Apple Self-Service Repair arrives in Spain: everything you need to know

Mansana announces the arrival of self-service repair in Spain, Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Poland, UK and Sweden. Customers in these countries will be able to purchase the same parts and tools that Apple uses, in addition to accessing manuals and thus resolving incidents with their own products. The program launched in the US in November 2021 and is now moving to Europe.

The self-service program will be available for all versions of iPhone 12, including iPhone 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max and 12 mini, iPhone 13, which also includes 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max and 13 mini. Also included are all Mac laptops with an Apple chip.

To do this, Apple offers a site with instructions in Spanish and a store that offers more than 200 original parts and tools. As long as they are knowledgeable and confident enough in their skills and experience to repair their devices themselves. This includes parts such as screens, cameras, or batteries.

How to Perform Self Repair on Apple Devices

Apple recommends that you first familiarize yourself with the technical difficulties of self-repair. To do this, it is important to review and study the instructions for the device. Then, in order to analyze exactly which components are needed, you must select them in the online store, which the company provides to everyone.

Once parts are selected and paid, Apple is responsible for shipping them to the address provided. In addition, Apple recommends purchasing or renting specialized DIY repair tools.

If the repair will be done only once, the best option is to rent these professional tools. Price €59.95within a week, with free shipping.

The kit can also be purchased, or the tools can be purchased separately. The total cost depends on the repair and the type of incident you are trying to resolve.

It is also worth clarifying that it is impossible to buy as many official pieces as you want. Each purchase is tied to an existing device, which must be identified by its serial number.

Photo: Nicolas Messiphet

Is it easy to self-repair Apple devices?

No. Technical knowledge is required and it is quite difficult for people without previous experience in this field. In addition, in some cases, self-service device repair costs more (plus costs for parts and tool rental) than simply shipping it to an Apple Store or Authorized Service Provider.

Some other repairs make sense to do at home yourself, such as repairing a camera or Taptic engine. In any case, the company insists on reading device manuals in detail before making any attempt:

For the vast majority of customers with no electronics repair experience, going to a professional repair provider with qualified technicians using genuine Apple parts is the safest and most reliable way to repair their products.

Mansana

One of the reasons Apple launched the program is partly due to pressure from various sectors, from governments to advocacy groups, that advocate for the right to repair. This has led to a change in regulation in some regions that affects all companies that manufacture process equipment.

Theoretically, the right to repair increases the life of devices, especially when the brand stops official service. It’s also how they fight for more sustainability and more respect for the environment since they don’t have to be updated as often.

In Europe, for example, a law was passed in 2020 guaranteeing the right to repair. It entered into force on 1 March 2021 under the motto “Towards a more sustainable single market for businesses and consumers”.

For its part, Apple says that “Self-Service Repair is part of Apple’s efforts to expand access to repairs and improve the maintainability of its products over the long term.”