Google Extends Its Partnership with iFixit, Launches Pixel Smartphone "Repair Mode" and Diagnostics

Google has announced it's making its Pixel smartphone device easier to repair, extending a partnership with iFixit with new and improved documentation and launching a "Repair Mode" which includes on-device diagnostics.

"We’re committed to investing in product longevity and repair options for Pixel devices so you can have the best possible experience. In addition to seven years of software and hardware support for Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, we also launched a partnership with iFixit in 2022, so it's easier to buy genuine Pixel parts and repair your phone with a professional or do it yourself (DIY)," Google's Steven Nickel, director of operations for the company's devices and services arm, explains.

Now, the company is going a step further, extending its partnership with iFixit to launch improved repair manuals and adding new software features to its Pixel devices — including a privacy-preserving Repair Mode, blocking access to personal data and files for when you need a third party to help with a fix, and an on-device diagnostics system to pinpoint a problem and verify that it has been correctly resolved.

"Most repair techs are trustworthy people who just want to help you get your stuff working again. But it can be nerve-racking to unlock your phone for a stranger, and repair techs shouldn't need access to your data to confirm that the speakers or cameras work," iFixit's chief executive officer, Kyle Weins, says. "We're glad to see Google introducing this feature that takes the worry and hassle out of sending in a phone for repair."

"We've updated our Help page so you can find resources and instructions to repair your own Pixel. You can also find out how to order parts from iFixit, view repair manuals, run diagnostic tests, and purchase tools and parts that you might need," Nickel says of the companies' extended partnership. "The repair manuals are also redesigned so it’s easier for technicians and DIYers to use them. We'll continue to upload repair manuals for previous and future devices in the coming months."

Google isn't alone in partnering with iFixit to boost its standing among right-to-repair enthusiasts. Back in December 2021 Microsoft announced it was joining forces with the company to offer commercial versions of repair tools which had previously only been available to authorized technicians — but only to those registered under the iFixit Pro program. Apple, meanwhile, went its own way that same year with a self-service repair program for manuals, tools, and official components.

More information on the new Repair Mode and accessing the iFixit repair documentation is available on the Google blog.