We’ve all been there—it jumped in the pool with us, fell into the toilet, the waiter accidentally spilled a glass of water on it. Needless to say, a water damaged phone can happen a million different ways. And although many newer phones on the market are water resistant or waterproof, arming yourself with the knowledge of how to fix a phone with water damage is a great way to prepare for the worst. Check out our tips below on the dos (and please don’ts).
This is the first (and most crucial) step to avoid a water damaged phone. If you have a phone with a removable battery, remove it immediately. If you can’t remove your battery easily, just turn the phone off. Even if it seems to be working, cutting power from the device as quickly as possible will prevent your phone from short circuiting.
DO NOT leave your phone on for any reason. Electrical components and water do not mix well.
Use a clean towel to gently dry your phone off but try not to push water further into the ports while doing so!
DO NOT push a towel or blow air into the ports. This will only push the water further into the phone.
If your phone fell in soda, salt water or any other liquid other than water, rinse it off. Although it seems counteractive, liquids containing sugar, salt or other substances can actually cause more damage to the phone.
If you notice water in the ports, a vacuum or compressed air can help remove it. Use your vacuum’s hose attachment at the highest setting and try to suck the water out of the ports. For the compressed air route, be sure it is set to a low psi.
DO NOT attempt to use a blow dryer, oven or any type of heat source to remove moisture from your phone. This will cause damage to the internal components.
Pour about 4 cups of uncooked instant rice into a bowl (regular white rice will work too, but instant is more absorbent). Wrap your phone in a paper towel to prevent rice and starch from getting into the ports and then fully submerge in the rice bowl. The rice will work to soak up the moisture in the phone and hopefully fix a phone with water damage.
If you’ve recently purchased a new pair of shoes or a new purse, you’ve probably noticed a little white packet in the box. This silica gel packet is placed with the product to soak up moisture and hold water vapor. Place a few in a bowl with your phone and let them do their thing for about 2-3 days.
Whether you’ve decided to use rice or silica gel, place the bowl in a sunny spot and give your phone a full 48 – 72 hours to completely dry out before turning it back on. The longer it dries out, the less likely it is to short circuit when it’s turned on.
DO NOT turn your phone back on at all until it has time to completely dry out. As tempting as it is to check on it, it will give your phone a better chance of survival.
We hope you never have to worry about it, but knowing how to fix a phone with water damage is great knowledge to keep in your back pocket. If you do end up with a water damaged phone, we’ve got you covered with a new one.
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