Starlink Warranty: Everything You Need To Know

Your Starlink hardware may malfunction for all kinds of reasons – some of which may require a replacement. Luckily, Starlink offers a limited warranty to customers, ranging from 12 months to 24 months.

In this article, I will detail Starlink’s warranty specifications, how to claim it, what types of damages cannot be claimed, and how durable Starlink’s hardware generally is.

Does Starlink Have A Warranty?

Yes, Starlink offers a limited warranty on all the hardware that it sells. The length of the warranty is dependent on the dishy model as well as where and how it was purchased.

Here’s how long the warranty of each kit model lasts:

In case you wonder: the European Union (EU) requires all hardware manufacturers to offer a limited warranty of 24 months minimum. Meanwhile, the United States and the rest of the world do away with 12 months.

Consequently, you can only take advantage of the warranty within those timeframes if the reported damage was not caused by you.

In most cases, malfunctioning hardware should be evident quite literally right out of the box, namely during the setup process (e.g., dishy not being powered or receiving any sort of signal).

Starlink often resells used hardware, especially kits that have been sent back before the 30-day trial expired. As such, potential damages were not necessarily spotted by Starlink’s quality assurance team.

How To Claim Warranty

If you want to claim a warranty, simply reach out to Starlink’s customer support team here. Make sure to provide a detailed description of the issue alongside any photos that might support your case.

Furthermore, keep in mind that Starlink’s customer service currently runs at capacity, so answers and a resolution of the case may take time (sometimes you may need to wait a few days to receive a reply).

In almost all cases, Starlink will send you a new piece of hardware as a replacement as it’s cheaper for the company to do so (versus sending a repair technician).

The replaced hardware has a minimum warranty length of 3 months or the remainder of the original warranty period.

For example, if you have 9 months left on your limited warranty, then the replacement will be valid for the same timeframe.

Lastly, Starlink also bears the costs of shipment and handling, which means you don’t have to pay anything to receive a replacement.

In some cases, Starlink will ask you to send back the malfunctioning hardware, depending on the type of damage you reported.

Again, Starlink should provide you with a shipping label that would allow you to send it back free of charge.

What’s Excluded From Starlink’s Limited Warranty?

Starlink cannot be held accountable for any damages to the hardware kit after delivery as well as for kit or service malfunctions or subpar performance due to:

• Not adhering to instructions, such as blocking the Kit’s view of the sky or covering the antenna with a radome
• Manually adjusting the antenna’s direction
• Using the Kit and Services in motion when not authorized or specified for that purpose
• Unsuitable installation settings or using the Kit with unapproved devices or software
• Issues with the customer’s electrical power or network equipment
• Interference from other emitting devices or excessive concurrent network connections
• Repairs, modifications (like painting or other aesthetic alterations), or disassembly by anyone other than Starlink or an authorized partner
• Natural disasters or acts of God, such as fires, floods, winds, lightning, earthquakes, or extreme weather conditions
• Food or liquid spills by the customer or others
• Scheduled or emergency network maintenance by Starlink
• Improper use, mistreatment, accidents, vandalism, modifications, or negligence
• Normal wear and tear, or cosmetic flaws, dents, or marks that do not affect the Kit’s performance
• Failure to secure or maintain necessary permissions, approvals, or permits
• Circumstances beyond Starlink’s reasonable control

You should thus ensure that your hardware is set up in a way that minimizes external influences. Hardware damages are often caused by extreme weather conditions or wild animals, so firmly mounting your dishy and cable is advised.

Can You Return Starlink If It Doesn’t Work?

You can return both working and malfunctioning hardware within 30 days of receiving the kit without specifying any reason.

After those 30 days, you won’t be able to return functioning hardware. As I’ve written above, malfunctioning hardware will only be replaced without any refund.

Your only viable option is to transfer ownership of your Starlink account and sell the hardware to someone else. However, you likely won’t recoup the initial purchase price.

How Durable Is Starlink’s Hardware?

Starlink’s hardware is made to withstand all kinds of situations. Point in case: many users on forums like Reddit report that they still use the first version of the hardware kit (rounded dishy) without any problems.

Temperature-wise, the dishy can handle between -30°C to 50°C (-22°F to 122°F). Dishy should also be able to handle rain, snow, and hail as it is water-resistant.

With the latter (hail), it is generally recommended to either stow the dishy (which you can do in the app under ‘Settings’) or place it under a roof for the time being.

And for those that aim to use Starlink in more extreme conditions, it is advised to purchase the high-performance dish.

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, Starlink’s limited warranty offers customers some peace of mind when it comes to hardware malfunctions.

As long as the damage isn’t caused by user negligence or external factors, you can expect a replacement within the warranty period.

While it’s important to be aware of the exclusions and follow proper installation and usage guidelines, Starlink’s hardware is generally durable and able to withstand various weather conditions.

If you encounter any issues, just reach out to Starlink’s customer support and be patient as they work to resolve your case.

https://starlinkinsider.com/starlink-warranty/