Damage and warranty

Overview

Most “my Starlink arrived damaged” reports are cosmetic and do not affect service. Work out which you have before opening a ticket.

Cosmetic marks are normal

The packaging sheds during shipping, which leaves dust. Starlink also plugs the cable into the dish or router at the factory, so a connected cable in the box is not a sign of a returned unit.

All kits ship new, unless a support ticket explicitly told you that you are receiving a refurbished dish. Kits are tested before shipping to confirm that cosmetic imperfections do not affect function, and minor scuffing or dust in transit is expected.

Clean it with a microfiber cloth and glass cleaner. See Where to install.

A quiet buzzing from the dish or the power supply while powered on is normal. It is the internal electronics.

Do not remove the white film

The white film or sticker on the radome is hydrophobic and functional, not packaging. It repels water and matters most in rain.

Removing it can impair performance, and the damage is not covered by the Starlink Limited Warranty.

Real damage

If the hardware arrived damaged, or damage is stopping it from connecting:

Photograph the visible damage. This is what moves the claim along fastest.
Use Contact Support to open a ticket. Name which Starlink on your account is affected, list the damaged item, and confirm your shipping address so a replacement can reach you.
Support will walk you through the rest.

Coverage depends on kit model, service location and who sold you the equipment. Check the Starlink Limited Warranty.

When it is not covered

Replacement parts are sold in the Starlink shop, including cables, mounts, ethernet adapters and routers.

Two limits worth knowing:

Individual replacement parts for the Standard 4 and Standard 4 X are not currently sold separately. Not the dish, not the cables, not the router. Contact support.
On the Standard 4 and Standard 4 X, the Mesh WiFi Router can act as the primary router.