Phone dropped in water: what to do in the first 10 minutes
If your phone has fallen into water, here is what to do in the first few minutes, step by step, and what to avoid.
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Dropping a phone into the toilet, a sink, a pool or the sea is an accident that can happen to anyone. The good news is that taking the right steps in the first few minutes improves your chances of saving both the device and the data on it. The bad news is that some well-meant reactions make the damage worse. Here is what to do, and in what order, in plain language.
Step by step: the first 10 minutes
Get it out of the water straight away. Every second it stays submerged lets more liquid in.
If it is on, switch it off; if it is off, leave it off. Current flowing through wet circuits can cause a short circuit. Don't open apps or make a call to see whether it still works.
Don't charge it. Whether with a cable or on a wireless charger, don't charge the phone until it has been checked. Some phones show a warning when they detect moisture in the charging port; don't ignore it.
Remove the case, the SIM tray and any memory card. Water collects under the case. Taking out the SIM tray protects your card and gives air a small way in.
Wipe the outside with a soft, lint-free cloth. Hold the phone with the charging port and speaker holes facing down and tap it gently against your palm to let water drain from the port. Don't shake it hard, as this can spread water further inside.
Leave it somewhere dry and airy at room temperature. Standing it upright with the charging port facing down helps water drain out.
Contact a repair service. Even if the phone seems fine, don't put off having the inside checked. We explain why below.
What not to do
Burying it in rice: Rice doesn't draw moisture out of a phone any better than leaving it in the open air, and rice dust and small grains can get into the charging port and speaker holes. Apple also advises against putting a wet iPhone in rice.
Hair dryers, ovens, radiators or direct sunlight: Heat is dangerous for the battery and can damage the adhesives that hold the screen and other parts together. Blowing hot air can also push water further in.
Compressed air or blowing into it: This drives water deeper into the device.
Cotton buds, paper or anything pointed: These can damage the thin pins in the charging port and the speaker mesh.
Plugging it in to test it: Putting current through a wet phone raises the risk of a short circuit and can make the damage worse.
The “it still works, so it's fine” trap
Many phones work normally for the first few hours after a dip. But the minerals and salts in the water stay behind on the circuit board. Over time these deposits cause corrosion, a kind of rust that spreads slowly across the circuits. That is why problems can appear days or even weeks later:
Lines or patches on the screen, or the touchscreen not responding
Crackly or quiet sound from the speaker or microphone
Not charging, the battery draining quickly or the phone switching itself off
Fog inside the camera, or the camera not opening
Face ID or the fingerprint sensor not working
So even if the phone works, an early check inside can help you avoid a more costly fault later on.
Water-resistant phones are at risk too
Many recent phones list IP67 or IP68 in their specifications. This means the phone is water-resistant, not waterproof. IP67 generally refers to laboratory tests in fresh water at a depth of up to 1 metre for up to 30 minutes, while IP68 refers to tougher conditions set by the manufacturer.
Real life is different:
The tests use still, clean water at room temperature. Sea water, pool water, soapy water and hot water are not part of them.
The seals and adhesives that keep the phone sealed wear over time, and drops and knocks weaken this protection.
A phone that has already had its screen or battery replaced may not be as well sealed as it was.
Then there is the warranty: even on phones with an IP rating, liquid damage is generally excluded from most manufacturers' warranty terms. In short, water resistance is not a guarantee; it is extra protection that buys you time when an accident happens.
Sea water and sugary drinks are worse
Not every liquid does the same harm. Even tap water is a risk, but some liquids make things harder:
Sea water: The salt conducts electricity better and speeds up corrosion considerably.
Tea, coffee, juice and fizzy drinks: Their sugar and acid leave a sticky film even once dry, and buttons, speakers and connectors can fail over time.
Pool water, soapy or detergent water: Chlorine and detergents can wear parts down and help water seep in more easily.
With these liquids, time matters even more. When you hand the phone in, always say what it got wet with; diagnosis and cleaning depend on it.
The sooner it is checked, the better
After contact with liquid, corrosion keeps progressing hour by hour. So rather than waiting several days for the phone to dry out on its own, we recommend having it checked as soon as possible. At the repair service the phone is opened and inspected; any liquid and corrosion residue is cleaned off and any damaged parts are identified.
What you need to know at Işıltı İletişim:
Our free courier collects your phone from your address anywhere in Kahramanmaraş and returns it after the repair.
We give you the exact price after inspecting the device, and we never start work without your approval.
We never ask for your screen passcode or your iCloud or Google account details.
Once you have booked, you can track your device's status on our website.
For more information, see our liquid damage repair page, or book a repair online to send your courier request straight away.
In short: get the phone out of the water, switch it off, don't charge it, skip the rice and the heat, and have it checked as soon as you can.