With the right-to-repair movement gaining popularity in the US, the companies might have begun to see the writing on the wall as tech giant Microsoft has made the first move to bring its customers more repairability options with their partnership with iFixit.
Earlier today, iFixit announced its partnership with Microsoft to produce and sell Microsoft-designed tools to repair their Surface laptops. For those unaware, iFixit is an American e-commerce and how-to website which sells repair parts and publishes free online repair guides for consumer electronics and gadgets.
The move garners a positive reception by Microsoft’s Surface customers as it provides them with more repairability options and convenience for a device that has been considered rather difficult to repair.
But you can’t go DIY on your Surface Laptops yet as the parts are only being sold to select partners under the free-of-cost iFixit Pro program, including independent repairers, Microsoft Authorized Service Providers, Microsoft Experience Centers, and Microsoft Commercial customers. iFixit has not given any timeline as to when the tools will be available for sale to the general public, but they hope it will happen sooner rather than later.
iFixit explained that the program is launching with three tools, namely the Surface Display Bonding Frame, Surface Battery Cover, Surface Display Debonding Tools, as well as weights and accessories, all designed by Microsoft and manufactured by iFixit. The tools will enable precision debonding and rebonding of adhesive for select Microsoft Surface models and will undergo the same rigorous quality testing and attention to detail that they give to all of our products.
These tools are, unfortunately, only for newer Surface devices like the Surface Laptop 3 (2019) and newer, the Surface Pro X (2019), the business / education-oriented Surface Pro 7 plus (2021), and Surface Pro 8 (2021), but its a start and we can hope that more support will be offered down the line for a wider range of devices.
If you are a laptop repair business owner looking to fix Microsoft surface devices, you can avail these tools by applying for iFixit’s Pro program by filling out a form. Once completed and approved, the new iFixit Microsoft Service Tools for Surface laptops can be purchased for use worldwide.
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