iFixit, the internet\u2019s go-to for repair guides and spare parts, just launched a new mobile app with what sounds like a genuinely useful AI chatbot.<\/p>\n
Starting today, iOS and Android<\/a> users can download the iFixit app and chat directly with the new FixBot<\/a> to get curated expert advice on how to fix everything from a cracked phone screen to a faulty dishwasher.<\/p>\n The team at iFixit says it spent two years building the chatbot, which utilizes a combination of AI models for its language, voice, and vision capabilities. What makes FixBot stand out from a general chatbot like ChatGPT or Gemini is its laser focus on repairs. FixBot won\u2019t answer questions that are not about fixing things, and it\u2019s trained on iFixit\u2019s 125,000 repair guides, community forums, and a huge repository of PDF manuals.<\/p>\n To use the bot, users can type or vocally explain their issue to the bot, or they can even just snap a photo of whatever needs fixing. FixBot will try to identify the device and model, then ask follow-up questions until it figures out the problem. The bot will then walk users through a step-by-step repair, pulling answers from the iFixIt library, even if that means surfacing something buried on page 500 of a PDF manual. It will also provide links to buy the spare parts you need. Along the way, users can ask FixBot questions. Its voice command features are also designed to help anyone who\u2019s elbow-deep in a repair and can\u2019t reach their phone.<\/p>\n iFixit acknowledges there are limitations. Sometimes, like any AI chatbot, FixBot can get things wrong. And iFixit doesn\u2019t have a guide for every device, appliance, or car on Earth. In those cases, FixBot will do what it can with manufacturer docs, targeted web searches, and guides from similar models.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s probably best to think of the app as a guy you know who is particularly handy around the house, rather than a full-blown expert.<\/p>\n Other new app features <\/p>\n