iPhone fell in water — what to do
First aid for a water-damaged iPhone. What to do immediately, what to avoid (rice does not work!) and when to call a technician to save the phone and your data.
Dropped your iPhone in water, down the toilet, or spilled a drink on it? Acting fast and correctly decides whether the phone survives. Here is the procedure that actually works.
Do this immediately
- Get the phone out of the water and wipe it dry.
- Do not switch it on — and if it is on, turn it off. Electricity plus water means a short circuit.
- Do not charge it. No voltage must reach the connector while it is damp.
- If you can, remove the SIM and leave the tray open so air can circulate.
- Stand the phone on its edge on an absorbent cloth, connector facing down.
Do NOT do this
- Rice does not work. It is a myth — dust from the rice gets into the connector and often makes things worse.
- Do not use a hairdryer. Hot air pushes moisture deeper inside and damages the seals.
- Do not shake the phone — you will spread the water across the logic board.
Why speed matters
Even if the phone seems to “work” once it dries, corrosion of the contacts is already under way inside. Problems — a dead microphone, a failing camera, random shutdowns — can show up days later. That is why it pays to get a proper diagnosis and board cleaning as soon as possible.
When to call a technician
If your iPhone was soaked in anything other than clean water — sea water, sugary drinks, coffee — call as soon as you can. Sugars and salts speed up corrosion considerably. We come to you, open the phone, clean it, and try to rescue your data as well.
We are available 24/7 — with a water-damaged phone, every hour counts.
