What to Do If You Dropped iPhone in Water? – Best Fixes

Jack

By Jack

Update on

dropped iPhone in water

Are you in a super panic mode right now because you dropped your iPhone in the water? We understand that it is the worst nightmare for anyone; however, you can calm yourself and act toward saving the phone instead.

We will talk in detail about what can be done to save your soaked iPhone. Let’s get started.

1. Consequences of the iPhone getting wet

If you have dropped your iPhone in water, then the major consequences that you must get prepared for are all related to electricity. Here are the three things that are to be worried about.

● Short circuit

The battery of the phone gets vulnerable to short circuits that can potentially cause it to swell up and burst due to excessive heating. Well, this is the worst-case scenario, but the battery will anyways get some damage.

● Corrosion of the hardware

Any moisture can cause the internal components of your iPhone to get corroded. This happens due to the chemicals and minerals in water that react with the electrical current. This reaction impacts the conductivity of the components toward malfunctioning.

● Later damage

The mineral residue that gets deposited on the internal components of the iPhone after moisture evaporation possesses high conductivity and poses the risk of short circuits.

Some other damages involve poor battery, blurred camera, unresponsive screen, etc. These things can even happen after a long time as the corrosion may continue to develop.

2. Immediate things to do upon iPhone getting wet

The best thing you can do from your end is to minimize the damage, and you need to follow the following measures for that.

Shut down the phone once your Dropped iPhone in Water

Shut down the phone when dropped iPhone in water

If you dropped your iPhone in water, the device would most likely turn off once it gets wet. If you see that the phone is turned off after you take it out from the water, do not try turning it on by yourself in a panic.

And if you try to do that while the water has seeped into the inner part of the device, then the damage will increase for worse.

On the contrary, if you find out the phone was still on after being taken out of the water, you need to power it off immediately. You may get tempted increasingly to check if the phone is working or not by turning on the power, but that’s exactly what you have to resist. If you keep touching the buttons, then that would increase the damage only.

Don’t give an immediate blow-dry if you Dropped your iPhone in Water

Understand that if you blow-dry the iPhone immediately after taking it out from the water, then the damage would increase manifolds. The sudden contact with hot air can cause huge damage to the hardware of the phone. The screen is particularly resistant to hot winds, and it will get damaged irreparably.

Take out the SIM card

Take out the SIM card when dropped iPhone in water

The first step you take towards fixing the mess after you drop your iPhone in the water is to ensure the safety of the SIM card against any water damage. This can be done by removing the SIM card immediately.

Use the SIM removal tool clip or any paper clip to do so. Pull out the SIM tray and keep it away to let the slot remain open for the time being from then.

Wipe the exterior and remove the accessories

Wipe the exterior and remove the accessories

Go ahead and clean the phone exterior off any water using a cotton cloth or tissue paper. You don’t have to apply high pressure over the iPhone while wiping it to not force the water damage over the phone.

Hold the phone stationary and move the cloth gently over the body to wipe out the water.

Remove the case of the phone if there was any as well as the screen protector, as these can have some water trapped behind them.

Remove any accessories stuck in the ports (how to get water out of iPhone charging port), like charging cables, earplugs, etc. Tilt the port portion of the phone downwards and tap over then lightly to free out any trapped water.

Leave the phone to dry in an open place

After cleaning the exterior, you need to ensure that the phone’s interiors are safe after you dropped the iPhone in the water.

Find out any dry and warm place for keeping the phone over there. This aims at evaporating any trapped moisture on the insides of the phone.

You may choose a place like a window receiving some sunlight; however, the sunlight must not be directly falling over the phone. Place it in a way so that it gets mild and constant heat.

Another popular hack involves keeping the phone over a monitor or TV top. The main idea is to provide constant warmth to the phone so it dries out fast.

More hacks to dry the phone if you Dropped iPhone in Water

You can try some other popular hacks to remove all the possibilities of any moisture that may remain trapped inside the phone even after every treatment.

● Use Silica gel bags

This is one of the safest methods for drying out any excess moisture off the iPhone. These small silica gel bags usually come with electronic items in the packaging itself, or you can even purchase them from any store.

These packets absorb all the moisture efficiently and easily without making any close contact with the phone. Place these bags around the phone and let them do their job.

Use Silica gel bags

● Use rice

This is another very popular solution people use for drying after they drop iPhones in water. Fill any bowl with some rice (uncooked) and put the iPhone in it. Cover it with rice fully. Remember, you don’t have to use uncooked rice at all.

Let the phone remain under rice for about one full day, so the water gets absorbed completely. Finally, take the phone out of the rice and then clear off any stuck rice grains.

Use rice

● Use hairdryer

Now, this has to be your last bet if the phone still feels moist and doesn’t turn on even after considerable time and treatment. Follow very carefully with this method involving the hairdryer.

You must only use the cool blow mode of the dryer with low power settings. Turn it on and blow over the phone gently and from a considerable distance to avoid any risk of heat damage. If you feel the phone heating up, then stop immediately.

Use hairdryer

3. Checking if the iPhone has dried out or not

After you dropped iPhone in water and did all the treatments to dry it out, the most important question that emerges is whether they were successful or not.

It is almost impossible to ascertain that without opening the iPhone completely to check that the moisture evaporated. If that is not possible, then all you can do is get some courage and turn the iPhone on to use it again.

If you successfully turn it on, then your first step must be to create a data backup. This is to avoid any such situation that may emerge in the future when the phone may just die out suddenly and all the data is lost.

LCI

This is a great option to know if your iPhone has any contact with water, and if yes, then to what extent. Also known as the Liquid Contact Indicator, this is a relatively new hardware feature included in the iOS devices manufactured post-2006.

This feature helps to indicate if the particular iOS device came into contact with water or not and if there was any damage caused.

You can know this by noticing the change in color of the LCI that turns red from the original white or silver color after it comes into contact with water or any liquid.

LCI

4. The waterproof capacity of the iPhone

No iPhone is waterproof, but, they are water-resistant. This means they can resist accidental splashes and spills of water over them and tolerate water contact for some time.

All the iPhone models launched after iPhone 7 come with a water-resistant capacity of up to IP67. This means they can survive in water up to a depth of 1 meter and for around 30 minutes max. The iPhone XS Max and XS have even a better capacity of IP68 that, increases the depth to 2 meters.

It is to be noted that even the water-resistant capacity of the iPhones degrades as time passes. This means that if you drop iPhone in water that is three years old, then it can still get considerably damaged by the chemicals of the water.

5. Final fixing options for a water-damaged iOS

Even when you have done all the treatments, there is no certainty that you will get the desired results. In that case, you can take the following course.

Get the phone dismantled if You Dropped iPhone in Water

Dismantling can be the last option to fix the mess that you created after you dropped your iPhone in the water. If no other treatment works out, then you will have to get the pieces separated. The safer option is to trust a tech expert with the task.

However, you can do the dismantling yourself if you know the technical bits of the process. You need to carry out extreme caution during the process. Your main aim is to dismantle the device by separating its parts, giving them air, and drying the interiors.

Let the pieces sit in the open for a few hours. Assemble the pieces back finally and try turning on the iPhone.

Get the phone dismantled

Visit the Apple repair store if You Dropped your iPhone in Water

We think that any of the suggestions given above would be able to help you out of the situation towards fixing the iPhone.

However, if that doesn’t happen, you should take the safer road. We recommend that you go to any Apple store or any authentic repair center for the iPhone.

Apple usually doesn’t repair the soaked iPhones. They mostly offer replacement devices instead if the warranty period is still on. Even this warranty doesn’t cover the liquid damage, and you may have to pay for this replacement unless you possess an AppleCare+ membership.

Visit the Apple repair store if you dropped iPhone in water

6. Preventive measures to save the iPhone

Swimming pools and beaches are quite risky places where many people have dropped iPhones in the water. Now, you must be extra careful in such places and can take the following preventive measures:

  • Keep your iPhone enclosed in a reliable and good-quality waterproof case.
  • When going to such places, you can put the iPhone in a Ziploc bag to keep it safe from any water contact.
  • You can make an emergency kit that includes rice, silica gel bags, cotton, etc., and carry it with you to such places so that you can get an immediate rescue to the phone in case you drop it in water.
Preventive measures to save the iPhone

FAQs

Q1: Can I use rice to dry my water-damaged iPhone? A1: It is not recommended to use rice as a drying agent for your iPhone. Rice grains can enter the ports and cause further damage.

Q2: Is water damage covered under Apple’s warranty? A2: No, water damage is not covered under Apple’s warranty. However, you can consider purchasing AppleCare+ for additional coverage.

Q3: How long should I wait before turning on my iPhone after it gets wet? A3: It is recommended to wait at least 48 hours to ensure that your iPhone is thoroughly dried before turning it on.

Q4: What should I do if my iPhone fell into saltwater? A4: Saltwater can cause more damage than freshwater. Rinse your iPhone with fresh water to remove any salt residue and then follow the steps mentioned earlier.

Q5: Can I use a hairdryer to dry my water-damaged iPhone? A5: No, using a hairdryer or any other heat source can potentially damage the internal components of your iPhone. It’s best to avoid using heat for drying.

Conclusion

So, we presented almost every aspect of the course of action that you must take after you drop your iPhone in the water. Share your experience with us and how you got your phone working again. Also, share any tips that you have got.

Jack
Jack

Ten years of experience in information and computer technology. Passionate about electronic devices, smartphones, computers, and modern technology.

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