Dropped iPhone in Water

If you have dropped your iPhone in water, you need to act fast. If water enters the internals of the device, its functioning can be affected.

The worst case scenario is that the phone will not work properly ever again. You can try repairing the device, for which you will have to spend a fair amount of time and resources.

There is no tried-and-tested formula for fixing an Apple iPhone that has fallen into water. But, you can start with laying it out to dry in the sun or in front of a heater. The sooner you do this, the better the chances of the phone starting up again, so you must not waste any time at all.

Take out the micro-SIM card and any other peripherals that you may have attached to the phone. Place them all on a towel or on any cloth, lay them out to dry, and just hope for the best. Blow dry the parts for better results.

The battery of the iPhone is the part that will suffer the most damage, but unfortunately, you cannot remove it. If you are lucky, the phone will start and function as normal after a few hours. In case this does not, you will have to give it to an Apple repair center, and they will then take days and charge you a big fee for attempting to repair the device.

In some cases, they will suggest replacing the battery, but there are no guarantees that this will work, since no one can know the extent of the damage suffered by the internal circuitry. There are not many ways to save a wet cell phone and fix it, so you have to make do with whatever tips you can get.

Another solution that some people suggest is to wrap the iPhone in a cloth and place it in a bag of rice for about 2 days. This will suck the moisture from the phone. You must change the rice after about 12 hours. There are many people for whom this method has proven effective.

Under any circumstances, do not turn on the iPhone as soon as you remove it from the water, as it will cause the phone to short circuit. There is a small chance that the device may work properly after you dry it out effectively. But if you choose to turn it on immediately, there is absolutely no hope for its survival.

The amount of time that the iPhone spent in water is also important. If it was just for a few seconds, then these methods have a higher chance of succeeding. In fact, any amount of time under a minute can prove to be substantially less damaging. If the iPhone has been underwater for a longer time though, the chances of its survival are significantly lowered.

Till some time ago, Apple would not entertain a water-damaged iPhone for replacement since this nullified the warranty. But now, you can approach Apple and they will provide you with a refurbished iPhone as a replacement. The prices may vary according to the model. The warranty of this new device will be 90 days.

Apple also has a smart way of detecting if an iPhone has undergone water damage, thanks to 4 sensors inside that turn pink if they have come into contact with water. So, lying to them about water damage is not going to get you anywhere.

If you are facing problems of no sound or dark screen even after trying out all these methods, then you just need to hand it over to a repair shop and hope for the best. The cost will be substantial, but this is unavoidable.

The latest models of iPhone like iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone X, are water-resistant. However, for the future, be extra careful and keep your iPhone away from water bodies, buckets, and tubs as far as possible. You can even consider using a waterproof phone case to save it from damage in the future.