Good news for do-it-yourselfers! Apple has recently announced a significant expansion to its Self Service Repair program, adding support for the iPad lineup for the first time. This move allows iPad owners who are comfortable undertaking their own device repairs to access the same resources used by Apple, including manuals, genuine Apple parts, Apple Diagnostics troubleshooting sessions, tools, and even rental toolkits.
The program is set to begin on May 29, 2025. Initially, it will support several recent iPad models: the iPad Air (M2 and later), iPad Pro (M4), iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad (A16). Customers will be able to tackle common repair types such as display, battery, camera, and charging port repairs.
To use the service, a customer would first perform a self-diagnosis. Then, they can order the necessary parts and tools through a special online store. Notably, customers will need to return certain "core" parts, similar to how repair shops operate, to receive a credit towards the initial purchase price of the new part.
This expansion builds on Apple's Self Service Repair program, which first launched in 2022 (initially announced in November 2021 and launched in April 2022). The program was initially intended for iPhone repair, later expanding to Macs. With the addition of iPads, the Self Service Repair Store now supports a total of 65 Apple products, including models like the iPhone 16e, MacBook Air, and Mac Studio. Apple's Vice President of AppleCare, Brian Naumann, stated that the goal is to create products that last as long as possible and this expansion allows users to extend the life of their iPads without compromising safety, security, or privacy.
The program is currently available in the U.S. and Europe and is set to expand to Canada this summer, making it the 34th country to offer Self Service Repair.
Alongside the Self Service Repair expansion, Apple has also shared more details about its Genuine Parts Distributor program. This program is designed to broaden access for businesses that don't have a direct service relationship with Apple. Through third-party distributors like MobileSentrix in the U.S. and MobileSentrix and Mobileparts.shop in Europe, independent mobile repair professionals can order genuine Apple service parts and components. While the program already offers parts for iPhone repairs (displays, batteries, charging ports), iPad parts will also be available through this program starting tomorrow.
This comprehensive approach, including Self Service Repair for individuals, the Genuine Parts Distributor program for independent shops, and existing options like Apple Store locations, Authorized Service Providers, and mail-in repair centers, demonstrates Apple's efforts to accelerate its repair footprint and expand access to genuine parts, tools, and training. While some users have noted that Apple devices aren't designed for easy repair and have expressed desires for support for older models or changes to battery replacement policies, the availability of official resources for self-repair is seen as a benefit to those willing and able to tackle repairs themselves.
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