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How to save your phone from water damage

arguments samsung galaxy s7 waterproof resistant a eau image 00
© Venture Beat

If you act fast after dropping your phone in water, you might be able to prevent damage. Follow our tips below to try and save your device!

Obviously, you should first remove the phone from the water as quickly as possible. The longer it stays there, the more water or liquid will seep through the cracks and openings. Once it's out, there are certain things you need to do right away, and others you should absolutely avoid doing, in order to prevent water damage.

What not to do

  • Do not turn it on
  • Do not plug it in/try to charge it
  • Do not press any buttons or keys
  • Do not shake, tap or bang the phone
  • Do not blow on it. This could send water into other internal parts of the phone that it hadn't already reached, causing more damage in the process
  • Do not use a blow dryer - it can have the same effect as described above. Heat could also cause further damage.
AndroidPIT Wet samsung galaxy S5 5196
Your phone can still be saved! Try the following steps before giving up. / © NextPit

10 steps to saving your water damaged phone

1. Turn it off if, it isn’t already, and hold it upright.

2. Remove your SIM and microSD cards from their slots.

3. If you have an older phone, you might be able to open up the back and remove the battery. However, since most current smartphones do not have removable batteries and are hard to disassemble, the best step would be to take it to a phone repair shop before attempting to take it apart yourself. There are DIY repair kits and YouTube tutorials you could follow, however, if you are not tech-savvy, taking it to a professional is always better.

AndroidPIT Wet samsung galaxy S5 5220
If you can, remove the battery. / © NextPit

4. Use a cloth, sleeve or paper towel to dab your phone dry. Avoid spreading the liquid around, because that could push it into more of the phone's openings. Just soak up as much as possible.

AndroidPIT Wet samsung galaxy S5 5215
Tab the phone dry with a cloth. / © NextPit

5. If the water damage is more extensive, you can use a vacuum to carefully suck out water stuck in the cracks that are harder to get to. Make sure any small parts, such as the microSD card, SIM card, and battery, are out of the way before attempting this.

6. Bury the phone in a ziplock bag full of uncooked rice. Rice is great for absorbing liquid and this is actually a common method for drying smartphones and tablets. You can also buy dedicated phone drying pouches, which are worth having at home if you're the clumsy type. If you don't have them already, don't bother going out to buy one. Time is of the essence, so get your phone into rice as soon as possible.

7. Let your phone dry for a day or two. Do not be tempted to switch it on to see if it still works. Put your SIM card in an old phone, or ask a friend or relative if they have a spare device you can borrow. 

AndroidPIT Wet samsung galaxy S5 5208
Let your phone dry for a day or two. / © NextPit

8. After a couple of days, you can remove the phone from the rice, insert the battery and switch it on. 

9. If your phone doesn't turn on, try charging it. If that doesn't work, the battery may be damaged. You could try a replacement battery, or consider taking your smartphone to a repair shop to be checked by a professional.

10. If your smartphone has turned on and it is running as it should, you should still keep a close eye on it for the next few days, to see if you notice anything out of the ordinary. Play some music to check the speakers and ensure the touch screen still responds as it should.

AndroidPIT Wet samsung galaxy S5 5222
Hopefully, it will start up as normal again. / © ANDROIDPIT

In the future, avoid taking the phone with you when you go to the pool, use the bathroom or do the dishes to avoid the possibility of accidents.

Water resistant cases

Hopefully these steps have helped you rescue your phone from death by drowning. If you want to protect your phone from water damage in future, you can also purchase a waterproof phone case. There are some good options available from brands such as Otterbox, Griffin Survivor and Catalyst.

Water-resistant and waterproof phones

A number of phones are advertised as water-resistant or waterproof. Be aware that when phone manufacturers say this, it only applies under a special set of circumstances. A phone's resistance to water often depends on the clarity of the water, the depth of submersion, and the length of time for which it is submerged. We wouldn't advise testing your smartphones' water resistance capabilities by putting it in the washing machine or throwing it in the pool.

Samsung Galaxy S10 05
Phones like the Galaxy S10 are almost fully waterproof. / © NextPit

Pay specific attention if your phone has an IP53 rating - that means it is only partially water-resistant and will not withstand water sprays. Although manufacturers might claim otherwise, smartphones with this rating can even get damaged if used in the rain.

It's also important to remember that no smartphone is fully waterproof. However, devices with an IP67 and IP68 rating are as close as you can get at the moment. Phones with these ratings are also becoming more and more common, especially among flagships compared to a few years ago. That's not always the case with mid-range devices.

Here is a quick list of some of the current smartphones with IP67 and IP68 ratings:

Do you have any other tips on how to save a smartphone from water damage? Did our advice help you? Let us know in the comments.

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Loie Favre

Loie Favre
Editor

Loie Favre found her way to her present passion for Android and smartphone technology after experiencing an epiphany when she held her Galaxy Note 2. From that point onwards, you can find her with her nose buried in countless Android apps and different smartphone models, and thanking her lucky stars that she gets to work at something she loves.

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147 comments
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  • 1
    Md Arif Sep 7, 2021 Link to comment

    PlayStation 5 is the newest variant in the PlayStation series released on Nov 2020. Since then, it has taken the market by storm, with millions of pre-orders and being sold out in more than 10 countries,
    just right after its release.
    solution for ps5 repair Newcastle becomes a top priority.


  • 49
    storm Sep 16, 2020 Link to comment

    Uncooked rice method has been largely debunked. Ifixt and plenty more say it's worse than doing nothing.

    Update the article to current factual standards please.

    marco sarli


  • Goldvin 11
    Goldvin Sep 15, 2020 Link to comment

    Cool! Thank you!

    AsiaSin


  • 3
    MirandaStown Aug 25, 2019 Link to comment

    Useful information, thanks.


  • 6
    mahikhan Aug 6, 2019 Link to comment

    nice info


  • 6
    mahikhan Aug 6, 2019 Link to comment

    very nice


  • marco sarli 39
    marco sarli
    • Admin
    Aug 6, 2019 Link to comment

    never had and hopefully will never have the problem. I never take the phone to the bathroom


  • eSparkBiz 14
    eSparkBiz Aug 6, 2019 Link to comment

    I have Samsung Galaxy A50. After reading this, I just astonished that is my phone water-resistant or waterproof. But at last, I came to know that no phone is totally waterproof. But, if this kind of situation comes then the solution given here can be used and phone can be fixed.


  • MariaAnhHoly 1
    MariaAnhHoly May 14, 2019 Link to comment

    I dropped my new phone Vsmart Joy plus from Vingroup into the toilet. IT IS EMERGENCY BECAUSE IT IS NOT MY PHONE. PLEASE HELP ME AS FAST AS YOU CAN !!!!!!!!


  • Konstantin 1
    Konstantin Mar 22, 2019 Link to comment

    So when I drop a phone with IP67 or IP68 in water, when can I charge it again or use the USB-C Plug for headphones? Doint this with a wet plug seems critical, isn't it?


  • 1
    TechSally Dec 11, 2018 Link to comment

    Actually, if you only dry it by hand you won't be able to remove the corrosion which will start to form when your device hits water. You might be able to turn it on, but it will slowly die because of the corrosion inside.

    My mom dropped her phone in the toilet - twice! But we found a repair center who works with this company Techsave which has a special technology to save your phone from water. And it worked - both times - and all her photos where still there and all. Just saying.


  • Mauro Ghiglia 4
    Mauro Ghiglia Dec 7, 2018 Link to comment

    Unfortunately, despite many people think the most damage is made by the water, the big problem is in the mineral salts that are contained in the water. If water comes in contact with the electronic circuit, it can leave a layer of minerals on the circuit. Minerals, little by little attract humidity and can become very corrosive, causing damage even after months. If you phone is completely filled with water after a long permanence, the first thing is to remove the battery (if possible) and the second should be (I know it may sound strange) to wash it in highly distilled water.

    marco sarli


  • 12
    harshatecordeon Dec 7, 2018 Link to comment

    Super information.


  • ariful islamcsc 1
    ariful islamcsc Oct 13, 2018 Link to comment

    Soon after the water does not enter the set, pick up the mobile set or remove it from the water. Together turn off the mobile switch. I hope it will be good.


  • 1
    InfiniteStupidity Sep 24, 2018 Link to comment

    I did most of the things you arent supposed to do... Do i throw mine away, or is it still even worth a try?

    Edit: i shook my phone, tried to turn it on 20 times, blew into every hole, and pressed basically every button before i read this, did the steps, and checked on my phone 25 hours later. It was about 80% functional. i found a few problems, such as the back button not working, the wifi not connecting, and the screen having way more problems than usual. im going to let it dry in rice for about 12 more hours or so and update this when i get it back.


    • 1
      Lola Lawal Jul 1, 2020 Link to comment

      hi, i did the exact same thing before reading this. can you tell me how it went? an it was shampoo that got into mine not water, is that better or worse


  • Venu Prasad 1
    Venu Prasad Sep 4, 2018 Link to comment

    Hi Friends,

    Today my baby have put my Samsung J7 Max in water bucket, immediately I tried to switch off the buttons was working but I cannot select the power-off option then I have hit the bottom side on my thy few water drops came out then I kept it in sun light for 10-15 mins still not working, I immediately went to mobile repair shop he shocked me with answer : there is only 50-50 changes as it should be removed from front side as we cannot take the battery out I tensed.

    I run home again kept in sun light but this time putting a silk cloth wrap and kept for 15 mins checked later the touch is responding but there are few white marks on the screen. After watching few videos I have kept it in rice box hope this should work.

    I suggest you not to panic and do keep your mobile in sun light and try few steps it should work, I will post again once I take my mobile out of the box ;-)

    Keep digging for the answer folks....


  • Ionut Costean 1
    Ionut Costean Jul 25, 2018 Link to comment

    i did all thing that shouldnt .. before reading this article.


    • 1
      InfiniteStupidity Sep 24, 2018 Link to comment

      Did your phone ever work?


  • 1
    Alessandra Jul 18, 2018 Link to comment

    Hi,so today I went to the springs, and I had put my phone into a water case and I had closed corrrctly but my mom had found some water in the case, I dont know why it was there, but... I put my phone in uncooked rice and took the battery out. But then, I had found that my phone was pink at the top and I know that's not good. So, if it is pink will it still work?? Btw, the water had gone in the phone the charging hole. I also did carfully dry the phone got wet. Plese give me some advice!!

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