Create A Troubleshooting Page

Page Layout

Your troubleshooting information will appear on a wiki page with specific formatting guidelines.

The basic layout of each troubleshooting topic should resemble the following format:

• Display title phrased as a specific user-observed symptom

• Summary describing the symptom in detail

• Headings phrased as possible underlying causes for the symptom

• Solutions for each cause describing how to complete the repair

When formatted correctly on your wiki page, it will look like this:

Creation

When creating each troubleshooting page, it's best if only one team member edits the page at a time. If more than one person attempts to make changes simultaneously, they may unknowingly overwrite each other's work.

To create a troubleshooting page:

• Click here to start a new page.

• Select "Wiki" from the list of options.

• Enter "[Your Device Name] [specific user-observed symptom]” into the title field (for example “iPhone 14 Does Not Power On”).

  • Do NOT include the device type or generic terms such as “laptop,” “cell phone,” etc.

  • If your device was provided by iFixit, copy the name directly from the white iFixit label on the device.

  • For all other devices, write the name exactly as it appears on the manufacturer's website or in the device's official documentation. If your device is known by more than one official name, stick with the most common one (Google Trends can be helpful here). If you're not sure, drop us an email at techwriting[at]ifixit[dot]com!

  • Be sure to use correct spelling, capitalization, and spacing when creating each troubleshooting page. For instance, the ‘i’ in “iPhone” is not capitalized, while the 'P' is capitalized.

Formatting

When you create a troubleshooting page, you’ll be directed to a page like the one below:

In the “Summary” field, you will include one to two sentences describing the symptom.

In the “Additional Information” field, you will include possible underlying causes for the symptom formatted as headers. Beneath each header, you will write a detailed solution explaining how to address each cause.

To format each cause as a header, highlight your text and click on the “¶” to access the drop-down menu. From there, click on “Header” (while your text is still highlighted) to create the appropriate heading.

When you revisit your Troubleshooting Pages after creating your guides in Milestone 3, make sure to add the links to your guides in your solutions. To add a link to a guide, highlight your placeholder text and click on the “🔗” symbol. From there, paste the URL of your guide into the text box and click “Confirm Link.” You’ll notice that the text you highlighted will turn blue.