Whether due to a puddle, a sink or other household fixture, or a different cause, there are a lot of ways a smartphone can end up getting wet. While there’s always a risk that will mean the end of the device’s life, there are some steps an owner can take to try and save the phone.
When dealing with a wet smartphone, it’s important to act quickly and be patient. One of the worst things a user can do is leave a wet smartphone running or turn the device on before it’s dry. What should a smartphone owner do? Here are some tips from tech experts.
Step 1: If the phone is immersed in water, pull it out immediately. The longer it stays submerged, the more water may seep through the phone’s outside cover.
Step 2: Remove the battery as quickly as possible. Experts say to avoid pressing any buttons on a wet phone and instead go for the battery first to shut the phone off. When a phone is wet, most of the damage is caused by electricity running amok and causing short circuits. With an iPhone or other device without a removable battery, instead shut the phone off ASAP.
Step 3: Take out all removable parts, including SIM card, flash memory, etc. Also remove the case if the phone has one. The goal is to expose as much of the inside of the phone as possible.
Step 4: Gently dry as much of the phone and the removed components using a towel. If the smartphone was dropped in salt water, flush the phone and the parts with fresh water before drying. In addition to drying the phone more quickly, that will help prevent corrosion. Salt can do a lot of damage to the device if it’s left behind after the water dries.
Step 5: Bury the phone in a substance that will help draw out the moisture. One of the most popular methods for saving a wet smartphone is to put the gadget in a bowl of rice. Some experts recommend silica gel packs, like the kind that often come in shoeboxes. Leave the phone and the substance in a sealed container for 24-48 hours.
Step 6: Test the phone to see if it turns on. If it doesn’t, try removing the battery and turning the phone on while it’s plugged in. If that works, then you likely just need to replace the battery.
While that won’t always save a wet smartphone, those steps can help increase the chances of keeping the device functional.
Now, here are some things not to do with a wet smartphone:
- Don’t try to use the phone before it’s completely dry.
- Don’t turn it on to see if it works – if the phone was off when it got wet, consider yourself lucky and don’t take risk.
- Don’t expose the phone to heat in attempt to dry it out faster – high heat can cause additional damage.
- Don’t try to freeze the phone, either – some people recommend putting the phone in a bag and sticking it in the freezer to lower the conductivity of the water, but that can cause a lot of damage, too.
- Don’t use a hair dryer to dry out the phone – even when set to the coolest setting, a hair dryer can do damage by pushing water farther inside the smartphone.