Right to repair in 2026: what the new laws mean for phones and appliances
More places now require makers to sell parts, tools and manuals. Here is what changed, and how to use it even where no law applies yet.
2 October 2026 · 8 min read
Chetanya Goel · Founder & Editor
Chetanya started Annam Naturals after two years of keeping a household waste diary. Chetanya writes about the boring, repeatable habits that hold up in a real week.
For years, fixing a cracked phone or a dead washing machine often meant one choice: the manufacturer's service centre at the manufacturer's price, or throwing it away. Right-to-repair laws aim to change that by requiring companies to make parts, tools and repair information available to owners and independent repairers.
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What changed recently
In the United States, a growing group of states now has electronics repair laws in force. New York and Minnesota's digital fair repair laws, and Texas's law that took effect on 1 September 2026, join earlier laws in states like California and Colorado. Each is slightly different, but the common thread is access to genuine parts, documentation and diagnostic tools at fair prices.
The European Union has gone further on household appliances, with rules that push manufacturers to offer repairs on goods such as washing machines, fridges and vacuum cleaners even after the warranty ends, and to provide spare parts for years. Its ecodesign rules also make repairability part of how products must be designed.
India launched a national right to repair portal in 2022, which gathers manufacturer repair information and service details for categories like phones, electronics, appliances and vehicles. It is voluntary for many brands, but it is a useful place to start.
Why it matters for waste
Most of the environmental cost of a phone or appliance comes from making it. Every extra year of use spreads that cost thinner. A battery or screen replacement that adds two years of life is one of the biggest sustainability wins available to an ordinary household.
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How to use it, wherever you live
- Check the brand's support page for official parts and manuals before assuming something cannot be fixed
- Look up repair guides from community sites, which cover thousands of devices
- Ask independent repair shops for a quote alongside the service centre
- Keep receipts and warranty cards, since repair under warranty is often free
Buying with repair in mind
Before your next purchase, check whether the battery can be replaced, whether spare parts are sold, and how long software updates will be provided. France publishes a repairability index on many products, and reviews increasingly include repair scores. A slightly more expensive device that lasts five years beats a cheaper one that lasts two.
The short version
Repair is becoming a right in more places each year. Even where it is not, the parts and knowledge are more available than ever. The habit to build is simple: when something breaks, ask 'can this be fixed?' before 'what should I buy?'
For more of this kind of testing, the eco-friendly product guides hub collects everything we've tried in that area.
Frequently asked
Do I need to buy anything to get started?
No. Every method here begins with what is already in your cupboards. We only recommend a purchase when something has genuinely worn out, and we say what it should cost.
How do you test the things you write about?
Minimum four weeks of ordinary household use, with notes. For anything involving energy or money we use a plug-in meter and record the readings before and after.
Are your recommendations paid for?
Never. Brands cannot buy placement. Some outbound links are affiliate links, which we mark, and they do not change what makes the list.
What if a method doesn't work in my home?
Write to us. A surprising amount of our best material comes from readers explaining why something failed in a flat, a shared house or a very cold winter.
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