If you've ever tried to fix a broken product – say, a smartphone, washing machine, or vacuum cleaner – and found yourself muttering obscenities at proprietary screws, unopenable casings, or a complete lack of repair instructions, congratulations: You've brushed up against the very reason the Right to Repair (R2R) movement exists.
For many people, the act of repair is no longer a natural or intuitive process. Manufacturers intentionally obstruct it by design. And while lawmakers, activists, and even repair-obsessed YouTubers have been pushing back, it's clear we're still in the middle of a long, slow tug-of-war. As technical writers, we now find ourselves caught up in it too.
Let's talk about why that matters – and what it means for documentation teams around the world.
Europe gets it (mostly)
If you're in the EU, you've likely already encountered the growing body of legislation aimed at extending product life, reducing waste, and giving consumers the right to access spare parts, tools, and documentation. The European Right to Repair Directive, adopted in 2024, is one of the most comprehensive responses to this challenge. It reinforces existing ecodesign and consumer protection laws, requiring manufacturers to provide repair information and parts for more extended periods and in a manner that is usable by someone who isn't a certified company technician with a million-dollar toolbox.
As usual, the EU is addressing this issue as both a consumer rights concern and an environmental necessity. The result is a relatively clear roadmap: design products to last, make them fixable, and ensure people have the necessary information to repair them.
The EU is trying to build a world where fixing your toaster doesn't require an engineering degree, proprietary software, or a blood sacrifice to the appliance gods.
Meanwhile in the United States of America…
If you're hoping for a sweeping, well-coordinated national response from the United States, prepare yourself for disappointment. Things are messy in the States right now, and there's no sign that this will change anytime soon.
While the US federal government has made some noise in support of the Right to Repair – through the Federal Trade Commission and scattered mentions in White House executive orders – progress at the national level has been sluggish at best. Between political gridlock, corporate lobbying, and a general inability to agree on what day it is, the US federal system has, shall we say, dropped the screwdriver.
But don't count us out just yet.
Individual states are forging ahead, passing their Right to Repair laws, often industry by industry. New York, Minnesota, Colorado, Oregon, and California have all passed state laws covering a range of products, consumer electronics to agricultural equipment and wheelchairs. Other states are actively considering similar legislation.
It's not a coordinated national strategy – but it is creating pressure. Companies operating in the US are starting to realize that if enough states adopt their versions of Right to Repair laws, they'll have to comply – or risk legal and logistical chaos.
Global pressure builds
It's not just the EU and the US either. Australia has made headway in the automotive sector. India is exploring national R2R frameworks. Even Canada, ever polite but increasingly assertive, is gathering momentum through proposed legislation and public consultations.
The point is that manufacturers are running out of places to hide. Global regulations are converging on a common idea – consumers should be able to fix the things they own. And that means repairability will become a design consideration whether companies like it or not.
Where do technical writers come in?
Here's the part where it gets personal.
Repair-friendly product design means repair-friendly documentation. That means you – the technical writer, the information architect, the content designer – are about to become even more essential than you already are.
Right to Repair regulations don't just require parts and tools to be available – they require precise, accurate, and accessible repair instructions. Disassembly and reassembly guides. Safety and environmental warnings. Troubleshooting procedures. Lists of tools needed. Clear visuals. Annotated diagrams. You get the idea.
In many cases, this content must be freely available online, easily accessible, and understandable to the average consumer, not just to engineers or technicians.
It also needs to be updated, translated, and version-controlled – particularly as regulations continue to evolve. Technical documentation teams that create semantically rich, structured content, systematically reuse content, and use a Component Content Management System (CCMS) to deliver repair information position themselves better to comply with Right to Repair regulations.
It's not just about compliance – it's about opportunity
Here's the secret: Creating good repair documentation isn't just about following the rules. It's also good business.
Customers who can fix their stuff are customers who trust you. They're more likely to buy from you again. They're less likely to swamp your customer support team with calls. And essential in today's world, they're more likely to see your brand as sustainable, responsible, and worthy of loyalty.
Let's lead the way
The Right to Repair movement is here to stay. It's gaining momentum across continents, driven by legislation, consumer demand, and environmental urgency. And while the laws may vary, the message is clear: If you sell a product, you must help people repair it.
Technical writers play a vital role in this shift – from compliance to customer experience to sustainability. Our content will shape how easy – or how infuriating – it is to keep a product out of landfill.
So, let's not wait to be asked. Let's lead the way – one well-written repair guide at a time.