Go Ahead Open Your Iphone Or iPad.

There are big "no trespassing" signs affixed to most of our electronics. 

If you own a gaming console, laptop, or computer, it's likely you've seen one of these warnings in the form of a sticker placed over a screw or a seam: 

"Warranty void if removed." In addition, big manufacturers such as Sony, Microsoft, and Apple explicitly note or imply in their official agreements that their year-long manufacturer warranties -- which entitle you to a replacement or repair if your device is defective -- are void if consumers attempt to repair their gadgets or take them to a third party repair professional.

What almost no one knows is that these stickers and clauses are illegal under a federal law passed in 1975 called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. 

 

To be clear, federal law says you can open your electronics without voiding the warranty, regardless of what the language of that warranty says.