Why won t my iPhone 6 turn on after falling in pool?

Quick Overview

There are a few common reasons why an iPhone 6 may not power on after taking an accidental swim:

  • Water damage – If water seeps into the phone, it can short circuit components and prevent powering on.
  • Corroded battery/charging port – Water can cause corrosion of electrical contacts required for charging and power.
  • Dried water deposits – Water residue left inside can interfere with connections and functionality.
  • Shorted logic board – If water reaches the logic board, it can permanently damage integrated circuits.

Don’t panic yet! With some quick troubleshooting and TLC, there are good chances your iPhone can come back to life. The key is to act fast and not power on the device until it’s thoroughly dried out. Read on for full troubleshooting steps.

How Water Damages iPhones

Water is very damaging to iPhone 6 components:

  • Short Circuits – Water can bridge connections and create short circuits on logic boards or components.
  • Corrosion – It can cause oxidation and corrosion of metallic electrical contacts and solder points.
  • Mineral Deposits – As it evaporates, dissolved minerals in the water leave behind deposits.
  • Component Degradation – It can interfere with microelectronics and degrade components over time.

Once inside your iPhone, water creates all sorts of issues:

  • Battery won’t charge properly due to corroded charging port.
  • Displays look spotty due to water deposits trapped between LCD layers.
  • Buttons and speakers fail intermittently as water comes and goes.
  • Logic board shorts lead to spontaneous rebooting or freezing.
  • General instability and glitchy operation even after drying out.

The longer the iPhone stays wet on the inside, the more severe and permanent the damage becomes. If liquid is still present, powering on the phone risks short circuit damage to boards and components.

How to Safely Handle a Wet iPhone

If your iPhone 6 took an unexpected dunk or splash, follow these tips to minimize water damage:

  • Dry it Off – Gently wipe away any external moisture with a soft cloth. Try not to force water further into ports.
  • Don’t Power On – Don’t press any buttons or attempt to power on. This risks short circuiting.
  • Disconnect Cables – Unplug all cables from charging ports to avoid potential shorts.
  • Remove Case – Take off any protective case to prevent trapping water inside.
  • Dry Out Ports – Carefully dry out the charging port and headphone jack openings.
  • Absorb Moisture – Lightly place the iPhone in a bed of dry rice to passively absorb moisture.

Following these steps helps remove initial exterior moisture. But water likely still remains internally – absorbent rice can help draw it out. Next, some DIY troubleshooting can revive an unresponsive wet iPhone.

Troubleshooting Steps When iPhone 6 Won’t Turn On

If your iPhone 6 won’t power on after water exposure, try these troubleshooting steps:

  1. Let it Dry Out – Leave the phone off in rice for at least 24-48 hours to dry fully.
  2. Check for Residual Moisture – Inspect charge port and headphone jack for any remaining water or corrosion.
  3. Try Charging – Use a known good cable and charger to see if it begins charging.
  4. Hard Reset – Try forcibly rebooting the iPhone by pressing and holding Power and Home buttons.
  5. Attempt Recovery Mode – Connect to iTunes and see if the iPhone enters Recovery mode.
  6. Replace Battery – Try swapping in a known good battery in case water corroded the existing one.
  7. Clean Out Charge Port – Carefully clean out any corrosion in the Lightning port if charger isn’t recognized.

Be patient through each step – a flooded iPhone can take time to recover. If you get signs of life, there may still be underlying damage.

Best Ways to Thoroughly Dry an iPhone

For the highest chance of revival, you want to extract every last drop of moisture from an iPhone 6. Here are reliable drying methods:

Passive Air Drying:

  • Least risky method but slowest process.
  • Simply leave the iPhone powered off in a dry environment.
  • Use a fan to circulate air and expedite evaporation.
  • Takes 1-3 days minimum to fully dry.

Dry Rice Storage:

  • Pour dry white rice into an airtight container.
  • Bury the iPhone into the rice so it absorbs ambient moisture.
  • Works best if rice is refreshed halfway through.
  • Drying takes 1-2 days.

Desiccant Packs:

  • Use moisture absorbing packs made for electronics.
  • Tear open packs and place iPhone directly on top.
  • Replenish packs if they get saturated.
  • Typically dries in under 1 day.

Low Heat Oven:

  • Use as a last resort – heat is dangerous for electronics.
  • Warm phone at 200°F for 2-3 hours to evaporate moisture.
  • Avoid higher temperatures to prevent component damage.

Take your time and allow a flooded iPhone to dry out completely before reconnecting the battery and attempting power on. Rushing the process risks short circuit damage.

Cleaning Dried Liquid From iPhone

Once your iPhone 6 is fully dried out, there may still be contaminant issues:

  • Mineral Deposits – Dissolved solids in water leave sticky residue behind.
  • Corrosion – Oxidation of metal electrical contacts and pins from water exposure.
  • Dirty Ports/Buttons – Debris caught in crevices around the charge port and buttons.

These issues can prevent proper electrical connectivity and need to be cleaned out.

Here’s how to safely clean out dried water residue:

  • Use a soft toothbrush and rubbing alcohol to gently brush debris from ports.
  • Clean out charge port with a wooden or plastic toothpick.
  • Swab out headphone jack with a cotton Q-Tip soaked in alcohol.
  • Use tweezers to remove particles trapped in small crevices and buttons.

Take great care to not force any liquid or objects into the ports to avoid internal damage. Slowly and gently removing external contaminants improves conductivity for cables and buttons.

Fixing Water Damaged Components

If cleaning and drying out your iPhone doesn’t resurrect it, the water may have damaged specific components:

Battery:

  • Corrosion can prevent battery from charging.
  • Carefully inspect battery terminals for oxidation or white/blue corrosion.
  • Use alcohol and a toothbrush to gently clean contacts.
  • If cleaning doesn’t work, battery will need replacement.

Charging Port:

  • Corrosion prevents cable from seating and charging.
  • Use a wooden toothpick to gently scrape away oxidation on port pins.
  • Check cable seating and retention after cleaning.
  • Replace dock assembly if charging function doesn’t improve.

Headphone Jack:

  • Corroded jack contacts can stop recognition of headphones.
  • Clean out jack opening thoroughly with a Q-tip and alcohol.
  • Insert headphone plug and remove repeatedly to abrade away corrosion.
  • If issue persists, headphone jack will need replacement.

Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty fixing corroded parts. Just take care to not force anything to avoid further damage.

When to Take Your iPhone to Repair Shop

DIY cleaning and troubleshooting won’t work in all cases. Consider professional repair if:

  • Phone won’t power on at all, even after thorough drying.
  • You see visible corrosion on internal components.
  • Buttons/ports don’t respond after cleaning corrosion.
  • Phone immediately shorts or overheats when attempting power on.
  • The phone logic board has gotten wet.

Repair pros have specialized tools and methods for:

  • Ultrasonic cleaning to fully remove internal liquid residue.
  • Microsoldering tools to replace damaged components on a logic board.
  • Specialized moisture sensors to identify affected internal parts.
  • Component-level board repair skills to swap damaged elements.

Liquid damaged iPhones require meticulous inspection and repair. Don’t try to revive phones with catastrophic water damage on your own. Trust an expert!

Preventing Water Damage to iPhones

While no phone is fully waterproof, you can take precautions to avoid issues:

  • Use a protective case designed to be water resistant.
  • Attach a waterproof adhesive screen protector.
  • Avoid taking phones near bodies of water where possible.
  • Never charge phones near sinks or bathtubs.
  • Close all port covers when nearby water.
  • Immediately dry phone if it gets splashed or wet.

Be particularly careful to avoid saltwater, hot tubs, pools, and ocean water which are more corrosive than plain freshwater. With some care and attention, you can avoid heartache over a water damaged iPhone.

Conclusion

Don’t panic if your iPhone 6 won’t turn on after taking an unexpected swim – chances are good that it can be revived. The key is to refrain from powering it on until fully dry, then thoroughly cleaning out any corrosion. With some persistence applying the steps in this guide, your iPhone should be up and running again in no time. Just be sure to enlist professional help if DIY efforts fail. And moving forward, be vigilant to keep water away from your iPhone and you won’t have to endure this headache again!