But a wet iPhone isn’t necessarily a dead iPhone. While some iPhones can’t be saved no matter what you do, try these tips before you declare your beloved gadget dead.
How to Dry Out and Fix a Wet iPhone
Follow these steps to try to save your wet iPhone:
Waterproof iPhones: iPhone 7 and Newer
Probably the easiest—but not the cheapest—way to save a wet iPhone is to get one that resists water damage in the first place. The iPhone 7 series models, iPhone 8 series, and iPhone X are all water resistant. They have an IP67 rating, meaning they can survive being in up to 3.3 feet (1 meter) of water for up to 30 minutes without damage. Even better, the iPhone XS series and XR, iPhone 11 series, and iPhone 12 series have IP68 waterproofing. That means they can go into up to 2, 4, and 6 meters of water, respectively, for 30 minutes without damage.
Don’t Do This to a Wet iPhone!
If your iPhone is soaked, what you don’t do is just as important as what you do. If you’re not careful, you might accidentally do something that could further damage your device. So, if your iPhone or iPod is wet, don’t do the following:
Advanced Techniques for Fixing a Wet iPhone
The simplest and probably safest method to save a wet iPhone is to let it dry out naturally. But there are a couple of advanced options you can try to speed up the process:
Try This Only If You’re Desperate to Fix Your Wet iPhone
If you’re really desperate, or really skilled, you can try this option—but you better know what you’re doing. You can ruin your iPhone and void your warranty.
Try the Experts on Saving a Wet iPhone
Don’t want to take on this task yourself? Try the folks with experience in repairing wet iPhones and iPods.
How to Check for Water Damage in a Used iPhone or iPod
If you’re buying a used iPhone or iPod or lent someone your device and now it’s not working so well, you want to check if it got wet. You can do this using the moisture indicator built into iPods and iPhones. The moisture indicator is a small orange dot that appears in the headphone jack, Dock Connector, or SIM card slot. Check out this Apple article to find the location of the moisture indicator for your model. The moisture indicator is far from foolproof. But, if you see the orange dot, you need to at least consider that the device may have had a bad experience with water.
Software Tips for Dealing with a Wet iPhone
After you’ve dried your iPhone or iPod, it may start up just fine and work as though nothing happened. But many people encounter some software problems when they first try using it. Try these tips, which also apply to iPod touch and iPad, for dealing with some of the common problems:
What To Do with an iPhone That Won’t Turn On How to Fix an iPhone Stuck at the Apple Logo.
