and the XS four.7/10.

iPhone X repairability

The iPhone X was also given six/10 by iFixit who noted the accessibility for display and bombardment repairs, just criticised "Fussy cables tie unrelated components together into complex assemblies - expensive and troublesome to supercede". Apple tree gives the iPhone X iv.8/x on the French Apple Store.

iPhone 8 repairability

The iPhone eight was given 6/10, with the glass back beingness highlighted as a potential problem. Apple gives both the eight and viii Plus half dozen.6/ten.

iPhone 7 repairability

The iPhone seven - introduced back in 2022 - marked the last time an iPhone got a score of 7/10 from iFixit. Hither the improvements offered by the solid state home button was noted as a indicate in favour, considering the erstwhile mechanical button was a mutual point of failure in older models. Apple gives the iPhone 7 6.vi/10 while the seven Plus gets half-dozen.7/10.

How like shooting fish in a barrel to repair is the Mac?

Looking for a new Mac and wondering what is the easiest Mac to repair? The problem with many Mac laptops is the fact that Apple uses a lot of glue and solder to stick components downwards. Past soldering or gluing components into place Apple makes admission to faulty components impossible. Aside from meaning y'all might not have been able to get a broken MacBook Air repaired, this isn't corking news for the environment as Macs that can't exist fixed generally stop up in landfill.

Simply as with the iPhones, Apple is now revealing the repairability scores for some of its Macs. iFixit also offers this data for some Macs.

MacBook Air repairability

iFixit hasn't nevertheless given the M1 Macs a rating. Apple however has: the M1 MacBook Air gets half dozen.5/10, which is the aforementioned score as it awards the 2022 MacBook Air.

The 2022 MacBook Air gets 3/10 from iFixit. Here the criticism is the keyboard being integrated into the top case, making replacement hard and expensive (a particular upshot given the keyboard issues of the 2022-2020 MacBook Airs). These laptops are also held back by the fact that storage and RAM is soldered on. In the Air's favour, iFixit does note that the ports, fan, speaker and some other components are straightforward to access.

iFixit too noted that Apple tree made changes to the layout of the components inside the early 2022 MacBook Air to brand servicing and repair easier.

However, the quondam design of the pre-2017 MacBook Air actually had a ameliorate score awarded by Apple - vii/10.

MacBook Pro repairability

The M1 MacBook Pro gets 5.6/10 from Apple tree, while the older 2022 2.0GHz model gets vi.three/10.

To get an thought of how that might translate to iFixit's scores, the 2022 13in MacBook Pro (the entry-level model, merely the repairability most likely applies to all models) was given a score of two/10 by iFixit. The negatives they annotation include Apple's use of Proprietary pentalobe screws, the glued in battery, and the soldered-down RAM.

The 2/10 score is a slight improvement on the 2022 model at to the lowest degree: hither iFixit criticises the fact that the processor, RAM, and wink memory are soldered to the logic lath and the keyboard, battery, and speakers are glued together. The Bear on ID button is also highlighted due to it existence paired with the T2 chip. Apple awards the 2022 13in MacBook Pro a score of five.half-dozen/ten, while the 2022 model scored 6.2/10.

According to iFixit the 16in MacBook Pro is not one to recommend. They give information technology just i/10 for repairability, noting that the processor, RAM, and flash retentivity are all soldered to the logic board, making replacement difficult. They also notation that glue and/or rivets secure the keyboard, bombardment, speakers, and Affect Bar, so those repairs would as well exist difficult. Also the Touch ID sensor is the power switch and locked to the logic board and paired with the T2 fleck, which would make repairs of that component hard.

The older 15in MacBook Pro was no improve, also scoring 1/10, for essentially the same reasons as the 16in model. Apple awards the 16in MacBook Pro 6.3/10.

iMac repairability

As for desktops, the 2022 27in iMac gets 4/10 from iFixit. Hither the criticism is the fact that Apple makes it so hard to remove the screen to access the components - and information technology;'s hard to return information technology to the state you started. Once you are inside, the exposed power supply is a business organization. And altering the internal storage is incommunicable. Apple hasn't rated these models yet.

The iMac Pro gets 3/ten. Here the criticisms are that key components are buried behind the logic board, requiring a lot of disassembly for access, the loss of the external RAM access hatch - a feature of other 27in iMac models - ways RAM is a more difficult upgrade, and the GPU is soldered in place. Apple hasn't rated these models nonetheless.

Mac mini repairability

The 2022 Mac mini got a repairability score of half-dozen/10 from iFixit. Hither the criticisms were that the CPU and storage are both soldered to the logic board and not user-upgradeable and the fact that If whatever of the many ports is damaged or worn, the unabridged logic lath will need replacing. In its favour the Mac mini components aren't held in place with adhesive and RAM can be easily upgraded. Apple tree hasn't rated these models even so.

How easy to repair is the iPad?

It'southward disappointing really that the iPad isn't as easy to repair every bit the iPhone. In fact the difficulty of replacing the screen and the battery are emphasised by the fact that both these repairs are relatively easy on the iPhone. Nosotros think it's time Apple tree made the iPad easier to fix.

What is the easiest iPad to repair?

The iPad from 2022 gets a repairability score of two/10 from iFixit. Here the criticisms are the barrier of very strong adhesive making getting inside about incommunicable, and the overuse of agglutinative once you do become inside. The Lightning port - noted as a "common point of failure" is unfortunately difficult to replace considering it is soldered to the logic lath.

The iPad Air from 2022 also scores two/10 from iFixit. Here the bombardment replacement is at least noted as being possible but they complain that it is "unnecessarily difficult". Once again, there is besides much adhesive holding parts and cables in place. The lightning port is hard to supersede because its soldered to the logic board. Simply at least other components are modular and tin therefore exist replaced independently (once you lot get within).

The 2022 iPad mini is similar. It scores 2/10 with iFixit noting how hard battery replacement is, and how there is agglutinative holding down parts and cables. They likewise note that removing the home button is difficult and a necessary role of display replacement if you wish to keep Touch ID functionality.

The 2022 iPad Pro does go a slightly better score - 3/ten. Here the criticism is again all the glue that Apple uses within the case. But at least here the battery is secured with easy-to-remove tabs. Some other point in its favour is the USB-C port which is modular and tin can exist independently replaced.

How easy to repair is the Apple Watch?

Like the iPhone the Apple Sentinel screen is likely to be the thing that breaks, although, unlike the iPhone we aren't then probable to drop our Apple Watches. Only just how easy is it to fix an Apple tree Watch?

What is the easiest Apple Watch to repair?

The Apple Watch Series 6 gets a repairability score of vi/ten from iFixit. The screen and battery are reasonably straightforward to replace. The chief complaint is that many of the component cables are mounted directly to the S6 and require skilled microsoldering if they are damaged.

The Series 5 also scores 6/x for the same reasons.

The Series 4 and 3 scored vi/x but in both cases there was the additional criticism that the "resin-encased S4 system makes most board-level repairs impossible."

iFixit hasn't however scored the repairability of the Apple tree Watch SE.

So to wrap up, Apple products aren't easy or cheap to set up. Apple has made it easier to replace the screen and battery in the iPhone, which is a bonus, only given that they are the things most likely to go wrong, an essential bonus. We hope that the new Eu legislation coming in will mean that Apple and other companies are more focused on the repairability of their products, extending their lifespans.