As an iPhone owner, I understand the frustration of having a device that won’t turn on after getting wet. I recently experienced this firsthand after dropping my phone in a puddle. After doing some research and testing, I’m here to share what I did to get my phone working again, as well as some other solutions I was able to find. In this blog post, I’ll explain what you can do when your iPhone won’t turn on after getting wet, so you can get it working again.
First, don’t try to turn it back on in the first place. Your iPhone can be permanently damaged if you turn it on while it’s wet, so don’t risk it. After that, don’t plug it into any electricity and try to dry it as best as you can. The entire process might take about 48 hours.
If you have considered trying the uncooked rice method, don’t! It’s not the best answer out there and I’m about to tell you why. Let’s get started!
| Steps | Action | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Turn Off Your iPhone | Turn off your iPhone immediately | Prevents short-circuiting and further damage |
| 2. Don’t Plug Charger | Avoid plugging in the charger | Prevents shock and damage from moisture conduction |
| 3. Dry Phone Externally | Use a microfiber cloth to dry off the exterior | Removes moisture from the outside of the device |
| Remove SIM card, covers, screen protectors | Allows better access to moisture | |
| Use a hair dryer on low, cold air (if necessary) | Speeds up the drying process (use with caution) | |
| 4. Give It Time | Wait at least 48 hours for the phone to dry | Allows internal components to dry naturally |
Table of Contents
Water Damage Vs. Your iPhone
One of the most common mistakes people make when they’re using their device is to think that it’s waterproof. It might be water resistant, but it’s not waterproof.
First, let’s talk about what water resistant actually means. Water-resistant phones are those that can withstand a certain amount of water exposure without immediately dying. They’re designed to be able to take a few splashes here and there, but not much more than that.
Waterproof phones, on the other hand, are designed to withstand long-term submersion in water—for example, if you accidentally drop your phone in the pool.
Apple labels their phones as “water resistant” instead of “waterproof.” This is because Apple tests its products according to certain ingress protection (IP) standards and ratings.
So what does all this mean for you? Basically: don’t take your phone swimming with you! If it gets wet while you’re using it, there are a few things you can do for it, thankfully.
What to Do When Your iPhone Gets Wet
If you’ve ever had to fish your iPhone out of a toilet or sink, you know it can be a nerve-wracking experience. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to save your phone. Here’s what you can do:
First Step: Turn Off Your iPhone
When your iPhone gets wet, it’s vital to shut it off. If your phone was turned on when it got wet, there are two options you can choose from.
First, you can choose to leave your phone on with the screen off and risk notifications lighting up the phone. The second option is to risk a couple of seconds to turn it off completely. The best course of action here would be to turn it off instead of leaving it on.
This will prevent the phone from short-circuiting and causing damage to the battery or other components.
Second Step: Don’t Plug Its Charger
First, and foremost, don’t plug your iPhone into a charger just yet. The moisture inside your iPhone will conduct electricity and can cause a dangerous shock.
You also might want to avoid shaking the phone around or blowing hot air into it—the last thing you want is for water droplets to make their way into other parts of your device from that method.
Moreover, there are a lot of myths about how to dry out an iPhone that are completely false and potentially damaging.
For example, some people think that putting a wet iPhone in rice could help suck up any remaining moisture within its components; this isn’t entirely true!
Putting your phone in a bowl of rice may help you dry it out. Nonetheless, you’ll end up with loads of dust inside the open ports and maybe even a few grains!
Third Step: Dry Your Phone From the Outside
Some people recommend placing your phone in a bag with uncooked rice or similar grains to help it dry completely. However, we already know this isn’t the answer.
Better yet, follow these steps:
- Take out the SIM card
- Remove any covers or screen protectors
- Use a microfiber cloth to dry off the exterior
- If you have one, use a hair dryer on low, cold air to help speed up the process
Important note: Be careful with the hair dryer! When using a hair dryer, make sure it’s on the lowest setting and that you’ve done your best to dry the device with the cloth first.
Step Four: Give it time
There’s no point in trying to get the water out immediately; your phone needs some time to dry naturally. This will help prevent damage from occurring due to evaporation.
If possible, wait for at least 48 hours before checking on its progress —the longer you wait, the better off your phone will be.
Last Step: Clear Out the Speaker
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Hopefully, by now your phone is up and running again. Everything is now dry except for one part that could hold a tiny bit of water; that’s the speaker grills.
Your iPhone doesn’t have an “Eject” function that can help you expel water from the device like the Apple Watch.
However, certain apps on the App Store can help you here. These apps generate tones at a specific frequency to make the water leap out of the speaker and into the awaiting tissue.
Thus, your phone would be completely dry from all corners.
Wrap Up
Read more: is iPhone 128GB enough?
Now that you know what to do when your iPhone won’t turn on after getting wet, you can share the knowledge with your friends.
You’ll be able to help them if they ever have this problem and need to fix their phone. Hopefully, you’ll never face this issue again!
