Water damage is one of the most common issues that can affect iPhones. If an iPhone X gets exposed to water, it can cause all sorts of problems – from minor glitches to complete failure of the device. But how can you tell for sure if your iPhone X has gotten water damage?
Check for physical signs of water exposure
The first thing to look for are physical signs that the iPhone has been in contact with liquid. Examine the phone carefully and watch out for these indicators of water damage:
- Water spots or moisture in ports, speakers, or other openings
- Corrosion around sim card tray or other metal parts
- Fogging or clouding of the front or back glass panels
- Discoloration of any internal components that are visible
- Cracking or bubbling of water-resistant seals around edges
If you spot any obvious evidence of water ingress, then it’s very likely there is some degree of water damage. The more signs that are present, the more severe the water exposure probably was.
Check for issues with touch screen responsiveness
One common symptom of water damage is that the iPhone’s touch screen becomes less responsive or stops working altogether. This happens because the digitizer circuits underneath can malfunction when they get wet.
To test for touch screen problems, try tapping and swiping on different areas of the display. See if there are any parts that don’t respond consistently. Swipe through home screens or open and close apps to make sure gestures are recognized smoothly all over the screen. If you notice the touch input is faulty in certain spots, it likely indicates water compromised the display.
Look for problems with Face ID facial recognition
The Face ID hardware uses sophisticated cameras and sensors that are very sensitive to moisture. If these components get wet, Face ID can have trouble recognizing your face or stop working entirely.
Attempt to unlock your phone using Face ID. If it fails repeatedly or takes many tries to recognize you, it’s possible water interfered with the facial authentication modules. You may also get an error message stating “Face ID not available” which is a definite sign of water damage.
Check earpiece and speaker for muffled or distorted sound
Speakers are magnets for liquid and even small amounts can significantly degrade audio quality. If the iPhone’s earpiece or bottom speaker sound muffled, quiet, distorted, or cut in and out, it likely means water got trapped inside.
Make phone calls and play music or videos out loud to inspect sound from both speakers. Any degradation points to water exposure entering the component and damaging the speaker membranes or circuitry.
Examine cameras for fogginess or poor image quality
The complex camera lenses and sensors in newer iPhones don’t function well after being in contact with moisture. Water vapor can temporarily fog up the lens glass and also corrode internal parts over time.
Check if the front or rear cameras appear foggy when viewed on-screen or through photos. Also look for obstructed blemishes in images that don’t go away if you clean the outside lens. Taking pictures and comparing the quality before and after suspected water damage can reveal optical issues.
Watch for slow charging or charging interruptions
Charging issues are a telltale effect of liquid exposure on an iPhone’s internals. Water can damage power-regulating components as well as the Lightning port itself.
Pay attention to how long the phone takes to charge and if it ever suddenly stops charging despite being plugged in. Erratic charging behavior usually means moisture got into the charging port or power delivery system.
Check for permanent flashing folder icon
One of the more serious indicators of water damage is a permanent flashing folder icon on your iPhone’s display. This happens when critical internal components that load the operating system have been corrupted by water.
If this folder icon persists even after trying to reboot your device, it often means components on the logic board were compromised and will need to be repaired or replaced.
Observe general instability like freezing, apps crashing
As liquid exposure degrades different internal hardware over time, you may notice a rise in general software glitches and instability. Apps freezing, random reboots, features becoming unresponsive, and other erratic behaviors tend to increase.
Monitor your phone for how reliably it can run apps, handle demanding tasks like gaming or video editing, and just overall stability. If serious problems progressively get worse it’s most often due to components damaged by moisture.
Run diagnostics with Apple Support app or at Apple Store
For a definitive test, use Apple’s official tools available in the Apple Support app or at an Apple Store. The diagnostics will scan all of the phone’s systems and can detect if any were compromised by water damage.
On iPhone, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health to check if the diagnostic result states “Unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple battery” which is an indication of liquid exposure. Bringing your device to Apple is advisable for a more thorough in-person water damage assessment.
Use a moisture-sensing card
You can purchase water damage indicator cards that are designed to reveal moisture inside electronics. These cards change color when in contact with water, letting you know if the inside of a device got wet.
Power off and open up the iPhone to access the internal hardware. Then insert or press a water indicator card against any areas you suspect got wet. If the card changes color, that’s confirmation water got inside.
Conclusion
Identifying water damage on an iPhone X can be tricky, but looking for common symptoms like unresponsive touch screen, faulty Face ID, muffled audio, charging issues, and glitching apps can reveal liquid exposure. Running Apple diagnostics and using moisture indicator cards can also help confirm if water infiltrated internal components. If you suspect your iPhone X suffered water damage, getting immediate professional help may allow components to be repaired or replaced before permanent failure occurs.
Physical Indicators of Water Damage
- Water spots/moisture in openings
- Corrosion on metal parts
- Fogging/clouding of glass
- Discolored internal components
- Cracked/bubbling water seals
Software/Hardware Issues from Water Damage
- Touch screen unresponsive/faulty
- Face ID fails or not available
- Muffled/distorted audio
- Foggy/blemished camera
- Slow/erratic charging
- Freezing, crashing, instability
- Permanent flashing folder icon
Diagnostic Methods to Confirm Water Damage
- Apple Support app diagnostics
- Genius Bar appointment
- Moisture-sensing indicator card