The Fix Online UK tech repairs, made simple.

The Fix Online

UK tech repairs, made simple.

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Morning After a Power Cut: Don’t Bin That ‘Dead’ Gadget Until You’ve Tried These Checks
Repair Services

Morning After a Power Cut: Don’t Bin That ‘Dead’ Gadget Until You’ve Tried These Checks

The storm has passed, the lights are back on, and your laptop, router or TV is still playing dead. Before you assume the worst, work through this calm UK morning-after triage — starting with safety, the humble plug fuse and the trip switch you probably swore at in the dark.

The Doorbell Winter MOT: Seven Checks Before the Couriers Get Busy
Repair Services

The Doorbell Winter MOT: Seven Checks Before the Couriers Get Busy

Cold snaps and condensation can turn a reliable video doorbell into a foggy, glary, slow-to-wake nuisance just as parcel season ramps up. Here is a seven-point winter audit for UK homes, covering misted lenses, IR bounce, Wi-Fi reach and battery behaviour, plus how to tell a quick fix from a genuine repair.

Smart Thermostat Says 21°C, Boiler Says Nothing: A Cold-Weather Comm Fault Hunt
Broadband & Wi-Fi

Smart Thermostat Says 21°C, Boiler Says Nothing: A Cold-Weather Comm Fault Hunt

Your app is showing a toasty 21°C while the radiator stays stone cold. This UK walk-through helps you separate a Wi-Fi wobble from a schedule mistake, a flat TRV battery or a boiler that needs a Gas Safe engineer.

The Cosy Laptop Trap: Seven Winter Habits That Send Fan Noise Through the Roof
Repair Services

The Cosy Laptop Trap: Seven Winter Habits That Send Fan Noise Through the Roof

November turns UK homes cosy, and laptops start migrating to duvets, sofas and radiators. Before you panic about a dying machine, work through the habits that block airflow, trigger thermal throttling and make a healthy laptop sound like a tiny jet.

Black Screen, Big Bill Panic: Seven Checks for a Dead Smart Meter Display
Battery & Power

Black Screen, Big Bill Panic: Seven Checks for a Dead Smart Meter Display

The in-home display has gone dark just as the winter bills land — but a blank screen rarely means a broken meter. Here are seven things to check in order, plus the exact questions to put to your supplier before you ask for a replacement.

Chips, Firmware and Fine Print: Why Your Printer Only Looks Broken
Buying Advice

Chips, Firmware and Fine Print: Why Your Printer Only Looks Broken

A printer that refuses a full cartridge or sulks until you top up a plan is usually working perfectly — it is the software and the contract that are the problem. Here is a step-by-step UK audit of firmware, cartridge chips and subscription terms before you pay a penny for repairs.

Pocket Fluff, Not Fate: Seven Five-Minute Checks for a ‘Dead’ Charging Port
Battery & Power

Pocket Fluff, Not Fate: Seven Five-Minute Checks for a ‘Dead’ Charging Port

Your phone, laptop or controller has stopped charging and you’re ready to declare the port beyond saving. Before you book a repair, spend five minutes on the least glamorous diagnosis in tech: pocket debris, bent contacts and a cable that’s been living under the sofa. Here are seven safe checks UK users can do at the kitchen table — and the point where you should put the toothpick down.

Solder, Don’t Scrounge: Using UK Repair Cafés Without Wasting Volunteer Time
Repair Services

Solder, Don’t Scrounge: Using UK Repair Cafés Without Wasting Volunteer Time

Repair cafés are one of the best things on the UK’s community calendar — but they are not free professional repair shops with an unlimited parts cupboard. This is a practical, slightly opinionated guide to what volunteer fixers can realistically do, how to prepare your device, and how to ask for help without treating goodwill as a service-level agreement.

The Courier-Knocks Checklist: Posting a Gadget for Repair Without Losing Data or Leverage
Buying Advice

The Courier-Knocks Checklist: Posting a Gadget for Repair Without Losing Data or Leverage

Postal repairs can be convenient, especially when the specialist you need is nowhere near you. But once a gadget leaves your hands, the paperwork, packaging and data prep matter. Here is the UK checklist to run before you seal the box.

The Spare-Plug Drawer Is Trying to Tell You Something: A 2026 UK Charger Audit
Battery & Power

The Spare-Plug Drawer Is Trying to Tell You Something: A 2026 UK Charger Audit

That tangled drawer of mystery chargers is not just clutter. It can be a genuine fire risk and a surprisingly useful gadget-health clue. Here is how UK households can audit plugs, cables and fuses without turning a clear-out into a repair bill.

Before the Festive Buffer: Seven Wi-Fi Fixes for Darker UK Evenings
Broadband & Wi-Fi

Before the Festive Buffer: Seven Wi-Fi Fixes for Darker UK Evenings

Dark evenings, extra devices and Christmas streaming can make home broadband feel worse than it is. Try these seven practical Wi-Fi checks before blaming your provider or splashing out on a mesh system.

Don’t Get Fobbed Off: Six Repair Questions Every UK Gadget Owner Should Ask in 2026
Buying Advice

Don’t Get Fobbed Off: Six Repair Questions Every UK Gadget Owner Should Ask in 2026

A £120 call-out and a vague verdict are not the end of the conversation. Here are the practical questions UK gadget owners should ask before accepting a repair quote, a warranty fob-off or a ‘beyond economic repair’ label in 2026.

Seven Small-Print Traps That Can Turn a Black Friday 2026 Refurb Laptop Into a Repair Bill
Buying Advice

Seven Small-Print Traps That Can Turn a Black Friday 2026 Refurb Laptop Into a Repair Bill

Refurbished laptops can be brilliant value in the 2026 sales, but a few warranty clauses can quietly move the risk onto you. Here are seven phrases to decode before you pay, plus a first-fortnight test routine for UK buyers.

Your Phone Isn't Broken—November Is: The UK Cold-Weather Battery Guide
Battery & Power

Your Phone Isn't Broken—November Is: The UK Cold-Weather Battery Guide

Cold snaps make lithium-ion batteries behave like they're failing, especially when a phone hits 20% and shuts down. Here's how to tell a winter wobble from a dying cell, plus five practical fixes before you book a repair.