How to fix a phone that has touched water

You’ve probably heard it before, or even applied it: If your phone has been damaged by water, put it in a bowl of rice for an X period of time. Well, according to the experts, rice won’t save your phone. that’s it Which you recommend.

The moment the phone comes into contact with water can be shocking. It will depend on the resistance of the device so that it is not damaged or that it simply “shuts down”. Moisture on the lens, liquid on the screen, changing sound (or no sound at all), inability to charge … problems can vary greatly.

In addition, it can occur even with those sold as “waterproof”, because this resistance only means that the device can withstand some exposure to water before major damage occurs. For example, the iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy S21 both have an IP68 rating. However, in terms of exposure to water, the iPhone 12 has a maximum permissible immersion depth of 6 meters for 30 minutes, while the immersion limit on the Galaxy 21 is 1.5 meters, and also for 30 minutes.

However, waterproof phones, which are the vast majority of devices today, can generally handle smaller amounts of liquids, as when glass is tipped. Hence, almost all Apple and Samsung phones have a liquid contact / damage indicator bar inside the SIM card tray.

An illustration of an article entitled

picture: Stephen Dipolo / CC BY 3.0 (else)

After all that said, what can we do to fix the phone with water? First of all, it is not recommended to put it in a bowl of rice as it is nothing more than a myth that it will dry and harden. Instead, the following steps are recommended:

  • Immediately turn off the device and do not press any buttons.
  • If your phone is waterproof and you have spilled or immersed it in a liquid other than water, Apple and Samsung recommend rinsing it by submerging it in running water (but not under a faucet, which may damage it).
  • Dry the phone with paper towels or a soft cloth.
  • Gently shake the device to remove water from the charging ports, avoiding severe vibration, as this may spread liquid inside.
  • Remove the SIM card.
  • If we have one, use an aerosol compressed air duster to blow out the water. Avoid using a hot hair dryer, as the heat can damage the rubber seals and damage the screen.
  • Dry the phone (especially the ports) in front of a fan.
  • Leave the phone in an airtight container, ideally filled with packets of silica gel (small packets that come in new shoes and bags) or any other drying agent.
  • Do not charge the phone until you are sure it is dry. Charging a device with liquid inside or inside the ports may cause further damage. Apple, for example, suggests waiting at least five hours once the phone appears dry before charging it (or until the alarm disappears as a message).

Finally, if the above steps did not help and your device is still apparently dead, do not attempt to unlock the phone yourself. The best thing you can do is take him to a professional and go checkout if you don’t have a guarantee.[[[Conversation]

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Lovell Loxley

"Alcohol buff. Troublemaker. Introvert. Student. Social media lover. Web ninja. Bacon fan. Reader."

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