iPhones don’t come cheap yet it’s amazing the frequency that they are damaged or destroyed by being dropped into water. It doesn’t matter if it’s the bathtub, the sea or the sink – the simple fact is that unless you act fast there’s a good chance that the phone will be a goner.
However there may still be a chance that you can save that precious and expensive piece of tech; because luckily iPhone’s are designed to be a little sturdier than tablets and laptops. Indeed it’s almost like Apple expect us to carelessly destroy their magical little devices, so here follows a quick guide to what should be done to potentially save your waterlogged iPhone’s life:
1. Get It Out Of The Water Quickly!
As quickly as you can, remove the iPhone from the water. This sounds pretty obvious but it’s essential to help prevent the water seeping into the little nooks and crannies that comprise an iPhone’s body. As mentioned above, these devices are built to be able to resist a degree of surface water but aren’t going to be able to hold out when submerged in liquid.
Tempting as it might be, whatever you do don’t try to turn it on once it’s been removed from the water – you run a very high risk of short-circuiting the phone if you try to do so.
2. Remove Excess Water By Patting It Dry
Don’t go running for the hairdryer just yet – it’s essential that we try to remove any excess water from the iPhone right away. If you’re lucky enough to have dropped the phone into the water while it’s turned off, then lucky old you! More likely you need to make the unfortunate decision of determining if it’s better to turn it off or leave it in sleep mode. This decision needs to be taken with care – are you likely to receive a call/text/email/notification in the next couple of days?
Most likely so – but don’t do anything just yet. Use absorbent paper towel or fine cotton towels to pat the iPhone as dry as possible. Remember that the most vulnerable parts of the phone are near the power and earphone sockets, so try to gently shake any water clear from these areas.
Only once all obvious water has been shaken clear should you try to turn the iPhone off – don’t dwindle here, just turn it off and resist the temptation to check your social media…
3. Now You Need To Get The Water Out
As dry as the iPhone may look, it’s going to be sodden inside. Considering that most of us don’t have a wealth of tools at home suitable for taking an iPhone to pieces (and don’t fancy the chances of electrocution), here is a method that might just help save the device.
We need to find something that will help absorb the moisture – a desiccant if you’d like to know the technical term. The most commonly available source is uncooked rice – pour a large amount into a bowl and plunge the iPhone into it so that it’s fully submerged. Patience then takes over, as you need to leave it there for a couple of days in hope that the rice might save the iPhone. Silicone pads like those found in leatherwear and shoe-boxes are just as good, but unless you collect them or have a friendly local store they’re unlikely the most immediately available option.
4. I’ve Got The Tools – What Next?
OK, so you’re in the few percentiles of iPhone users who actually own the tools needed to dismantle an iPhone. Good for you, but be wary that these high-tech devices need to be handled very carefully; but if you’re willing to take the risk this is the best chance you may have of saving the device – just remember that you’ll likely invalidate any outstanding warranty!
Prise the back off the phone and carefully remove any components (remember where they go…). Like outlined above, pad-dry the key components – especially the battery – using absorbent materials. Once again leave the pieces to gently dry and don’t be tempted to apply heat or warm air – you might irrevocably damage the device for good.
5. And Then… Two Days Later
Is it working? Even if the phone powers on, finds connectivity and seems all hunky-dory you need to back up any important data and contacts right away. As healthy as the phone might seem, there’s a decent chance that it isn’t doing so well internally. Water is known to significantly lower battery life; so much so that Apple have installed liquid detectors within their products to manage returns! If it works, great, you might have gotten lucky this time. If not – it’s time to either give up or check the phone in with the pros.
There’s a decent chance that an expert will be able to figure out which component of the iPhone is damaged, and that can potentially save hundreds compared to the cost of replacing/upgrading the model. Just be sure that the experts are Apple certified, and if all this seems a little too much, Miami based Fixed Apple Now will be happy to take a look.
If you acted quickly, there is every chance you were able to save your iPhone. But there are many cases of people suggesting that the water has damaged the screen or caused issues with buttons and components within the phone. So it’s always worth getting your iPhone looked at to be on the safe side as not all issues are as easily seen.
