As convenient as it would be to have an infinite tool replacement hack, Milwaukee’s lengthy warranties do not reset whenever you get a replacement product. The reason is pretty straightforward: The warranty is tied to your original purchase. When Milwaukee repairs or replaces a tool or battery under the original warranty, it’s effectively fulfilling the terms of the original sales contract. That doesn’t mean it’s initiating a new one. As such, the original warranty clock continues to run from the initial date of purchase.

It’s all in the fine print. Milwaukee’s warranty language says again and again that your coverage is based on proof of purchase (or, when receipts are unavailable, the product’s manufacturing date code). In other words, the warranty only exists because a customer paid for a product from an authorized distributor. A free replacement given out through the warranty service would still be tied to that original date. This is the case across all Milwaukee’s tool and battery warranties in the United States and Canada. Once your original warranty period expires, any future repairs or replacements fall outside warranty coverage. That’s regardless of whether or not a replacement was ever issued.

A quick note about registration and warranties: You don’t have to register your Milwaukee tools to be eligible for warranty coverage. If you didn’t register yours, it’s really important (and will go so much more smoothly for you) if you have a receipt to verify the product’s age instead. If you don’t have a proof of purchase, Milwaukee will have to rely on the manufacturing date code to pinpoint whether or not the product’s still in its warranty period. If the product sat on the shelf for a while before you bought it, you might fall outside warranty coverage. (And that’s even if you bought it more recently than the manufacturing date would suggest.)

No matter if it’s limited or lifetime, Milwaukee’s warranties are incredibly generous, but they’re not to be taken advantage of. To that end, a replacement product is only given out to satisfy the original warranty agreement, not extend it. Understanding that difference should be enough to encourage you: Make your warranty claims on time, enjoy your replacement product for the full life of the product, and then go purchase a replacement to start the cycle over again.