Last fall, Apple launched its Self Service Repair program in response to increased pressure from the right-to-repair movement. Five months later, Samsung announced its own self-repair program that might soon let you repair Galaxy phones yourself at home.
It’s not surprising to see Samsung follow closely in Apple’s footsteps. It’s something Samsung has been doing for years for big mobile-related decisions. Unlike Apple, Samsung will be working with the experts at iFixit to help Galaxy device owners repair their handsets.
The good news is that Samsung is ready to support the right-to-repair movement in time for the Galaxy S22 series. I’m not saying that your Galaxy S22 will definitely need repairs. But if you’ve seen any drop tests, you know the odds are against you. The front and back glass are surprisingly fragile and might suffer unfortunate accidents that will necessitate repairs.
Unfortunately, the Galaxy S22 phones aren’t part of the first batch of Galaxy devices that Samsung’s new program will support.
Can a Samsung phone be repaired?
Most phones can be repaired, whether they’re Samsung Galaxy devices or iPhones. It’s not just the display that can break. Internal components might fail. The battery might need a replacement. These sound like simple repairs and Samsung’s new product will target these sort of do-it-yourself fixes.
Samsung explained that it will support repairs for the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S21 this summer. Joining those phones is the Galaxy Tab S7+ tablet.
The company will provide access to genuine parts, repair tools, and “intuitive, visual, step-by-step repair guides.” iFixit should help with the latter, which is what you want to hear if you plan to repair your Samsung phones.
It’s unclear when the Galaxy S22 series will follow, but you’ll likely be able to repair the handset yourself in the future.
Initially, Samsung will let you replace display assemblies, the back glass, and the charging ports. The company will also let customers return the faulty parts for proper recycling.
You won’t be able to do anything about software issues, however. Like the Galaxy S22 throttling or GPS problems.
Maybe you shouldn’t repair the Galaxy S22 yourself
Just because you might be able to repair the Galaxy S22 at home using genuine parts doesn’t mean you should. It might look easy in some of those teardown videos. But those people are professionals who know what they’re doing. It’s not their first time disassembling a phone that cost $1,000 or more.
If your Galaxy phone breaks and needs repairs, you might want to look for help from trained professionals who can get the job done quicker and safer. In addition to announcing its own self-repair program, Samsung also reminded users that they have several service options available.
The company says it operates a far-reaching same-day repair service covering 80% of the US population. More than 2,000 locations are available to Galaxy device owners for repairs. Also, Samsung runs more than 550 “We Come To You Vans” that offer in-person service within a 30-60 minute drive. Repairs using that service take about two hours.
Samsung can also ship an empty box to your home so you can send a Galaxy phone to be repaired. One other way to fix a broken Galaxy S22 or older device is to find an Independent Service Provider in your area. These are certified technicians who work with genuine Samsung parts.
