Phone Fell in Water? What to Do (and Not Do) Right Now
Updated 4 min readBy AUC Smart Services Pvt Ltd
Water damage gets worse with time and with power. What you do in the first few minutes matters more than anything a technician can do later.
Do this straight away
- Take the phone out of the water and switch it off
- Remove the case, SIM tray and memory card
- Gently wipe the outside with a soft, lint-free cloth
- Leave it to dry with the ports facing down
Don't do this
- Don't charge it or plug it in
- Don't keep switching it on to check
- Don't use a hair dryer or heater
- Don't shake it hard, which spreads water inside
What about rice?
Rice doesn't pull water out of a phone any better than open air, and starch and dust can get into the ports. Air drying with the ports facing down is a better option.
Water-resistant phones aren't waterproof
Water resistance wears down over time and after drops or repairs, and it isn't meant for salt water, hot water or soap. Treat any wet phone with care.
Get it inspected
Even if the phone seems fine, corrosion can start inside and cause problems days later. An inspection lets a technician clean the board before damage spreads.
