When your iPhone or Android Phone falls into the water, you feel you are in hot water or maybe all your plans are dead in the water. Wordplay apart, a smartphone in the water is a grave situation for any modern user. Even if the user is capable enough to buy a new one the next moment, s/he must be bothered about the data, photos, videos and other contents stored in the phone. Given so many cloud storage solutions, there is little chance of data lost these days, but not all users are smart enough to store their data in cloud.
Moreover, there are many users, who can’t afford a high-end waterproof smartphone; they can always use waterproof cases though. But we are here to give solutions and don’t want to indulge in ifs and buts.
In case you drop your Android Phone or iPhone in water by mishap, there are many workarounds you can employ to save your gadget. Remember that these tricks and tips do not guarantee a return to your original, working piece. If the device is damaged to the core, you may have to wash your hands of your smartphone.
If the damage is minimum, chances are that you get your phone back in fine fettle. So here are some handy workarounds you can use to fix a water-damaged iPhone 5, 5s, SE, 6, 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, iPhone X or Android phone.
How to Fix Android and iPhone Water Damage Issue
Take your iPhone or Android Phone out of water and switch it off
Here your reflex action will be tested. You have to grab your phone the very next moment and take it out of the pool or bucket or bathtub. Next, you need to turn off your device and take out the battery. Even though your phone looks okay from outside, you should shut it down and take the battery out of your phone. Now put your phone on a dry surface, preferably on a cotton towel or paper towel.
Things you must Not Do
Never switch your phone on once it is out of water. The hardware inside is damp and electrical components do not perform well when they are wet. It goes without saying that you should not connect your phone with a power source via lightning cable or Micro USB cable.
Do not hit any key on phone. This will allow water to enter deeper.
Do not use any gadget like blower to dry your device; this will further push water into your phone. Shaking your phone is not a good idea as this might spread water into all parts of your device.
Many users employ a trick of heating their phones; but they clean forget that extreme heat can damage the phone. If you are using an iPhone, there are many iPhone overheating issues you have to face.
Keep your phone fixed in one place; do not move it around. The more your phone travels around, the more it is damaged by water.
Remove some parts of your iPhone or Android Phone
Make no mistake about this; you are supposed to take only those parts which can be taken by an ordinary user. This means you should remove cases or covers, screen protectors, SD cards, SIM card and battery. Do not mess with any other hardware of your smartphone. Once these parts are removed, put everything on a dry paper towel. If you are an expert techie, you can go ahead and remove all parts from the phone.
Clean the exterior with a paper towel
Once you take your phone out of water, the very first thing you should do is clean the exterior with a paper towel. Put all the components on a paper towel and rub it dry. While you are cleaning the components, do not press them too hard; dry them gently.
You can use vacuum cleaner
You can always use vacuum cleaner to suck the tiny water drops from your phone. Paper towels cannot reach everywhere in your phone; while using vacuum cleaner, do not operate its blower, use only the suction pipe to suck the water. Remember that you should not keep moving your phone during this process of suctioning your phone.
Dry your iPhone or Android Phone
If you are a smartphone junkie, this is the most challenging part in your efforts to fix a water-damaged iPhone or Android Phone. You have to put your phone untouched for hours, in fact days. This clearly indicates that you need an extra phone to use; or you can go back to old ways and call up people from public phones or send snail mails (are you ready for this?).
So what exactly does it take to dry your phone? Nope, you don’t need to put the phone in a frying pan on the burner. A simple trick is to put your damp phone into a bag of rice for two-three days. No ordinary bag works here; put it in a Ziploc bag of rice.
Rice has got an excellent quality of absorbing moisture, leaving your phone dry from inside. Rice is a commodity that is available in every household on earth, and therefore, it is a quick solution.
If this solution sounds an old-school idea, you can use silica gel packs you find in shoes or electronic boxes. These gel packs are not available easily but you can order them on Amazon.
Another advanced option to dry your water-damaged phone is Kensington pouch that rescues your wet phone before it is too late. The product is 700% more effective at removing humidity than rice.
Time to check results
After employing all tricks and tips, it is time to check the results. Are your efforts paid or gone in vain? Take the phone out from wherever you have put and assemble all components together. Now plug in and turn on the phone to check if it is working. If yes, you can pat your back. For the next few days, you should observe your phone’s behaviour. Check all features and hardware; for example, make a call and use speaker phone. Also charge your phone with lightning cable, power bank or wireless charging device. If your phone doesn’t work, you need to take it to the authorized store.
Is there any other tip to fix a water-damaged iPhone or Android Phone? Share your feedback with us on Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus.