If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Meaning in plain English
The saying advises leaving something alone when it is not broken. It cautions against changes that have no demonstrated need.
Example
A maintainer identifies a concrete problem and weighs a proposed change before altering a working feature.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The informal condition turns a repair decision into a broader question about intervention. A qualified reading checks whether the thing really serves its purpose before calling it sound. Preventive work or improvement may still be useful; the phrase does not establish that all change is wasteful.
When to use it
Use it to ask what need a change addresses.
Keep in mind
Working at present does not prove that maintenance or improvement is unnecessary.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
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Supplied reference A; unit 392; PDF page 59
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