Your iPhone 17e is now easier to repair if you're handy enough

If you own an iPhone 17e and the thought of cracking that back glass makes you nervous, here is some good news. Apple just made it possible to fix things yourself, no Genius Bar appointment required.

Apple's Self Service Repair Store now covers the iPhone 17e

Apple updated its Self Service Repair Store this week with official replacement parts and tools for the iPhone 17e. You can now order genuine components for things like the back glass and bottom speaker, then handle the repair yourself using Apple's repair manuals.

This update also brings self-repair support to the MacBook Neo and iPad Air (M4), among other products.

What can you actually fix?

Based on how the program works for other iPhones, expect parts for the most common repairs: batteries, displays, cameras, and speakers. You can also rent Apple's repair toolkit if you don't want to buy specialized tools.

The usual way this goes is that you first check the manual, order the parts, and follow along. Once you're done with your repair, you return your old part and Apple gives you a credit toward your purchase.

Apple's repair track record tells a different story

While this is great news, it should be mentioned that Apple didn't get here out of the goodness of its heart. The company spent years fighting right-to-repair legislation and lobbying against bills that would have given consumers and repair shops access to these parts much sooner.

Just yesterday, we covered how Apple scored dead last among major phone makers in a new repairability report. Not a great look when you are marketing self-repair as a feature.

The program only launched in 2022, largely because of pressure from the FTC. So while it is good that the iPhone 17e is covered barely a month after launch, Apple is still playing catch-up.

A welcome option for iPhone 17e owners

For a $600 phone that we found in our iPhone 17e review to punch above its weight, getting self-repair access this early is a nice bonus. Not everyone will crack open their phone with a toolkit. But having the option matters, especially if you live far from an Apple Store.