Did you drop your phone in water? Our 4 emergency tips show how you can dry a wet phone and repair any damage
So you've dropped your cell phone in the water? There is hope for rescue!
In this article, you will get 4 tips to dry it, repair the water damage and save the information in your mobile.
We can't promise anything, but with our tips, your phone can actually survive more serious water damage. Let's jump right in and start with the first tip!
1. Wipe the outside of the mobile phone
We'll start with the most important and obvious: take your phone out of the water immediately and unplug any charging cable (very carefully)
Do not be tempted to start the mobile to check if it works. It can cause a short circuit.
Do you have a case on your phone? Remove it and also remove the SIM card.
If possible, you can also remove the battery in your cell phone (but only if you are confident about the technical bits and don't care about voiding the warranty.)
These steps help reduce the number of places where water can get in and cause damage to components.
Finally, turn the phone upside down and give it a gentle shake to clean the ports and sockets.
2. Turn off your mobile phone 🔌
What you want to avoid is activating the circuits inside the phone as this will likely lead to short circuits - that's the kind of thing that causes long-term damage.
If your cell phone was off when the accident happened, great, leave it off!
More likely, however, is that your mobile was switched on or in sleep mode when you dropped it in the toilet, beer glass, or swimming pool.
This leads us to two options:
- 1. Turn off the phone (the screen and operating system start up shortly before the phone turns off, which is risky), or
- 2. Leave the mobile in sleep mode and hope that you do not receive any notifications that wake the mobile.
The choice is yours. But we at Refurbly recommend a complete shutdown and that you let the mobile wake up for a short while.
If you were lucky enough to be in airplane mode when you dropped your device, or are otherwise 100% sure that nothing will wake your phone for the next 48 hours, leaving it in sleep mode might be a better option.
3. Dry the inside of your mobile phone
Wipe your mobile with uncooked rice
Now we need to extract as much internal fluid as possible.
Do not use a hair dryer or other heat treatment. It can damage the mobile's internal components.
There are those who recommend using a non-heating fan. At least this shouldn't make things worse (although we think the techniques below will likely be more effective.)
To get moisture out of the inside of the mobile phone, you need a desiccant. Place the mobile phone in a bowl filled with uncooked rice and leave it for about 48 hours.
The rice absorbs the moisture effectively. Most of us have some uncooked rice in the pantry (it's also not that hard to get hold of if you're out of it). But keep in mind that rice and other dirt can easily get stuck in the charging socket, headphone socket and the like.
A better option: Dehumidifying bags
A better option than uncooked rice is to use something called "silica gel".
Now you might be wondering what it is? If you e.g. ordered a pair of shoes online, you have most likely seen the small (inedible) packages that come with the box.
They are often included in orders of e.g. shoes and clothes that are often made in countries with humid climates.
Not as easy to get hold of but often much more effective!
4. Take your mobile apart 🔧
If you have the knowledge to do your own mobile repairs, the best approach for a wet mobile is to remove the battery (this also minimizes the potential for short circuits) and try to get as much water out as possible from all the little nooks and crannies.
Apply a soft dry cloth to all interior surfaces while trying to be as gentle as possible.
Just be aware that this will likely void the warranty you have with the manufacturer because the mobile needs to be opened (usually with a specially adapted screwdriver or similar)
There is also a risk that your own repair attempts will cause more damage rather than solving the original problem with the water.
But after all: the most effective way to get water out of the inside of the mobile is to open up the device and wipe it from the inside.
What do you do then? 🤔
After you have waited a couple of days, you can try to start the mobile.
If it still doesn't work, or if you want the phone to have a full troubleshooting, visit the nearest repair shop.
Mobilverkstan.se is Refurbly's own workshop in Örebro, where over 20,000 mobile phones have been repaired since 2014, so you are in good hands! We are more than happy to help you.
A final warning: water damage to electronics can always cause long-term damage, especially in the battery, which sometimes only becomes apparent several months later.
We therefore recommend always backing up all important files on the device.
Which iPhone models are waterproof?
In recent years, smartphones from Apple and Samsung, among others, have become more and more dust and waterproof.
Water (and dust) resistance is often expressed by the IP rating system.
Before 2016, for example, Apple did not release IP ratings for its smartphones. But on all their newer models they have classification on all of them.
For example, the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max were certified as IP68 - which is a very good classification.
Despite the same classification, the iPhone 11 can withstand a maximum depth of 2 meters for up to 30 minutes. While the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max can withstand a maximum depth of 4 meters for up to 30 minutes.
Here are the IP ratings for Apple's phone range
iPhone models with IP67 rating:
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone X
- iPhone XR
iPhone models with IP68 rating:
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- The iPhone 11 models
- The iPhone 12 models
- The iPhone 13 models
Are used cell phones waterproof?
If you buy a used mobile phone, it is good to know if the IP rating is something to trust before you deliberately dip the mobile phone in a glass of water to test!
The fact is that you can't really know if a used mobile phone with IP certification is waterproof or not unless the seller tells you beforehand.
You can also disassemble the mobile to investigate. The problem with disassembly is that it actually makes your phone lose a lot of its water resistance.
Keep in mind that the manufacturers only give a guideline about the mobile phone's water resistance. If it turns out that moisture has entered the mobile phone, even if it is new, the manufacturers can refuse compensation via the warranty.
If you buy refurbished mobiles from operators such as Refurbly there is always a risk that various components have been replaced in the renovation process. A screen or back may have been replaced because it was once completely broken, meaning that the water resistance is not necessarily what it once was.
