Turning to your phone’s manufacturer for repairs isn’t cool anymore. More and more companies are providing individuals and independent shops with the tools, instructions, and parts for repair. Apple recently added a few devices, including the new iPhone 15, to its Self-Service Repair program. Now it’s Google’s turn to unveil a new development in device repairs, and it’s something you might want to check out if you have a Pixel phone to fix.
Google is rolling out a new diagnostics tool in the Pixel phone’s dialer app. This tool allows you to check that the individual parts within a Pixel phone are in proper working order. You can access this tool by firing up your dialer app and typing in *#*#7287#*#*. You’ll be asked to select from several diagnostic processes that focus on individual parts of the phone, such as the speaker or screen. There’s also a “full diagnostic option.”
This tool is especially helpful if you feel that something phone may need (or is going to need) repairs. It can also come in handy if you want to make sure that everything is in working order after a repair.
If something is damaged, it needs fixing. Google advises against trying to fix your own phone if you don’t have the expertise and know-how to do so properly. But the company is making repair manuals available for those who want to properly disassemble their phones, substitute parts, and put everything back together. The new manuals cover the Pixel 8, the Pixel Fold, and the Pixel 8 Pro, and manuals for older devices will come at a later date.
Other repair-friendly initiatives taken by Google include an iFixit collaboration, which makes official parts available for everyone to purchase. There’s also a new Repair Mode, which was introduced earlier this month and allows Pixel users to lock down their personal data while also placing repair software front and center—neat if you ever need to hand your phone over to a repair shop. With these measures, Pixels are quickly becoming some of the best phones to own if you’re worried about repairability down the road.
Source: Google (1, 2) via The Verge
