What you should do when you have water damage on your phone

Everyone has felt that particular kind of panic that washes over your entire body, that panic that says, “I just dropped my iPhone in water.” Please don’t get too upset, though, because it may not be as bad as you first think. In many cases, your phone can be saved if you act quickly and take it straight to a phone repair specialist. However, if that’s not an option, say you’ve dropped your phone in water late at night, there are a few steps you can take that will prevent worsening damage and increase the chances that your phone will work again. So, simply follow these steps:

Step 1 – Act Immediately

While modern phones are designed to be more resistant to water damage being made from metal frames and glass, and sealed, they’re not waterproof. So, it’s important to act fast to have a chance of saving your phone. Water short circuits the phone and sitting water causes corrosion of circuits, coils and resistors. Salt, minerals, chemicals and dirt can make this worse, compounding the damage to the phone’s internal components.

Step 2 – Turn Off the Phone

If the phone has managed to remain on, turn your phone off. Don’t push any other buttons or try to perform any other functions as this could further damage the phone. Turning the phone off stops electrical connections which cause damage when the phone is wet.

Step 3 – Remove Case and Dry Your Phone

Remove any phone case and dry off the outside of the phone with a microfiber cloth (paper towels will work fine if you don’t have these). You can sanitise the phone with your screen cleaner. When it comes to how to dry out a phone, don’t rub it dry, pat it carefully to soak up the water.

Step 4 – Remove SIM Card and Attachments

Remove SIM cards, microSD cards and attachments such as headphones and cords. If it hasn’t been damaged, you may be able to use your SIM card in a spare phone so that you will have some access to the things stored on your phone while you are getting your phone repaired.

Step 5 – Remove the Battery

Remove the battery if possible. You will not be able to do this with an iPhone. You should still take all of the other steps listed in how to get water out of your iPhone, and then move on to step 6.

Step 6 – Stand the Phone Upright

It is important to prop the phone up so that no water can sit on an electronic component, as this will cause corrosion. This is also how to get water out of the charging port. Try to keep from putting your phone down flat and then get it to a mobile phone repair specialist as quickly as possible.
Avoid Doing These Things If You’ve Dropped Your Phone In Water

Don’t rub your phone dry, pat it.
Don’t shake the phone or blow on it, as this could cause water to travel even further inside.
Don’t use it if it remains on, pushing buttons could cause even more damage.
Don’t use an electrical device such as a hairdryer, microwave or vacuum to dry it.
Don’t put it in the freezer or near the radiator, as extreme temperatures can damage the phone.
Don’t disassemble the phone beyond removing the battery, SIM and memory cards as this could allow for more damage or invalidate your warranty.

The Uncooked Rice Method to Get Moisture Out of a Phone

All over the internet people recommend getting moisture out of a phone by placing it in a bowl or bag of uncooked rice. However, we strongly advise against you trying this. While this may have worked temporarily for older mobile phone models with removable backs and batteries, this won’t work for new style phone models. And it won’t work for any phone in the long term. A phone exposed to water will eventually be damaged by the minerals left behind, causing it to stop working weeks or even months down the line. Specialist help is the only true way to prevent this from happening.
Get Your Phone Fixed By The Specialists

Can a water damaged phone be fixed? Yes, in most cases we’re able to fix your phone for you. And it usually works out cheaper to get your phone fixed than to have to buy a new one. If you need your phone back now and you don’t want to chance losing everything stored on it, get a quote to fix your water damaged phone today. Repair Buddy remains open to serve your tech needs, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.