If you’ve accidentally dropped your phone in water, it can be worrying not knowing the extent of the damage. Water can quickly seep into a phone and cause corrosion, short circuits, and permanent damage. Luckily, there are some easy ways to check for water damage on your smartphone.
What are the symptoms of water damage on a phone?
Here are some of the most common signs your phone has water damage:
- The phone won’t turn on at all, or only partially powers on and then shuts off
- The touchscreen is unresponsive or glitchy
- You see the moisture indicator has turned red inside the SIM card slot
- Speakers sound muffled or distorted
- Microphone has stopped working
- Charging port seems damaged or won’t charge the phone
- Buttons aren’t responsive
- Camera is not working properly
- Battery won’t hold a charge
If you notice any of these issues, there’s a good chance liquid has damaged the internal components. The longer your phone has been exposed to moisture, the more extensive the damage is likely to be.
Check the liquid contact indicators
Most modern smartphones contain special liquid contact indicator stickers inside the housing that are designed to react to the presence of moisture. These are often located in the SIM card slot, battery compartment, or near other openings.
To check them, you’ll need to carefully open up your phone’s outer casing. On an iPhone for example, you’d need to eject the SIM card tray then shine a flashlight down into the empty slot and look for a small white indicator sticker. It will turn bright red or pink if it’s been triggered.
On Android phones, you may find the liquid contact indicators behind the SIM card tray, battery, or along the interior edges. Check your device’s manual for the exact location. If you find the sticker has changed color, moisture has gotten inside.
Test hardware functions
A good way to pinpoint water damage is to methodically test all functions of your phone:
- Buttons: Press buttons like power, home and volume keys to see if they feel stiff or unresponsive.
- Touchscreen: Check if the touchscreen works normally or suffers from false inputs and dead spots.
- Speakers: Play music or videos out loud. Listen for muffled or crackling speakers.
- Headphone jack: Plug in headphones and check for sound cutting in and out.
- Charging port: Use your charging cable. If your phone doesn’t charge properly, the port may be damaged.
- Microphone: Make voice calls or record videos to test if the microphone is picking up sound properly.
- Rear camera: Try taking photos and videos to see if the camera works or if image quality is poor.
If multiple functions like these are faulty, that indicates water exposure rather than an isolated issue.
Examine for visible water damage
Take off your phone’s case and closely inspect the phone for any visible signs of water damage. Look for:
- Water underneath the screen or camera lenses (will look like fogging or condensation that doesn’t wipe off)
- Oxidation or corrosion around ports, buttons, or the SIM card tray
- Cracked screen or distorted/discolored display
- Swollen or puffed up battery
Seepage into the inner hardware can cause visible external damage. However, even if nothing looks visibly wrong, there could still be unseen corrosion of the electronics inside. When in doubt, assume water has still gotten in.
Check for unusual overheating
A phone that’s been exposed to moisture may start overheating or getting hotter than usual during use. This abnormal heat is a sign of short circuiting inside the device as water reacts with the electronics.
Your phone getting warm is normal, but power down and avoid charging it if the overheating is excessive. Have it checked out by a repair technician if the temperature seems dangerously hot.
Test with rice or desiccant packs
Here is a home test you can try: place your phone in a sealable bag or container together with rice or silica gel desiccant packs. Leave it for 24-48 hours allowing the rice/gel to absorb any internal moisture.
After 1-2 days, remove it and check if phone functions have improved at all. If the rice or gel packs look damp, that indicates water was present inside. However, the phone may still need professional repair work even if this method helps temporarily revive its functions.
When to seek professional phone repair
For minor moisture exposure, do-it-yourself drying techniques might resolve issues. But with substantial water damage, it’s best to get professional help. Reasons to take your phone in for repair include:
- Phone was fully submerged or waterlogged
- Liquid indicators show water has entered the housing
- Multiple components or functions aren’t working
- Display, camera, microphone look visibly damaged
- Phone won’t power on at all after exposure
- You notice corrosion around ports or internally
Repair techs have specialized tools to dry out and diagnose internal water damage, as well as perform component-level fixes. The sooner you seek help, the more likely important parts can be saved.
Water damage repair techniques
Phone repair centers have access to advanced techniques not possible at home. Here are some ways they can fix water-damaged phones:
- Ultrasonic cleaning: Uses ultrasonic waves to deeply clean interior components.
- Isopropyl alcohol rinse: Flushing with 90%+ isopropyl alcohol helps displace water.
- Vacuum drying: A vacuum chamber is used to thoroughly dry the phone’s interior.
- Electrical testing: Diagnostic tests check chips, ports and circuits for proper function.
- Board-level repair: Damaged ports or microsoldered components are replaced.
- Liquid damage indicators: Internal liquid contact stickers are replaced.
With the right techniques applied in time, water-damaged phones can often be saved. Even if some parts need replacement, repair is cheaper than replacing the entire device.
Best practices for waterproofing phones
To keep your phone safe from moisture, follow these tips:
- Use a water-resistant phone case when going near water.
- Never charge phones near sinks or bathtubs.
- Avoid taking phones in steam rooms or hot tubs.
- Close all port covers firmly before exposure.
- Dry phones that get splashed immediately with a cloth.
- Consider getting water damage insurance.
- Avoid cheaper aftermarket repairs that may not properly reseal devices.
While no phone is 100% waterproof, taking sensible precautions goes a long way to prevent leaks and damage.
Can phones be fixed after saltwater or pool water damage?
Yes, phones can be repaired after both saltwater or chlorinated pool water exposure. However, the minerals and chemicals make the damage worse compared to freshwater.
Saltwater is highly corrosive and can quickly start oxidizing metal contacts and components. Pool water contains added chloride as well, plus potential cleaning agents that can eat away at materials.
For either liquid, prompt professional cleaning is a must. The repairs may also end up more extensive and replacing parts like the charging port or audio components affected by corrosion. But with the right methods, salt and chlorine damage can usually be remedied.
Should I try fixing a water damaged phone myself?
It’s generally not advisable to try and fix a water-damaged smartphone yourself unless the exposure was extremely minor. Here’s why:
- You lack the proper tools and environment. Phone repair requires ultrasonic cleaners, vacuum chambers, specialized screwdrivers, soldering, etc.
- Internal corrosion isn’t visible. Just drying external case doesn’t address unseen oxidation inside.
- Further disassembly can make damage worse if not done properly.
- Important water-damage indicators may be triggered.
- Any warranty will likely be void if you tamper with the device.
Beyond basic drying, bringing a water-damaged phone to professionals for service greatly increases the chances of successful repair.
How long does phone water damage repair take?
Timing for phone water damage repair can vary depending on extent of damage. Minor repairs may take 1-2 days. More involved fixes with part replacement may take 3-5 days.
Factors that add time include needing to order replacement components, extra disassembly/reassembly steps for your model, and thorough diagnostic testing.
A rushed fix risks missing underlying issues. Expect 1-5 days with most professional services as standard to do it properly.
Does phone water damage eventually repair itself?
No, water damage inside a phone won’t fix itself over time. In fact, it’s likely to get worse not better.
That’s because corrosion from moisture doesn’t spontaneously reverse. Important components like the logic board, connectors, speakers and microphones will continue to oxidize.
Any temporary functioning is just residual energy in capacitors. Without professional repair, water damage will degrade phone performance until it eventually ceases functioning.
Can I save a water damaged phone by putting it in rice?
Putting a wet phone in rice can help absorb some liquid, but has limited effectiveness for actual water damage. The rice only dries the exterior case, not the interior where corrosion occurs.
For minor splashes, rice may work. But for phones exposed to water for longer than 30 seconds, professional drying and cleaning is required to prevent permanent damage. Don’t rely on rice alone.
Desiccant packets contain moisture-absorbing gel that works better than rice. But they still only extract surface liquid, so professional help is best for waterlogged phones.
How do you dry a phone fast after water damage?
To quickly dry a phone after water exposure, follow these steps:
- Immediately power off the phone if still on, and avoid pressing any buttons.
- Shake the phone gently to dislodge external water, but avoid rough shaking.
- Use a microfiber cloth to dry the outer case, ports, buttons, and tray areas.
- Insert several desiccant packs into a sealable bag with the phone and leave for 12-24 hours.
- After drying, inspect phone for functionality and take for professional service if issues are found.
Note that this only dries exterior water. For longer submersion or internal wetness, skip the desiccant bag step and bring directly to phone repair specialists.
Is a bag of rice really effective for drying phones?
Despite the popularity of the “rice trick,” a bag of dry rice is not particularly effective for drying out water-damaged phones. Here are some reasons why:
- Rice only absorbs surface moisture, not deeper inside the phone.
- It does not help with corrosion that develops as metal components oxidize.
- Phone case designs limit airflow, preventing deep drying by rice.
- Trapped grains can interfere with phone’s operation once inside ports.
- Bags allow ambient humidity back in, minimizing drying capability.
For these reasons, rice is a poor substitute for proper phone drying techniques. It may work for slight splashes, but not for more serious water exposure or submersion incidents.
Conclusion
Accidental water damage to phones is common, but there are ways to detect it and effective repair techniques. Checking liquid contact indicators, examining for physical damage, testing components, and professional cleaning can all help minimize permanent damage.
For anything beyond minor splashes, take your phone to repair specialists immediately for drying and corrosion treatment. This gives you the best chance of saving your phone and avoiding costly full replacement. With rapid care from professionals, water-damaged phones can often be revived.