Samsung and iFixit have finally launched their self-repair program, which allows owners of a phone from the Galaxy S20 and S21 lines, as well as the Tab S7 Plus, to purchase replacement parts.
The initial announcement of the self-repair program was made late MarchAnd not much has changed since then. In all three product lines (opens in a new tab), you will be able to buy repair kits for the screen and the battery, the charging port and the rear glass; Independent batteries are not included. What’s new is access to free online repair guides that tell you how to fix your phone through a step-by-step guide that includes pictures.
repair packages
Both replacement parts and step-by-step instructions are available on the iFixit website.
You start by going to iFixit Galaxy page and model selection (opens in a new tab). Prices between the S20 and S21 lines are mostly uniform. The charging port replacement costs $66.99. Rear glass kits will set you back $76.99, except for the base model S21, which is $66.99. Screen and battery kits fluctuate by phone. The cheapest is, again, the bosses s21 (opens in a new tab) ($167.99) being the most expensive S21 Ultra (opens in a new tab) ($239.99).
The prices are a little different for the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus Tablet (opens in a new tab). The display kit will set you back $226.99, the back glass and battery assembly are $86.99, and the charging port is $66.99. Aside from product-specific parts, each repair kit comes with the same tools: suction handles, iFixit opening tool (opens in a new tab)tweezers and a bit of controller just to name a few.
Each of the repair kits also comes with a free return label so you can send your old parts back to Samsung for proper disposal. iFixit even includes instructions on how to properly dispose of lithium ion batteries (opens in a new tab). You can’t just throw these batteries in the trash, as they can literally explode. We should also mention that some repair kits, such as the S21 5G Display and Battery Pack (opens in a new tab)are limited to seven per customer.
Step by Step
As for step-by-step instructions, Samsung has a handy home page (opens in a new tab) for quick access. By iFixit’s own admission, repairs can be a bit difficult to do. Galaxy S21 Ultra Screen and Battery Replacement Page (opens in a new tab), for example, is listed as moderately difficult and may take you a couple of hours to complete. The repair involves using one of the picks and the suction cup to open a phone and disconnect certain parts to replace the battery.
The instructions show everything in detail, but if you don’t feel confident about doing it yourself, Samsung has other options. You can use Samsung store locator (opens in a new tab) to find an authorized repair shop or mail the phone.
Just don’t forget to put your phone in repair mode to protect your data before you bring it.
limited scale
The limited number of devices it can repair is a bit disappointing. It would have been nice to have Samsung’s latest flagship phone, the Galaxy S22, in the program. The announcement indicates that there are plans to include more devices, but no date has been given.
We reached out to Samsung to ask when more devices will be added and if it will be possible to purchase a replacement battery separately from the display kits. A representative from Samsung contacted us, but he had no new information to give. The only way to get a new battery is to buy the display kit for now. The company revealed that “additional parts will be added as the show progresses,” but did not say anything specific or when exactly.
Still, it’s great to have those repair options. Samsung eventually joined the likes of Google and Apple in offering repairs for its phones. Even Valve is doing the same. with steam platform. These are all significant gains for consumers and the environment.
For iPhone owners, we recommend checking out our Apple Self Service Repair history for details about your program.