Apple has expanded its Self Service Repair programme to the UK, giving Brits the opportunity to fix their own devices without carting them to the Apple Store.
The platform, which was previously available in the United States, will offer iPhone 12, iPhone 13 and Apple Silicon M1 MacBook users the opportunity to purchase official replacement parts, as well as accessing the same manuals and tools used by the technicians at Apple Store locations and at the Authorised Service Providers.
Apple is keen to emphasise that only users who are experienced in repairing and tinkering with technology should attempt the repairs, even with the detailed repair guides and proper tools at their disposal.
As well as the UK, the expansion of the service also applies to users in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Sweden.
How does Apple Self Service Repair work?
First off, the service is designed for Apple devices that are now out of warranty. If you’re within normal warranty, or have Apple Care+, the chances are you can get a repair much cheaper, or even free.
If you own a supported device then you can head to the dedicated Self Service Repair website, which looks nothing like the main Apple Store or website.
From here you can select from three options:
- Order parts and tools
- Review the Apple Repair Manual
- Find out more about Self Service repair
How to start an Apple Self Service Repair
Once you’ve selected “order parts and tools” you’ll need to select your Mac or iPhone model from a drop down menu or input the serial number (on iPhone you can find this at Settings > General > About and on Mac it’s Apple logo > About This Mac). In the case of the Mac you need to choose the model and input the serial number.
From here you’ll be able to choose the type of repair (e.g. battery, display, etc.) and from there you’ll see a selection of parts and pricing options, including the opportunity to rent the tools from Apple.
Which iPhone parts are available with Self Service Repair?
For the iPhone, Apple will let you replace your battery, bottom speaker, camera, display, SIM tray (not much experience needed for that one!), or the Taptic Engine.
How much does Apple Self Service Repair cost?
Just because you’re doing all the work yourself, this option is not a cheap fix. For example, the iPhone 13 Display Bundle costs £282.28. It will cost you an additional £54.90 to rent the tool kit required to do the job properly. That’s £337.18 in total, although you might get a bit of credit back if you send in the broken display.
The price of an out-of-warranty iPhone 13 display replacement from an Authorised Service Provider or the Apple Store is £289.
So, this is handy if you’d just rather do it yourself, can’t get to a service provider, or don’t want to send away your gadget for repair. However, it’s not a cheaper option and mainly exists to satisfy incoming legislation regarding the right to repair.
Which Mac parts are available with Self Service Repair
For the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro M1, you can access more than a dozen repair types. They include the display, top case with battery, and trackpad. Apple says more are coming.
Which Apple devices are available for Self Service Repair
Right now it’s only devices from 2020 and 2021 that are supported. Apple has said it will be expanding the range of products and the parts that can be replaced in due course.
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (2022)
- MacBook Air M1 (2020)
- MacBook Pro M1 13-inch (2020)
- MacBook Pro M1 14-inch (2021)
- MacBook Pro M1 16-inch (2021)
You might like…
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
