The Pixel Watch 4 is finally repairable, and that’s a huge deal

For the past three generations, the Pixel Watch has had one major flaw. If you broke the screen or the battery started to fade, you were simply out of luck. Without a warranty, your only option was a full, costly replacement. It was a glaring hole in Google’s sustainability message and a major frustration for owners. With the Pixel Watch 4, I’m happy to report that this fundamental flaw has finally been fixed.

In a recent interview with Wired, Google detailed the collaboration between its design and engineering teams that cracked the code on making the Pixel Watch 4 serviceable. The solution is both simple and elegant: hidden inside the mounting slots for the watch bands are a pair of standard T2 screws. By removing them, the watch can be disassembled to access its internals.

What’s truly impressive here is that Google achieved this without using any fussy adhesives, all while maintaining the watch’s robust 5ATM / IP68 water resistance rating. This new design allows for both battery and display replacements, and official spare parts will be sold through iFixit.

How the Pixel Watch 4 repair process actually works

The process itself sounds remarkably straightforward. Once those two initial screws are out, the biosensor hub on the back is accessible, but cleverly doesn’t need to be disconnected for a simple battery swap. To replace the battery, you just remove the haptic motor and two more screws holding the battery in place—all using that same T2 Torx screwdriver. The intentional use of a single, common screw type for the entire process is a thoughtful touch that lowers the barrier for DIY repairs.

Replacing the display requires a few more steps, like unplugging the biosensor hub and removing four more screws, but the principle remains the same. According to the quick video from Wired, a full demo of a battery replacement took a mere 13 minutes to complete, which speaks volumes about the accessibility of the design.

Ultimately, this news is more significant than any single software feature. It represents a new level of maturity for Google’s hardware, shifting the Pixel Watch from a potentially disposable gadget into a genuine long-term investment. By providing a clear and accessible path to repair the most common points of failure (the battery and display), Google is finally making a serious commitment to sustainability and consumer rights.

It’s a huge step in building a more robust ecosystem, one that builds owner confidence and shows Google is serious about the lifecycle of its products. When the watch begins shipping this October, it will not only be Google’s smartest wearable, but also the most practical one yet.