Water damage is one of the most common issues that can affect iPhones. If your iPhone 6 has been exposed to water, it’s important to check for signs of water damage as soon as possible. Catching water damage early can help prevent further issues and potentially save your phone. Here are the key things to look for when checking an iPhone 6 for water damage.
1. Inspect the exterior of the phone
The first thing to do is inspect the exterior of the iPhone for any visible signs of water exposure or damage. Look closely at the following areas:
- Charging port – Examine the charging port at the bottom of the phone. Built up moisture or corrosion around the port is a telltale sign of water damage.
- Headphone jack – Check for moisture or corrosion in the headphone jack.
- Speakers and microphones – Water can get trapped in the speaker and microphone openings. Shine a flashlight to inspect these areas.
- Buttons – Press the buttons (power, volume, home) and make sure they click normally. Stiff, unresponsive buttons can indicate water damage.
- SIM card tray – Remove the SIM card tray and check for any moisture or corrosion inside the SIM card slot.
Pay particular attention to the areas where gaps or openings allow water to enter the iPhone. Any visible moisture, fogging, corrosion, mineral deposits or residue around the ports, buttons or openings may be signs of liquid damage.
2. Check for condensation underneath the screen
Water damage may also cause condensation or fogging to appear underneath the iPhone’s screen. To check for this:
- Turn off the iPhone and shine a flashlight at the screen to inspect it.
- Look closely for any condensation, fogging or water droplets visible underneath the display.
- Check from different viewing angles to ensure you inspect the entire area underneath the screen.
Any condensation inside the iPhone indicates water has managed to infiltrate the inner workings of the device and cause damage.
3. Test the touchscreen responsiveness
Liquid damage can sometimes impair an iPhone’s touchscreen. To test for this:
- Power on the iPhone and verify the touchscreen is fully functional.
- Try tapping, swiping and using different apps to ensure every area of the screen responds properly.
- Check if the screen has any dead spots or areas that aren’t responding to touch input.
If parts of the touchscreen aren’t responsive, seem overly sensitive, or register incorrect inputs, this points to possible water damage affecting the display and digitizer underneath.
4. Check for distorted or blurry speakers
The iPhone 6’s dual speakers are very prone to water damage. To inspect them:
- Play audio or a voice memo through the speakers.
- Listen closely for any muffled, distorted or scratchy sounds.
- Compare both top and bottom speakers to identify any differences.
Speakers that sound fuzzy, muted or irregular typically indicate water exposure. The speakers may work initially but deteriorate rapidly without proper repair.
5. Test the rear camera and flash
Faulty camera operation is another giveaway sign of water damage inside an iPhone 6. To check the camera:
- Open the Camera app and test both the rear still camera and video camera.
- Check if pictures and videos appear properly focused and clear.
- Inspect the camera flash when taking photos. The flash should be bright and evenly lit.
If the camera preview appears foggy or blurry, has trouble focusing, or the flash is dim or uneven, moisture has likely affected the camera components or logic board.
6. Verify FaceTime camera operation
The front FaceTime camera is similarly vulnerable to water damage. To test it out:
- Switch to the front camera in the Camera app.
- Check if the preview image appears clear without any fogginess or blurriness.
- Take test photos and videos to ensure proper camera performance.
- Use FaceTime or another video calling app to confirm normal video chat functionality.
If the front camera preview shows condensation inside the camera or the image quality seems degraded, this indicates water damage to the FaceTime camera module.
7. Check for any overheating issues
Liquid exposure can sometimes cause iPhones to start unexpectedly overheating. To check for this:
- Monitor if the iPhone feels abnormally warm when holding it or charging it.
- Download a temperature monitoring app to check if the iPhone’s internal temperature reads higher than normal.
- Feel along the back casing and top area near the front camera for hot spots.
If the iPhone seems to be overheating consistently, it’s a sign moisture has reached critical internal components and caused a short circuit.
8. Examine the LCD backlight
The LCD backlight sitting behind the display often fails early on iPhones affected by water damage. To inspect the backlight:
- Set the iPhone’s screen brightness to maximum in Settings.
- Display a single color over the entire screen, like all white or all black.
- Look for evenly distributed and uniform brightness from edge to edge.
- Check for any darker or lighter patches which indicate backlight issues.
If areas of the screen appear darker than others when displaying a solid color, moisture has likely reached the backlight LEDs causing them to fail.
9. Test the vibration motor
An iPhone’s vibration motor can also fall victim to water damage. Here’s how to test it:
- Activate the vibration motor by flipping the mute switch.
- Try buzzing different vibration patterns like alarms and notifications.
- Compare the vibration strength to what you would normally expect.
If the vibration feels significantly weaker than usual, the motor may have been affected by moisture and will degrade quickly without repair.
10. Check for unresponsive or glitchy apps
Faulty app behavior can signify fluid damage to the iPhone’s logic board and internal components. To check for this:
- Test a variety of built-in Apple apps like Messages, Calendar, Maps, etc.
- Download third-party apps and check if they open and run properly.
- Check if any apps freeze, crash unexpectedly or display visual glitches.
Apps freezing frequently, ads displaying in them when they shouldn’t, or graphical problems can all stem from water damage to system resources like the processor or RAM.
11. Verify the SIM card slot
Given its exposed nature, the SIM card slot is especially prone to water damage on the iPhone 6. To inspect it:
- Eject the SIM card tray and remove your SIM card.
- Check for any signs of moisture or corrosion on the SIM card contacts.
- Examine the now empty SIM card slot for damage also.
- Reinsert your SIM card and test cellular, data and calling functionality.
If moisture reached the SIM slot, you may experience network connectivity problems, failed calls or inability to use cellular data until the slot is repaired.
12. Check the battery health
The battery can also be impacted by exposure to moisture. To investigate battery issues:
- Check Settings > Battery for metrics on maximum capacity and peak performance.
- Note if the battery is draining faster than usual when actively using the iPhone.
- Test if the iPhone shuts down prematurely even with 20%+ charge remaining.
- Monitor if the iPhone gets abnormally warm when charging the battery.
Rapid battery draining, early shutdowns or overheating during charging all suggest water may have compromised the battery or charging components.
13. Back up data and wipe the iPhone
Once you’ve thoroughly checked for water damage, an additional troubleshooting step is to back up your data and perform a factory reset:
- Back up the iPhone to iCloud or iTunes to preserve your data.
- Reset the iPhone to factory settings to wipe the device.
- Test the iPhone again after the reset looking for the same issues.
- Restore your data backup.
If the issues persist even after a factory reset, it’s a strong confirmation of hardware-level water damage, rather than just a software glitch.
14. Disassemble the iPhone
As a last resort, you may need to disassemble the iPhone and look for obvious signs of water intrusion inside:
- Only attempt this if you have repair experience disassembling iPhones.
- Remove the display, logic board, batteries and other components to inspect them.
- Check for corrosion on the logic board, connectors and contacts.
- Look for moisture barriers that have turned red indicating water damage.
Internal corrosion or tripped water indicators would conclusively prove water has infiltrated the sensitive electronics within the iPhone casing.
Conclusion
Detecting water damage on an iPhone 6 requires methodically checking both external ports as well as internal components using camera, speaker, app, battery and other tests. If you do confirm your iPhone 6 suffered water damage, be sure to get help from a professional repair shop immediately. The longer moisture sits inside an iPhone, the more corrosion spreads, and the greater the risk of permanent component failure. Quick action is key for any chance at reviving a water damaged iPhone.