How To Fix An Iphone 5 That Got Wet

Have you recently dropped an iPhone or iPad in the water? Don't panic! This might seem like a nightmare, but if you act smartly, then you can end up saving your iPhone/iPad without any trouble. Lots of users suffer from iPhone liquid damage now and then. While the new generation of Apple devices could be water-resistant, it isn't entirely waterproof. Furthermore, the feature is not available in most of the iOS devices. If your iPhone wet won't turn on, then read on and try to implement these quick solutions.

Important don'ts after getting iPhone/iPad out of water
8 best measures to fix liquid-damaged iPhone
The story did not end after drying the iPhone/iPad

Important don'ts after getting iPhone/iPad out of water

We understand that it is a disheartening moment when your iPhone fell in the water. Before you wonder how to fix the liquid damaged iPhone, there some immediate don'ts to prevent further liquid damage? Read the following "don'ts" carefully and comply accordingly.

iphone in water

Don't turn on your iPhone

This is the most important thing that you should keep in mind if you have dropped your iPhone in water. Chances are that your Apple device would turn off after being damaged by liquid. If your iPhone wet won't turn on, then don't panic or try to turn it on manually at this stage. If the water has reached inside the device, then it might cause more damage to your iPhone than good. To start with, keep it ideal and try not to turn it on.

Don't blow dry your iPhone immediately

Blow drying your Apple device immediately may do more bad than good. As the hot air blown to your device may heat your phone to unbearable degrees that are disastrous to iPhone's hardware, especially the screen which is more sensitive to hot wind.

8 best measures to fix liquid-damaged iPhone

You can't go back in time and save your iPhone from getting dropped in water, but you can make an effort to prevent iPhone liquid damage. We have listed 8 best measures that one should immediately follow after when they have dropped iPhone in water.

Remove its SIM card

After making sure that the phone is turned off, you need to ensure that the water won't damage the SIM card. The best solution is to take the SIM card out. Take the assistance of a paperclip or the authentic SIM card removal clip that must have come with your phone to take out the SIM tray. Additionally, don't insert the tray back as of now and leave the slot open.

remove iphone sim card

Wipe its exterior

Taking the assistance of tissue papers or cotton cloth, wipe the exterior of the phone. If you are using a case to protect your phone, then get rid of it. Don't apply too much pressure while wiping the phone to minimize the iPhone liquid damage. Make gentle movements while keeping the phone stationary and moving your hands instead to clean its exterior.

wipe iphone

Place it in a dry place

Your next step to resolve the dropped iPhone in the water problem should be to ensure that water won't damage its interiors. After clearing its exteriors, you need to be extremely careful of every step you take. It is recommended to place the Apple device in a warm and dry place. This would evaporate the water content that is inside the phone.

Mostly, people place it nearby a window that is exposed to the sun. Make sure that your phone is not directly exposed to too much sunlight. Instead, it should be placed in such a way that it would get constant (and bearable) heat. Placing it on the top of a TV or a monitor is also a widely used technique. While doing so, you need to make sure that your phone won't get damaged due to extreme exposure to sunlight.

place iphone in a dry place

Dry it with silica gel packets

Even after wiping off all the liquid from the surface of your iPhone, the moisture can still be there in the inside of your device.

There are times when to resolve the iPhone liquid damage, users take extreme measures that backfire in the long run. One of the safest solutions to dry your phone is by using silica gel packets. While buying electronic items, users get extra packets of silica gel. You can also buy them readily from any major store.

They absorb moisture in a superior manner simply by making minimum contact with the phone's body. Place a few silica gel packets over and under your phone. Let them absorb the water content that is inside the device.

dry iphone with silica gel packets

Place it in uncooked rice

You might have already heard of this foolproof solution to repair a dropped iPhone in water. Place your iPhone in a bowl or bag of rice in such a way that it would submerge in it. Make sure that it is uncooked rice else your phone might get unwanted dirt. Leave your phone in rice for at least a day to ensure that the water content would be absorbed entirely. Afterward, all you got to do is take your phone out and remove the pieces of rice from it.

place iphone with rice

Use a hairdryer (if it has a cool wind setting)

This might be a little extreme, but even after following the above-mentioned drill, if the iPhone wet won't turn on after 48 hours, then you have to walk the extra mile. Be extremely cautious while using a hairdryer to fix the iPhone liquid damage. Turn on the cool wind setting and keep the dryer in low power mode, and gently blow it over your phone. You can keep your phone at a distance ensuring that the air blow won't cause any damage to it. If it will make your phone heat up, then switch off the dryer immediately.

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Ask some tech genius to dismantle it

Consider dismantling as your last resort. After following all the necessary measures to repair your device, if the iPhone wet won't turn on, then you need to take the pieces out. If you know how to technically dismantle, you can do it yourself. Otherwise, trust the work to a tech genius.

When dismantling by yourself, try to be extremely careful. Your aim should be to dismantle the Apple device, giving it some air, and drying its interiors. After drying the pieces for a few hours, you can assemble it back and try to turn it on.

dismantle iphone

Visit an Apple Store

Chances are that after following these suggestions, you would be able to fix your phone. If it is not the case, then we recommend taking a safer approach. The best way forward would be visiting a nearby Apple Store or an iPhone repairing center. Go to an authorized store only and get your phone repaired to normal.

The story did not end after drying the iPhone/iPad

Check if the liquid damage still there after a couple of days

LCI or Liquid Contact Indicator is a new measure to determine whether or not an iPhone or iPad has been exposed to liquid or water damage. iDevices manufactured after 2006 are equipped with built-in LCI. Usually, the color of the LCI is silver or white, but it turns to red when it gets activated after getting exposed to some liquid or water. Here is the list of Apple models and the LCI planted in them.

iPhone models	Where is the LCI
iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, and iPhone X
iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus
iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus

Ready to take new phone, and retrieve all data in it

Since a water damaged iPhone is rescued already, there are still good chances that the data stored in your iPhone may corrupt in the future. Or your device may get crashed and don't turn on ever after. Thereby, you should be ready to look for a new phone, and take a frequent backup of your iPhone data to PC to minimize the loss when your iPhone becomes dead someday.

Things to do when you go to the seaside, swimming pools, etc.

Seaside and swimming pools are risky places for water damage to your iPhone. There are certain measures that you can always look up to prevent water damage in the future.

Get a good and reliable waterproof case.
You can also buy a Ziploc bag and put your device into it to protect it from water exposure.
Keep an emergency kit (Cotton, silica gel packets, uncooked rice, etc.) handy with you that can help you rescue your device even if it gets exposed to water.

waterproof iphone case

We hope that after following these suggestions, you would be able to solve your dropped iPhone in water issue. If you also have a quick and easy fix to this problem, then feel free to share it with our readers as well in the comments.

While if you have a new iPhone SE, which is IP68-rated, you won't worry about the water issue. Click to see the first-hand iPhone SE unboxing video! And you can find more tips and tricks from the Wondershare Video Community.