The Right to Repair in 2025: Which Phone Brands Are Actually Living Up to It?

A few years ago, the phrase right to repair felt like niche activist jargon—something only tinkerers and tech YouTubers seemed to care about. Fast forward to 2025, and it’s now a real-world issue that more and more people are paying attention to. Thanks to growing environmental awareness, rising repair costs, and increasing pressure on tech giants, the right to repair has become something we actually expect from our favorite phone brands.

But who’s walking the walk, and who’s just slapping on green stickers and calling it a day?

Let’s dive in.

What is the Right to Repair?
First, a quick refresher. The right to repair is the idea that you, the person who owns a device, should be able to fix it without needing permission or help from the manufacturer. That means access to repair manuals, parts, tools, and software—whether you’re fixing it yourself or taking it to a local shop.

In the last couple of years, several countries (and some U.S. states) passed laws to enforce this. It’s no longer just a moral argument—it’s becoming a legal requirement.

Apple: Progress with a Side of Pain
Apple has long been the villain of the right-to-repair world, thanks to glued-down batteries, proprietary screws, and warning popups that appear when you replace a screen. But recently, they’ve started loosening up.

In 2024, Apple expanded its Self Service Repair program to include more iPhone models and even some Macs. You can now order genuine Apple parts and rent their (admittedly bulky) repair kits for a week.

Still, it’s not a lovefest. Repairs are complex and intimidating for the average person. Also, many parts are tied to your phone’s serial number, so if you forget to “pair” them with Apple’s system, they might not work properly.

So, while Apple’s moving in the right direction, it still feels like a grudging compromise rather than a true embrace.

Samsung: Stepping Up, Sort Of
Samsung’s reputation in the repair world has been hit-or-miss. But in 2025, they’re doing better.

They’ve partnered with iFixit to make genuine parts and repair guides available for a growing number of Galaxy phones. They’ve also made their latest Galaxy S and Z Fold models easier to open and less glued-together.

But the biggest issue? Parts pricing. It can cost nearly as much to repair a Galaxy S24 Ultra screen as it would to just replace the whole phone with a budget model. That kind of kills the incentive to fix things, doesn’t it?

Credit where it’s due: at least Samsung’s not pretending to be perfect. They’re making progress—just not always at consumer-friendly prices.

Google: The Quiet Champion
If there’s an underdog in this story, it’s Google. The Pixel line, once known for fragility, has become surprisingly repair-friendly.

Google made it official with Pixel Repair Kits, released in partnership with iFixit. They’re relatively affordable, the instructions are clear, and the tools included actually work well. Plus, the design of newer Pixels (like the Pixel 8 and 8a) makes screen and battery swaps way less terrifying than with an iPhone.

Google isn’t shouting from the rooftops about it, but they’ve quietly built one of the most right-to-repair-friendly phone ecosystems around. For the average user who just wants to replace a busted screen without losing their mind (or wallet), it’s a win.

Fairphone: The Gold Standard (But You Knew That Already)
Let’s be real—Fairphone basically is the right-to-repair movement. The Dutch company built its entire brand around sustainability, repairability, and ethical sourcing.

The Fairphone 5, released in late 2024, continues the trend. It’s modular, meaning you can swap out everything from the battery to the camera to the USB port with a simple screwdriver. Parts are reasonably priced, and repair guides are clear and accessible.

Of course, Fairphone isn’t for everyone. It’s only officially available in select countries, and performance-wise, it’s a mid-range device. But if you’re looking to put your money where your mouth is, this is the phone to support.

Motorola, OnePlus, and Others: Catching Up
Motorola deserves a quick shoutout. They’ve partnered with iFixit and made some of their devices easier to fix. The Moto G line, in particular, has always been a bit more “repairable by design,” thanks to simpler construction.

OnePlus has been more hesitant, though. Some recent models are glued up tight, and there’s limited access to official parts. They’ve hinted at future improvements, but we’re not holding our breath just yet.

Smaller brands like Shift and Teracube are also entering the space with repairability as a selling point, but they’re still niche compared to the big players.

So… Who’s Winning?
Here’s the quick breakdown:

Fairphone: The clear winner for repairability and values. Just not widely available.

Google: The best among mainstream brands. Easy-to-follow guides, decent prices, and improving designs.

Samsung: Better than before, but still expensive to fix.

Apple: Making progress, but with too many strings attached.

Others: Hit or miss, mostly playing catch-up.

Final Thoughts
The good news? In 2025, repairing your phone is way more possible than it used to be. The bad news? It’s still harder than it should be for most people.

The right to repair isn’t just about saving money—it’s about control, sustainability, and common sense. As more laws roll out and consumers demand better, we can expect phone makers to keep evolving.

And hopefully, by the time your current phone finally bites the dust, replacing the screen or battery will be as easy as changing a light bulb.

Also read: https://thephoneyguy.com/americans-and-their-iphone-obsession/