Can you fix a water-damaged phone?

If you’ve dropped your phone in the water, there’s a good chance it’s damaged beyond repair. Water damage is one of the most difficult electronic problems to fix. Sea water is the only thing worse than water damage due to its high salt content. But there are things you can do to get water out of your phone and increase its chances of being saved.  

 

What NOT to do after dropping your phone in the water? 

• Don’t panic! 
• Don’t switch on your phone. Switching your phone on while wet can short the electronics, causing irreparable damage.   

• Don’t blow into the phone. Blowing on a wet phone can push the water deeper into the phone. 

• Don’t put your phone in the microwave, oven, or freezer. We were shocked when reading these internet suggestions. Even if your phone is dry, don’t do this. Ever. 

• Don’t blow dry your phone. Phones aren’t meant to get very hot. The iPhone shorts at about 113° Fahrenheit, while a hair drier’s lowest temperature is about 176° Fahrenheit.

 

What to do if your phone gets wet?

• Get it out of the water as quickly as possible. The less time it spends in the water, the less water can get inside and the bigger your chances of saving your device. 

• Shut it down. Prevent shorts by shutting down or hard resetting your phone as quickly as possible.

• Remove the SIM card and battery, if possible. Remove and open as many things as your phone allows, but don’t force anything open. You want to create airflow and be able to dry more thoroughly.

• Dry it. Turn it on its side, so as much water as possible can gently drip out. Don’t shake the water out. Use a microfiber cloth or a paper towel to dab it dry. You can also use a wet/dry vacuum cleaner on its lowest or a cool setting. It will suck the water out without overheating your device. 

• Coax out more water. You can leave it on a windowsill in the sun or submerge it in a bowl of silica gel. Silica gel is the small packets that come in shoe boxes. 

• Let it be. Leave it alone for a day or two to give the water enough time to evaporate before trying your luck and switching your device on. 

 

What about rice? 

This has turned out to be more of an urban legend. Studies have shown that rice is a poor drying agent; even couscous works better. Silica gel proved the best. Although cat litter, oats, and chia seeds work better than rice, they have too much dust that can cause damage.

 

It’s important not to turn on the wet phone for a few reasons:

• It could short-circuit your phone and cause permanent damage.
• If the water is dirty, turning on the phone could introduce contaminants into the device, leading to corrosion.
• If you turn on a wet phone, you won’t be able to tell how much water actually got inside, making it more difficult to repair.

 

Pool necessities

The best thing you can do to save your phone or device is to keep it dry. Prevention is better than cure. And the best prevention is a waterproof bag. Keeping your phone or tablet in a waterproof case that allows you to still use it is a pool necessity!

Protect your phone, and find the perfect waterproof case today.