Having your iPhone 11 accidentally fall into water can be a scary situation. Water can damage the internal components and cause the phone to stop working properly. However, there are some steps you can take right away to try to save your iPhone and recover lost data.
Step 1: Retrieve the Phone Quickly
If your iPhone recently fell into water, retrieve it as soon as possible. The quicker you can get it out, the better chance it has of surviving. Every second the phone spends submerged increases the potential for water damage.
Carefully remove the iPhone from the water. Be sure to not charge it or turn it on. Powering on an iPhone that’s wet can cause electrical damage. The first priority is to get the phone dried out before attempting to turn it on.
Step 2: Dry the Phone Thoroughly
It’s important to dry the iPhone 11 as much as possible to remove any moisture left inside or outside the device:
- Wipe down the iPhone with a soft, lint-free cloth to soak up excess moisture.
- Use a dry towel or cloth to gently pat dry the phone. Make sure openings like the charging port are dried out.
- Do not try drying with heat sources like a hairdryer or placing near a heater vent. Excessive heat can damage internal components.
- Consider placing the iPhone in front of a fan blowing room-temperature air to help evaporate moisture.
- Leave the phone to air dry for at least 24 hours before attempting to power on.
The more moisture you can remove, the better chance your iPhone has of working. Be patient and allow sufficient time for the phone to thoroughly dry out.
Step 3: Remove Trapped Water
Even after thorough drying, water may still be trapped inside the iPhone’s internal components or openings. Take these additional steps to remove trapped moisture:
- Shake the iPhone gently to dislodge water trapped in openings like the charging port, headphone jack, speakers, etc.
- Use compressed air to blow out droplets stuck in the phone’s openings. Compressed air cans are inexpensive and available at office supply stores.
- Place the iPhone in a bag or container with drying agents like silica gel packs. These will help absorb any remaining moisture.
- Consider having the iPhone disassembled so internal components can be thoroughly dried out. Cell phone repair shops offer this service.
Taking your iPhone apart yourself is not recommended, as this can cause further damage. Have an experienced technician do any internal work.
Step 4: Check for Liquid Indicators
The iPhone 11 has built-in liquid contact indicators that are triggered if the device is exposed to moisture. Check these indicators to see if water caused internal damage:
- The liquid contact indicators are small circular stickers inside the SIM card slot. They will turn red if moisture was detected.
- Shine a flashlight into the charging port and headphone jack to look for indicators. Red means water contact.
- If the indicators are not red, this means water did not penetrate the inner circuitry.
Liquid contact indicators can confirm if moisture made its way inside the iPhone and cause corrosion. Red indicators mean an increased chance of damage.
Step 5: Attempt to Turn On
After at least 24 hours of drying time, see if you can turn on your iPhone:
- Press and hold the side or top button to power on the device.
- Hopefully, the phone will start up normally. Check if the touchscreen and buttons are responsive.
- You may need to dry out the iPhone longer if it does not turn on. Double check for trapped moisture.
- Try connecting the phone to power. If it still won’t turn on, you may need to have it repaired.
If the phone powers on, the next step is to check for any damage to components or data loss.
Step 6: Check Internal Components
If your iPhone 11 turns on successfully, inspect the main functions and components for any water damage:
- Test the speakers and earpiece by making calls or playing music.
- Check if the rear cameras are working properly in the Camera app.
- Make sure features like the flashlight and mute switch are functional.
- Test sensors like the proximity and ambient light sensor.
- Verify the touchscreen is fully responsive and accurate.
- Inspect the casing for any cracks or gaps that could allow moisture inside.
If you notice any issues with the cameras, speakers, screen, or other components, you may need to get the iPhone serviced. Water could have corroded connections and damaged internal parts.
Step 7: Backup Data and Reset
Even if your iPhone 11 seems to be working fine after drying out, it’s a good precaution to backup your data and reset the device. Here’s how:
- Connect the iPhone to a computer and do a complete iCloud or iTunes backup to save your data safely.
- Use iTunes or Finder to restore the iPhone software. This will wipe the device and install a fresh OS.
- Restore your data and settings from the backup once the reset is complete.
Resetting removes any corrupted files or software issues caused by water exposure. It’s an extra safeguard against potential data loss or instability.
Step 8: Consider Professional Repairs
If your iPhone 11 suffered significant water damage, you may need to take it to a repair shop. Signs of major damage include:
- Phone won’t power on even after thorough drying
- Cracked or damaged casing
- Corrosion visible on components
- Non-responsive buttons, touchscreen, or other features
- Internal liquid contact indicators are red
Professional technicians have specialized tools to dismantle the iPhone, thoroughly dry the inner hardware, and replace any damaged parts. The cost of repair will depend on the extent of the damage.
Preventing Water Damage
To avoid potential water damage to your iPhone 11, follow these tips:
- Use a protective waterproof case when around water.
- Avoid exposing the iPhone to moisture-prone situations like bathrooms, rain, snow, etc.
- Keep drinks and other liquids away from your phone.
- Never try to charge a wet iPhone.
- Consider getting AppleCare+ coverage for cheaper repairs if damage does occur.
Accidents can happen, but being cautious can help prevent many issues with water damaging your iPhone.
Recovering Lost Data
If important data was lost due to water exposure, there are still options to try recovering it:
- A data recovery service may be able to repair the iPhone and extract data from its memory.
- iCloud or iTunes backups can restore some lost data if available.
- Apps like PhoneRescue for iOS may be able to recover data directly from an iPhone with water damage.
- Apple Stores and service providers sometimes can rescue data if the logic board is intact.
While water damage makes data recovery difficult, specialists have tools that can salvage some lost files and information in many cases.
Conclusion
Liquid getting inside an iPhone 11 can certainly cause problems, but is not always the end of the device. By quickly drying out the phone, checking for damage, and contacting professionals for repairs, there is a good chance the iPhone can be restored to normal working order. The key steps are:
- Retrieve the iPhone quickly if it falls into water.
- Thoroughly dry out the device for over 24 hours.
- Inspect for internal moisture indicators.
- Check phone’s components once powered on.
- Backup data and reset the iPhone software.
- Have repairs done for any significant damage.
While an iPhone 11 exposed to water risks permanent damage, following these steps improves the chances of bringing it back to life with no data loss.