So, your iPhone has survived contact with water. Did you drop it in the bathtub? In the sea? And now you want to dry out your favorite device as quickly as possible, neutralize all faults and restore information? Ok, in that case, you have come to the right place.
It is with regret that we have to admit the fact that iPhones and iPads (however, as a rule, we are still talking about iPhones) constantly receive various damages. The most common problem is a broken screen. In second place are breakdowns caused by contact with water.
Don't lose heart, because a little dip in good old H2O doesn't mean instant death for the iPhone. In this article, we will tell you about the actions that should be taken to save your smartphone that has been damaged by some kind of liquid.
Where did the water get into the iPhone: the speaker, under the display, or the device does not turn on at all?
First we will try to determine the “degree of disaster”. Surely, if you are already reading this article, then the drowned man has been removed from the liquid environment and turned off. Carefully inspect the iPhone screen for any accumulation of water underneath. It will probably look like the photo below.
If you find that water is under the iPhone screen or liquid has completely flooded the display and this is visible to the naked eye, we advise you to immediately proceed to the section of drying the device with.
The next problem in terms of importance of a drowned iPhone is a non-working speaker of the device, after the gadget has been in water or, conversely, water has independently entered the speaker of the gadget. We advise you not to waste time and proceed to reading the “” section.
We have smoothly approached one of the most difficult problems, the solution of which will not be within the power of the average user. If your iPhone falls into water and does not turn on, you should not try to do this every time after pressing the “ON/OFF” button. We advise you how to follow each of the points in our instructions, including disassembling your iPhone. Carefully read the section of the instructions “Disassembling an iPhone or iPad”, as well as the paragraph “What to do next with the device” if none of the methods helped you.
Summary table of the degree of protection against liquids in the iPhone 5, 6, 7, 8 and iPhone X. Shooting underwater and what is the device afraid of?
You can learn more about what IP67 is on the Wikipedia website. In case you don’t have time to read the whole article, we will try to tell you briefly. The presence of the IP67 standard for Apple iPhone devices means that it can be immersed (short-term) to a depth of up to 1 meter.
And so, if you accidentally dropped an iPhone 7 series or higher into water to a depth of 1 meter, there will be nothing terrible about it. Based on the summary table and official information on cleaning the device from the Apple website, you just need to wipe the gadget with a soft, lint-free cloth. If you are not the proud owner of an iPhone of the series mentioned above, try to read our instructions to the end.
External drying and wiping of the device
First things first. After the iPhone has fallen into the water and you pull it out of the water, under no circumstances should it be connected to an electrical outlet.
If your favorite device falls into water while it is charging, carefully unplug it. Do not turn on the iPhone as this may cause a short circuit.
If a wet iPhone is in a case, remove it immediately. Remove the SIM card. It also doesn't hurt to remove the battery (however, this is only suitable for those users who are willing to void the warranty). The steps described will help you reduce the number of areas where moisture may remain. This will reduce the risk of damage to key components.
Thoroughly wipe all elements that you can reach. Turn your iPhone over and then shake it slightly. This is necessary in order to clean the ports.
Disabling a gadget
It is important for you that any operations involving electricity are interrupted. And all because after the iPhone has fallen into the water, any contact of electricity with the liquid will lead to short circuits (the cause of malfunctions that may appear after some time).
If your iPhone is turned off, leave it that way. Never turn on the device to see if it works. The thing is that otherwise the device may begin to function only for a while. Then it will fail just because you tried to turn it on.
Regardless, the vast majority of exposure to water occurs while iPhones are on or in sleep mode.
You have to choose between two evils: turn off the device (however, in this case it will momentarily wake up from sleep mode) or leave the iPhone in sleep mode, hoping that you will not receive any notifications.
The decision is yours. In our opinion, it is best to wake up your iPhone for a while and then turn it off completely.
If your gadget was in airplane mode when it came into contact with water, and you are convinced that nothing will make your iPhone turn on in the next 48 hours, leave everything in its place.
If there is a lot of water in the iPhone after falling into liquid, silica gel will help
Silica gel packets are often included with various electronic components. This is especially true for products that come from countries with a humid climate.
It is important that the entire surface of the iPhone or iPad is covered with silica gel. It can be purchased at service centers and departments that sell handbags. It is quite possible that you will be allowed to fish out several bags from the inside pockets of your bags.
The risk of clogging in the described case will be less than in the case of rice. Drying will also be more effective. The iPhone must remain in silica gel for the same 48 hours.
Drying iPhone using rice at home
If you don’t have silica gel packets on hand, use the following advice. We need to get as much moisture out as possible. Don't be tempted to use a hair dryer or anything similar when wondering how to dry your iPhone. The thing is that the pressure of warm air can harm the internal components of your gadget.
By the way, some iPhone owners claim that in such cases you can use devices that provide cold air pressure. For example, using a compressor to inflate a tire in a car. In general, they may come in handy in solving the problem of drying an iPhone at home. Although, in our opinion, the methods described below are much more effective. For example, like this compressor, which is shown in the photo.
So, you will need a desiccant. Many people have immense faith in the power of raw rice. In their opinion, an iPhone or iPad should spend about 48 hours in a container with rice.
Yes, rice does absorb moisture effectively. Moreover, this product can be found in any home in one quantity or another.
However, this technique has its drawbacks. The thing is that during drying, the ports of your device may become clogged. Be careful. Attention! Do not use a hair dryer.
Disassembling an iPhone or iPad
If you are confident that you are able to repair your favorite device yourself, get down to business (you will need special screwdrivers, which can be purchased from manufacturers of such accessories). In fact, no special skills or knowledge are required to disassemble the device. All you have to do is watch the video below.
Please note that such an operation will most likely void any warranty. It's also important to remember that DIY repairs can cause additional damage to your iPhone.
In any case: the most effective way to dry an iPhone is to completely disassemble it.
When drying interior surfaces, use a soft, dry cloth. Don't make sudden movements. In this case, accuracy is important.
What to do after drying
So, you waited a couple of days after the iPhone fell into the water. You think your electronic device is dry enough. Try turning it on. If the device does not turn on, or you want to check the condition of internal components, try contacting the Apple Store. Remember that iOS devices have internal sensors that respond to liquids (flooding an iPhone with water is not a warranty case). Thus, you will not be able to prove that the gadget is out of order without your help.
One more warning. Submerging an electronic device deeply may cause damage that may not be immediately apparent. This is especially true for the battery. The damage will only become apparent months later. A striking example is the famous case where the iPhone 3GS accidentally overheated a year after being dropped into a swimming pool. The owner of the gadget used rice to dry it, and after the procedure the iPhone worked well.
Avoid relapses
Waterproof cases or emergency wrist strap kits will help you with this.
We hope that the methods presented above helped you. Now you need to take care that there is no relapse.
So, the risk category includes iPhone owners who take pictures on the beaches, hang out on the Internet while relaxing in the bathroom, and even read email while going to the toilet. Many of us become careful users of Apple technology only after the first “bath” of the iPhone.
You will also need some kind of strap with which you can “keep your iPhone on a leash.”
Buy a special emergency kit for yourself. We are talking about means with which you can dry your iPhone at any time. This way, when disaster strikes, you won't have to rush to the stores.
Buy an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus
If buying a waterproof case doesn't seem like a viable option for you, then you might want to consider the iPhone 7 line. Why? As we said earlier, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, as well as more recent modifications, have the next water resistance rating of IP67. Consequently, they will retain their functionality after immersion to a depth of up to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. We can safely say that these particular modifications of iPhones are not afraid of water.
This information means that (at least for most users) iPhones that are not waterproof will become a thing of the past. Be that as it may, diving to a depth of more than 1 meter for more than half an hour will lead to problems.
How to remove water from iPhone 7 speaker
Even though the iPhone 7 is waterproof, moisture can still get into the speaker.
Use a free app called Sonic. It can reproduce a sine wave sound from 0 to 25,000 GHz (you may not even hear the maximum result). Even though the app wasn't designed specifically for getting rid of water, it can help.
Download the app and then set the frequency to 165 GHz (it's extremely difficult to get an exact number, a value between 160 and 170 would be ideal). After that, click on Play. Water will begin to “jump” out of the speaker. You can wipe it with any dry cloth.
conclusions
In this article, we have explained step by step what you should do if your iPhone falls into water. Necessarily! First of all, determine the degree of immersion and the presence of water under the screen or in the dynamics of the device. After this, analyze each point of our instructions in detail.
If you have any questions about what to do with your iPhone if you accidentally dropped it into water, be sure to ask them in the comments to this article.
Details Benks Created: September 30, 2016 Updated: January 24, 2018
In emergency situations you need to act quickly and deftly. Knowing in advance what to do if your phone falls into water, you can “heal” your favorite device. It may suffer from your carelessness or inattention. People often leave their mobile phone in their jacket pocket when putting the item in the washing machine. Even more often, it falls into the toilet or into a washbasin with an open tap. An accident doesn't only happen when a phone is dropped into water. All it takes is one overturned cup of tea on your desktop for liquid to penetrate into the case, damaging the buttons or screen.
The main rule for saving a mobile device is to remove it from the liquid as quickly as possible. Moisture instantly penetrates into the connector for the charger, headphones and USB cable. The less time the phone has been in water, the greater the chance that it will work again after drying. After removal, be sure to turn off the mobile phone so that a short circuit does not occur.
If the phone was charging when it fell into the water, do not try to pick it up with your bare hands.
No matter how scared you may be, don't panic. Rash actions can permanently destroy your phone and cause damage to your health. If a mobile phone falls into water and is being charged from the mains, you may receive an electric shock when you try to remove it. Water is the best conductor for electricity. It is necessary to de-energize the entire apartment to avoid receiving an electric shock. Health and life are not worth saving the device. When removing, try not to press buttons or switches.
Procedure for rescuing touch and push-button devices
Immediately after removing the device, blot it with dry wipes or a dry towel. Then you need to remove the back panel and remove the battery. Some modern touch devices have a solid body, and without special screwdrivers the back cover cannot be removed. The chances of their salvation are slightly less. In the corner of the battery hole there is a small white indicator in the shape of a square or circle. It can be used to determine whether the mobile phone has been damaged by water. Damage is indicated by a pink tint of the indicator.
Remove the SIM card. This will help you save all or part of your contact numbers. The maximum amount of air should enter the device, so you need to release all connectors and remove the memory card. If there is protective film or glass stuck to the screen, it is advisable to remove it. Anything that can be unscrewed and unscrewed must be removed. The main thing is to know how to assemble a touchscreen phone after drying.
Drying the phone
Once you've figured out what to do if your phone falls into water, you need to know how to dry it safely. In order for the mobile phone to start working again, the moisture must not be blown out as far as possible, but, on the contrary, blown out of the case. This can be done using a vacuum cleaner with a narrow nozzle. Turn on the lowest setting and blow through each hole and each removed part for 10 minutes. After sucking out the moisture, the chance that the phone will work again is very high. The main thing is not to lean the vacuum cleaner tube close to the connectors, maintain a distance of one centimeter.
Another surefire way to save a push-button or touch phone is to place it in rice grains. Rice absorbs moisture very well, which gives your mobile phone a chance to “recover.” A special absorbent material, which is found in small bags in shoe boxes or leather bags, is better suited. Pour the contents into a container and place your mobile phone in it for 48 hours. If it doesn't turn on after the specified time, try charging it (it might just be dead). If the phone still refuses to work, contact the service center.
You cannot use a hairdryer to dry your phone!
Errors when rescuing a mobile device
Many people immediately grab a hairdryer and start blowing a hot stream of air into all the holes, on the buttons, or simply on the touch screen. After such drying, the device may stop working forever.
Why can't you use a hair dryer?
- Too hot air can melt the thin plastic parts of the mobile phone.
- A powerful air flow blows droplets even further into the device body, which will lead to further corrosion of individual components.
The second mistake is trying to hold the device over gas, place it on a hot radiator, or use a microwave oven. The instructions for using mobile devices clearly indicate that overheating damages the battery and other parts.
The most difficult thing to save is the touch screen. If moisture has reached it, you will notice spots or stains. Most often, the sensor immediately stops working. Do not try to take the entire phone apart to clean the inside yourself. Without certain knowledge and skills, it will be impossible to complete this procedure. If the device works after it's completely dry, but the screen still has streaks or streaks, the part will likely need to be replaced.
Take your time and think sensibly. If your beloved phone falls into the water, you need to act as quickly and judiciously as possible. The faster you get rid of excess moisture, the less likely it is that water will penetrate under the touch screen or reach the internal elements of the phone, causing subsequent corrosion. If you strictly follow all the tips listed, your phone will work again.
Stores with mobile devices sell special bags for drying equipment. Every owner of a mobile phone, camera, player or tablet would do well to have a couple of these miracle bags at home. User reviews confirm that they absorb excess moisture as quickly and efficiently as possible.
The cost of repairing a phone or tablet after water gets into it varies.
It all depends on the damage. Only diagnostics can determine the exact price.
Even the approximate price is determined by the actual breakdown, although in this post I will try to indicate as accurately as possible the cost of repairing a phone that fell into water.
NOTE: the price also depends on the place where you go and sometimes the difference reaches thirty percent - verified
Approximate cost of repairing a phone after water damage
Typically the price ranges from $10 to $80. Of course there are exceptions, but there is one more point.
If you don’t take action right away, repairs may no longer help - checked.
NOTE: maximum oxidation does not occur immediately, so the smartphone may work for some time - death may occur later.
Also, the cost of resuscitation after falling into the water depends on the model. After all, there is no need to prove that expensive phones use more expensive components.
Most often, repairs are required: keyboard, speaker, microphone, screen, sensors and charging.
A critical situation is the oxidation of radioelements. Recovery is then not always possible.
Also, sometimes repairs are unprofitable and pointless, and diagnostics performed in some workshops are paid, while others are free. However, the price is small, somewhere around 0.5 - 1 dollar.
Phone firmware price
NOTE: the price practically does not depend on the name of the phone, for example, Lenovo, Samsung Galaxy, Huawei, HTC, Asus, LG, Nokia, but only on their category.
When flooded, sometimes you have to change the device.
For example, flash memory was damaged, the cost of which is about $40 (depending on the category of the device)
The price of the firmware ranges from 5 to 10 dollars, it also depends on the category and possibly the version.
Cost of simple repairs
Simple repairs aren't expensive, but you'll have to shell out $5 to $10. This could be, for example, cleaning from dirt.
After all, the phone does not always fall into the bath, where the water is clean. It may fall into a puddle where there is a solid mule at the bottom.
Corrosion cleaning cost
But they will tell you this only after inspection - there is different types of corrosion, and if the motherboard is covered with it, then most likely they will give you the device and say goodbye.
For example, replacing a microcircuit can cost up to $40, and repairing broken conductors can also cost that much.
Again, a lot depends on the category, and it is as follows:
- The first category includes devices under $50.
- In the second category up to $100
- In the third category from 100 dollars
That's it. As mentioned above, these are only approximate repair prices. Good luck.
Electronics are terribly afraid of water. Therefore, if your phone falls into the water, quickly start rescuing the “drowning person”. The sooner you come to the rescue, the more likely it is that the mobile device will “come to life” under your strict guidance. Analogies with a drowning creature are appropriate here. Think less about whether the patient is alive or dead, start acting faster! Wait a couple of minutes - and the phone will no longer be saved.
This recipe for saving a mobile device is applicable to any hardware. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a phone or a tablet, Android or iPhone. Water can leak into the player, electronic watches, and fitness trackers.
Cases of dangerous penetration of water into the phone
- The phone fell (in a puddle, sea/river, etc.) and does not turn on
- You went swimming in the water with your phone, forgetting to take it out of your shorts
- You foolishly dropped it in the toilet while taking a selfie or looking at pictures
- The phone was doused with water
- We washed the phone in the washing machine and it's still intact.
- Ate and dropped the phone in the soup while talking
So, the liquid got inside. What urgent procedures need to be performed with a phone that has fallen into water?
First steps to take if water (liquid) gets into your phone
Get the drowned phone out of the water as quickly as possible. Do not make sudden movements so that the liquid does not distribute inside and penetrate even further: into the electronics, under the case.
Every second counts. In the best case, water will not get on the electronic components of the phone. At worst, if the phone falls into the water, even a waterproof phone or tablet will stop turning on, unable to withstand the depth and will fail instantly.
Advice. If you dropped your mobile phone in the toilet, you can put on gloves (don’t be disdainful: the life of your iron friend is at stake). And for the future, know that it is better not to talk on the phone and write at the same time in the toilet. This is inconvenient and even dangerous.
Quickly turn off the phone (take out the battery)
Turn off the phone (if it is still working) and remove the battery by removing the phone cover. This will prevent short circuiting - one of the main dangers and the reason for the phone to fail.
Advice. There is no need to test the phone's performance immediately after you have saved it from drowning. The worst thing is to leave the battery in the phone and start calling friends, checking the quality of the connection. With these rash actions you will literally kill your phone.
Make the most of your phone
In addition to the battery, you need to remove all parts that can be dismantled. SIM card and SD card - first of all. This is done:
- for the safety of removed components (it is almost impossible to restore contacts on a SIM card)
- so that the phone dries faster and there is no interference with the air during drying.
If you know how to remove other, smaller parts of the phone, do so.
Drying your mobile device
Remember also that the faster the water dries, the greater the chance that it will not penetrate inside. To begin, gently wipe the phone with a dry cloth and wipe off any moisture on the surface.
To speed up the drying of your phone, a hairdryer or vacuum cleaner is suitable. Use a narrow nozzle so you can dry the holes. The iPhone is especially sensitive to such temperature changes.
You need to dry the phone carefully and at a sufficient distance so that the microcircuits are not exposed to thermal effects - they simply do not melt. For a hair dryer, use only cold drying mode!
Advice. Dry your phone at a distance that you consider comfortable for yourself. The fact is that a hairdryer can do a bad job if you haven't wiped down your phone. Moisture under air pressure will penetrate inside.
Additional drying of the inside of the phone
The drying process cannot be rushed. After making sure that there are no droplets of moisture on the surface of the phone, leave it alone for 48 hours. Place your phone on a dry, absorbent cloth (such as a towel).
Advice. For effective drying, dip your phone in a pile of dry rice. It absorbs moisture perfectly. It is advisable not to eat rice after drying. Especially if you took the phone out of the toilet.
Conclusion. What to do if you couldn’t save your phone from water
These methods do not always help in cases where the phone is dropped into water and does not turn on (often some component falls off - for example, a microphone or camera - what is located on top). We hope these tips helped you save money on a new iPhone or Android.
If it doesn’t help and the phone still gives up, contact the repair shop.
Think positive and believe in miracles. You did everything you could. If you managed to save your friend in this way or you have questions, write and share.
What to do if your phone falls into water? This is not such a simple question as it might seem at first glance. Especially if the phone is touch-sensitive. After all, such a situation can happen in the life of any person. No matter how confident a person is in his careful and careful attitude towards the telephone, no one is immune from an emergency.
What to do if your phone falls into water, and for what reasons could this happen?
Firstly, it can simply get wet from the rain. But that’s what cases and other accessories are made for. But they don't always save. Your phone may fall into a river or lake while on vacation, or it may be accidentally forgotten in your pants and put in the washing machine. It can also be accidentally dropped into a bucket filled with water while cleaning, or simply doused with tea or juice. All this will lead to malfunctions of the device. But how to deal with this and what to do if the phone falls into the water?
A set of measures to rescue a drowned phone
What to do if your phone falls into water, and what could be the consequences?
By and large, the above methods can completely save the phone. The worst option is liquid getting under the screen, especially if it is touch-sensitive. It will be impossible to restore such a screen, and buying a new one will be very expensive. Salty sea water is especially dangerous - it can lead to rapid corrosion of the circuit boards inside the telephone. If the above measures still did not bring the desired result, and the phone still does not work or works partially (some functions have failed), then it is better to quickly contact a service center to repair the device.
