What Is the Right to Repair?

The Right to Repair is a broad movement — and increasingly, a legal framework — that pushes for consumers and independent technicians to have access to the tools, parts, and information needed to repair electronic devices. For decades, manufacturers have used design choices, software locks, and proprietary parts to make independent repair difficult or impossible. That's starting to change.

The Scale of the E-Waste Problem

Electronic waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams globally. Devices that could be repaired or refurbished are instead discarded, with valuable materials lost and hazardous substances released into the environment. The inability to repair — driven by design decisions and manufacturer policies — is a significant contributor to this problem. Legislation that mandates repairability directly addresses this at scale.

Where Right to Repair Legislation Stands

Progress is uneven but accelerating:

  • European Union: The EU's Ecodesign Regulation now requires manufacturers of certain product categories (including consumer electronics) to make spare parts available and provide repair information. The "Right to Repair" directive extended this further in 2024, covering smartphones and tablets explicitly.
  • United States: Several US states have passed or are advancing Right to Repair bills. Federal-level action has been slower, but the FTC has signalled support for repair-friendly policies.
  • United Kingdom: The UK introduced repair regulations for white goods and televisions, with discussions ongoing about extending coverage to phones and laptops.

How Manufacturers Are Responding

Manufacturer responses have ranged from genuine engagement to strategic resistance:

  • Some companies have launched self-repair programmes, offering genuine parts and repair guides to consumers — a meaningful step forward.
  • Others have implemented "parts pairing" — software-locking replacement components to specific devices even when they are physically compatible — which critics argue undermines the spirit of repair legislation.
  • Design choices like soldered memory, glued batteries, and proprietary screws remain widespread, even as rhetoric around sustainability increases.

Why This Is a Circular Economy Issue

A circular economy aims to keep materials in use for as long as possible, extracting maximum value before recovery and regeneration. Repairability is foundational to this model. A device that can be fixed — rather than discarded — stays in the economy longer, reduces demand for raw material extraction, and lowers the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing new devices.

What You Can Do

Policy change takes time, but individual action matters too:

  • Support manufacturers who design for repairability
  • Use independent repair shops rather than defaulting to manufacturer replacements
  • Engage with advocacy organisations pushing for stronger repair legislation
  • Choose products with high iFixit repairability scores when purchasing new hardware

The Road Ahead

Right to Repair is one of the most consequential policy levers for tech sustainability. Its success or failure will shape how hundreds of millions of devices are designed, sold, and discarded over the coming decades. The trend is moving in the right direction — but the pace of change depends heavily on sustained pressure from consumers, regulators, and the broader sustainability community.