Dropping your phone in water can be a frustrating and even scary situation, but it doesn’t have to be the end of your device’s life. There are several steps you can take to remove water from your phone and potentially save it from permanent damage. Here’s what you should do if you find yourself with a waterlogged phone.
Steps to Get Water out of Phone
Remove Your Phone from Water Immediately
The first and most important step is to remove your phone from the water as quickly as possible. The longer it remains submerged, the more likely it is that water will seep into the inner workings of your phone and cause corrosion.
Turn Off Your Phone
Once your phone is out of the water, turn it off immediately. This will help prevent any short circuits that could further damage your device.
Dry Your Phone with a Soft Cloth
Using a soft, absorbent cloth, gently dry off the outside of your phone. Pay special attention to any ports, buttons, and other openings where water could have seeped in.
Remove Any Accessories and Cases
Remove any cases, covers, or other accessories from your phone to help it dry more quickly. Depending on how wet they are, you may be able to dry them off separately and reuse them.
Do Not Use Heat
While it may be tempting to use a hair dryer or other heat source to dry your phone more quickly, this could actually do more harm than good. The heat can distort plastic components or damage internal circuits. Instead, allow your phone to air dry naturally.
Use a Desiccant
A desiccant is a substance that absorbs moisture from the air. Rice is a popular desiccant for phones. Fill a container with rice and bury your phone inside. Leave it for at least 24 hours to allow the rice to absorb any moisture inside your phone.
Test Your Phone
After your phone has been drying for at least 24 hours, try turning it back on to see if it still works. If it doesn’t, you may need to take it to a professional for repair or replacement.
Dos and Don’ts of fixing wet Phone
Dos:
- Turn off the phone immediately and remove the battery (if possible).
- Remove any attached accessories, such as cases, screen protectors or even the SIM card.
- Dry the phone with a towel or a piece of cloth. Use a vacuum cleaner or a hairdryer on low heat (or on cool setting) to remove any moisture from ports or buttons of the phone.
- Put the phone in a bowl or bag of uncooked rice or Silica gel packets which absorbs the moisture from the phone.
- If using an iPhone, use a charger cable to keep opening the lightning port of your phone while you put the phone in the bag of rice or Silica gel packets.
- Leave the phone in a dry, warm place for a few days, ideally three to four days, to give it time to dry thoroughly.
- If none of the above methods work, consider bringing it to a professional repair store or contact the phone’s manufacturer for help.
Don’ts:
- Do not turn the phone back on until it is completely dry.
- Do not plug in the charger within the first 12 hours.
- Do not use heat sources such as a microwave, oven or hairdryer to dry the phone, as this can cause further damage to the internal components of the phone.
- Do not shake or blow air into the phone as it can spread moisture to areas not yet affected.
- Do not try to open or dismantle the phone in order to dry it out, this can cause further damage and void any warranty your phone may still have.