After the heat of public debate under the "Right to Repair" law, Apple agreed to cover the warranty for third-party repairs in Australia. The program, introduced as Independent Repair Provider (IRP), is now available in many countries including Australia and New Zealand.
What This Means for You
More than 50% of consumers use iPhone and other Apple products in Australia. Previously, getting repairs outside official Apple stores would void your warranty. That's no longer the case with certified Independent Repair Providers.
How Does the Independent Repair Provider Program Work?
Apple products are expensive to purchase, and getting them fixed can be costly too. Many people prefer local repairers for this reason. But previously, if you got your Apple products repaired outside the official Apple store, it would void your warranty. The discussion about this started long ago, leading Apple to take this significant step.
The Independent Repair Provider (IRP) program was first introduced in the USA in 2019. After a successful launch there, Apple expanded the program to Canada and some European countries in 2020. Now, it's available in Australia and New Zealand.
Under the IRP Program, Third-Party Repairers:
- Must join online courses and pass Apple's certification exams
- Get access to diagnostic tools, repair instructions, and genuine parts
- Must use genuine Apple parts to maintain warranty coverage
- Receive a certified repairer badge that consumers can verify
Quality Assurance & Consumer Protection
Apple has implemented several measures to ensure the quality of third-party repairs:
Serial Number Tracking
Parts provided to repairers have serial numbers. When a device is switched back on, it will notify if non-genuine parts were used.
Compliance Enforcement
Apple-certified repairers face fines for using "non-approved or counterfeit" parts, ensuring quality standards.
Verification System
Apple provides a direct link for consumers to verify Apple-certified third-party repairers before getting repairs done.
Verify ProviderE-Waste Reduction
Apple aims to recycle or reuse parts wherever possible to reduce electronic waste.
Devices Covered
The Independent Repair Provider program covers training for repairs on:
We Support E-Waste Recycling
Tech Fixer supports the E-Waste program by ACT Government to keep Canberra safe and clean. Contact us if you're looking to recycle your phone or computer, or if you need it repaired instead of replaced.
Need Your Apple Device Repaired?
We offer mobile repair services for iPhone, iPad, MacBook and iMac across Canberra and surrounds.