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It’s fairly common for manufacturers to use proprietary parts, software and hardware in their products, making it difficult for users to do their own repairs. Everything from smartphones to computers to appliances are designed this way, meaning only “authorized technicians” can make them fully operational again.
A movement known as “Right to Repair” is underway and focused on breaking down those barriers. The goal? Make it so that buyers have the freedom to fix the products they own. According to law firm Crowell, Right to Repair laws generally require manufacturers to give consumers and independent repair providers access to the tools, parts and information to repair certain consumer products and other equipment on fair and reasonable terms.
“Fair and reasonable terms require the manufacturer to offer these resources (and any applicable discounts) at the same (or similar) costs and terms as those given to authorized repair providers,” the firm explains, noting that “many of these statutes were created specifically to avoid electronic waste, eliminate barriers and limitations to third-party repair, and to provide consumers with better options to repair their devices.”
Digital Equipment on the Radar
The Right to Repair movement dates back to 2023, when a few U.S. states enacted laws that gave consumers access to the parts and resources needed to repair their own products, without relying on the product’s original manufacturer. More recently, California, Colorado, Minnesota, New York, Massachusetts and Oregon put new rules in place to give consumers direct access to “tools, parts and information for the repair of various electronic devices and equipment, including digital products and agricultural machinery,” Crowell reports.
Last month, Colorado introduced a new law requiring electronics manufacturers to provide access to parts, tools, software and repair documentation for many products that are either sold or first used in the state. House Bill 24-1121 extends the state’s current Right to Repair laws to include digital electronic equipment.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, the act expanded the scope of the right-to-repair statutes to include digital electronic equipment manufactured and sold or used for the first time in Colorado on or after July 1, 2021. The law states that makers of digital electronic equipment can no longer:
- Prevent an independent repair provider or owner from installing or enabling replacement parts;
- Reduce the functionality or performance of the digital electronic equipment; or
- Cause digital electronic equipment to display misleading alerts or warnings about unidentified parts.
The act includes exemptions for marine vessels, aviation and motor vehicles; medical devices other than powered wheelchairs; certain safety and security equipment; certain construction- and energy-related equipment; and video game consoles, according to Colorado General Assembly.
What Manufacturers Should Know
Colorado’s new law doesn’t require manufacturers to provide source codes or tools that would bypass privacy or anti-theft protections, but it does restrict parts pairing, Rwng, Inc. reports. This software practice links individual components to a device through unique identifiers. “For equipment sold or first used in Colorado after Jan. 1, 2026,” the publication explains, “manufacturers can’t use parts pairing to prevent installation of replacement parts, reduce functionality or performance, or display misleading alerts about unidentified components.”
As the Right to Repair movement continues to spread nationwide, Crowell says manufacturers should work to understand these laws and how they might impact their businesses. “…[providing] repair tools, parts, and documentation may initially increase operational costs and logistical complexities,” the law firm points out. “Companies will need to reevaluate their service models, terms of service, agreements with authorized repair providers, and warranty policies to ensure compliance.”
