i can't tell you how many times I see and hear about wet phones. It can be a very frustrating moment to see your phone drenched with water, but panicking and rushing to dry it with anything that you find is not the solution and may actually cause more harm.
According to Apple, in most cases, you can still save your iPhone after it has been exposed to water, but it’s important that you take the necessary precautions to limit the damage and avoid causing extra harm.
Here’s the process they recommend to deal with an iPhone that has been damaged by water.
Precautions to Take When an iPhone Is Exposed to Water
- If your iPhone is plugged in to a power source, unplug it immediately as it can cause short circuits. Also, disconnect USB cables, headphones, or any other accessories connected to it by a wire.
- Completely dry the external surface of the iPhone with a piece of cloth. Avoid using electronic devices for drying, such as a hair dryer.
- Hold your iPhone upside down and gently shake it to get liquid out of the ports and sockets.
- If the iPhone is still turned on, power it off by holding down the power button.
- If your iPhone is in a case, take it off to avoid any liquid being trapped inside.
Now that you’ve taken the necessary precautions to limit the water damage to your iPhone, you’re ready to dry the internals.
How to Dry a Wet iPhone
It’s a popular concept to stuff a wet device into a bag full of rice to dry the internals. Based on experience, this actually works and helps to absorb the moisture within the iPhone.
- To get started, grab a plastic zipper-lock bag or anything else that can be filled with rice.
- Now fill it with rice and place the iPhone in it so that its entire body is covered by rice.
- Leave it there for about 36 hours or more until all the moisture is absorbed by the rice. Be warned that some dust or rice grains may get into the ports.
- An alternative option is to use silica gel which is more effective in drying a wet device, but you’ll need lots of them to cover the iPhone.
Once you’ve waited for at least 36 hours and feel confident that the iPhone has dried completely, take it out and try switching on. In most cases, the iPhone will turn on successfully.
If your iPhone doesn’t turn on, then you should take it to a nearby Apple Store and have it inspected. Keep in mind that iOS devices have a liquid contact indicator that shows whether the device was damaged by water, so make sure that you don’t claim that the iPhone stopped working without any apparent reason.
Protect Your iPhone from Water
Not all iPhones will survive a bath, so it’s best to play it safe from now on. You already use a case to protect your iPhone from accidental drops, but why not from water damage? To protect your iPhone from an early demise caused by water, use a waterproof case.