Quick Answer
Phones are designed to withstand normal levels of moisture and humidity. However, excessive or prolonged exposure to water can damage a phone over time and cause it to “dry out.” Taking steps to keep your phone dry and well-maintained will extend its lifespan.
Will Water Damage Eventually Render My Phone Unusable?
Yes, prolonged exposure to moisture can eventually render a phone unusable by causing corrosion or short-circuiting of internal components. However, the timeline depends on factors like:
- The amount/frequency of water exposure
- Phone model and water resistance rating
- Environmental humidity levels
With careful precautions to keep your phone dry, it can last for years before any “drying out” effects occur. But consistent moisture exposure will speed up the drying process and damage phone function over time.
How Does Water Damage A Phone?
Water can damage phones in a few key ways:
- Corrosion – Water causes corrosion of metallic components like circuits or connectors. This can disrupt electrical signals.
- Short-circuiting – Water can cause short-circuiting between components that are supposed to be isolated. This can lead to malfunctions or complete failure.
- Mineral deposits – Dissolved minerals in water can leave behind deposits as water evaporates. These deposits can interfere with moving parts or electrical contacts.
- Erosion – Prolonged moisture exposure can erode protective coatings on components like circuits.
All these effects degrade the performance and reliability of a phone over time if exposure continues.
Do Phones Eventually “Dry Out” if Exposed to Water?
Yes, phones that get wet can internally “dry out” over time, especially if they are not properly dried after water exposure.
When water seeps into tiny crevices or soaked porous materials internally, it can take a long time to fully evaporate. The remaining moisture causes ongoing corrosion and electrical issues.
Gradually, this moisture will dry up as the water evaporates or gets absorbed by desiccant packages inside the phone. However, the damage is already done. So the phone remains impaired or unusable despite “drying out.”
What Factors Speed Up Water Damage?
Certain factors can accelerate the water damage process in phones:
- Total volume of water exposure – More water leads to more internal penetration and damage.
- Saltwater or chlorinated water – These conduct electricity better to promote short-circuiting.
- Warm, humid environments – Slows drying and promotes corrosion.
- Older or cheaper phones – Often have fewer water resistance features.
- Repeated moisture exposure – Causes gradual damage accumulation.
Phones used in humid environments or exposed to lots of water are at highest risk of faster deterioration. Carefully safeguarding your phone from moisture is key to extending its lifespan.
Can Phones Be Repaired After Water Damage?
It is sometimes possible to repair phones after water damage, but success depends on:
- Extent of damage – If corrosion is widespread, repairs may not be cost-effective.
- Age of phone – Older phones with more wear may not be worth fixing.
- Cost of components – Some damaged parts like logic boards can be expensive to replace.
- Availability of parts – Repair shops may not have access to older or discontinued components.
For extensive damage, repairs can end up costing as much as buying a new phone. But for newer phones with minimal damage, repairing individual components like charging ports may be worthwhile.
How Can I Keep My Phone from Drying Out?
You can take these proactive steps to protect your phone from moisture damage and premature drying out:
- Use a watertight case or dry bag when bring your phone near water.
- Don’t use your phone in steamy environments like pools, hot tubs or bathrooms.
- Wipe off any moisture if your phone gets splashed.
- Don’t charge wet phones – dry them with absorbent cloth first.
- Use moisture absorbing packets in your phone case or storage.
- Avoid spills by not having drinks/fluids near your phone.
- Get phone issues like cracked screens fixed to prevent interior water intrusion.
Making your phone waterproof and acting cautiously around moisture sources will help keep your phone in good condition for many years.
What Are Signs My Phone Is Drying Out?
Watch for these symptoms that indicate your phone may be drying out from water exposure:
- Corrosion visible on charging ports, audio jacks, or SIM trays
- Muffled/low speaker volume
- Microphone cuts out intermittently
- Erratic battery life
- Screen glitches, freezing, or unresponsiveness
- Problems charging – only charges at certain angles
- Moisture indicator inside phone has turned red
- Condensation or fogging up inside camera lens or screen
If you notice these issues, minimize phone use and have it assessed by a repair technician immediately. Leaving it to continue drying out will only worsen the internal degradation.
Does Rice Actually Help Dry Out a Wet Phone?
Placing wet phones in rice is a common emergency drying technique. But rice only absorbs minimal surface moisture from a phone. It does not extract water from interior components.
In fact, burying the phone can actually trap moisture inside and cause more extensive damage. The rice myth persists but has little scientific support for effectively reviving wet phones.
Instead of rice, use powerful desiccants containing silica gel to dry phones more effectively after water exposure. However, the best solution is to prevent phones from getting wet in the first place.
Can I Use My Phone While It is Drying Out?
It is not recommended to use a phone extensively while it is drying out from water exposure. Using it can cause additional issues like:
- Electrical short-circuiting if moisture remains in components
- More extensive corrosion from electrical signals passing through wet components
- Further degradation or erosion of water-damaged parts
- Permanent screen water stains if moisture remains trapped
Limit phone use and give it proper time to dry out before attempting to power it on fully. Premature use while still wet internally can precipitate permanent phone failure. Wait at least 24 hours after drying before cautious reactivation.
Does Water Damage Eventually Go Away Over Time?
Unfortunately, the damage caused by water exposure does not go away over time. The corrosion, mineral deposits, and eroded materials leave permanent traces unless repaired. The phone may briefly function when dried out, but issues will return once the damaged traces experience electrical signals.
You may notice improved function for a while after the phone dries out. But for complete recovery, the damaged internal components must be repaired or replaced. Air drying alone cannot reverse the physical degradation from moisture.
Does Drying Out Reset the Water Sensors?
The internal water/liquid sensors in many phones do not reset themselves simply through drying out. These indicators are designed to be irreversible for liability purposes.
Once moisture triggers the internal sensor stickers, they remain permanently red-colored. This provides visual evidence that water intrusion occurred at some point to invalidate any warranty protections.
A phone repair technician will have to replace the actual liquid sensor stickers to reset these water damage detectors. Drying out alone will not revert the sensors back to their normal color.
Does Drying Out Bring Back a Dead Phone?
If your phone experienced complete failure due to water exposure, drying it out does not guarantee the phone will spring back to life. It depends on factors like:
- How long the phone was wet – Longer exposure means more internal damage.
- If power was left on while wet – This can short circuit and fry components.
- Age of phone – Older phones are more vulnerable to moisture damage.
- Type of water – Saltwater and chlorinated water are more corrosive.
For the best chance of reviving a water-damaged phone, turn it off immediately and dry it out with desiccants for over 48 hours. But if the phone was on while wet or submerged long term, full recovery is very unlikely.
Should I Dry Out My Phone in the Sun?
It’s not advisable to dry out your phone in direct sunlight. The radiant heat can:
- Warp or melt phone components
- Cause cracked screens due to thermal expansion
- Damage heat-sensitive parts like the battery
- Lead to further corrosion reactions
Indirect or moderate sunlight is acceptable. But avoid prolonged heat exceeding 105°F which can further degrade water-damaged phones. Use room temperature desiccants instead for controlled drying.
Do Phones Dry Out Faster in Dry Environments?
Yes, phones exposed to moisture will dry out much faster in dry environments compared to humid ones. Dry air pulls moisture out of porous materials faster.
Heating your phone also speeds evaporation but is riskier for the phone. A desiccant box with a gasket seal provides the safest controlled drying environment.
Avoid drying phones in humid bathrooms or steamy kitchens. The ambient moisture will slow drying and seep back into the phone. Dry climates like airplanes or deserts work best.
Does the Phone Drying Out Process Drain the Battery?
The internal drying process does gradually drain battery, albeit slowly. Residual water takes energy for evaporation, and corrosion reactions also consume stored charge chemically.
To prevent battery voltage dropping too low and causing additional issues, manually power off the phone while drying, especially for prolonged periods over 48 hours. Periodically check battery level before charging.
It’s fine to briefly power on to check drying progress. But refrain from heavy usage which taxes the system more. Let drying occur in powered off mode for optimal battery conservation.
Can I Speed Up Drying with Heat?
Using mild heat between 100°F to 105°F (hair dryer on low setting) can effectively speed up drying of a wet phone. However, take precautions to avoid overheating by:
- Keeping the heat source at least 6 inches away
- Moving it around continuously, avoiding one spot
- Alternating heat with room temperature drying
- Checking that phone doesn’t exceed 100°F
- Never using high heat above 105°F
Be patient and apply only intermittent, moderate heat. While moisture will evaporate faster, too much heat can irreversibly damage phone components defeated the purpose.
Should I Submerge in Alcohol to Displace Water?
Some guides recommend fully submerging a wet phone in 99% isopropyl alcohol to displace the water. However, this drastic solution carries risks:
- Residual alcohol can cause further damage to phone glues, plastics, and coatings.
- Difficult to fully dry and remove all alcohol from crevices.
- Components like batteries and screens can be damaged by liquid immersion.
- Doesn’t actually repair already corroded or shorted out components.
Unless you plan to fully disassemble and clean the phone afterward, it’s safer to avoid full liquid submersion. Careful drying with desiccants draws water out over time without introducing more liquids.
Conclusion
To summarize, phones will eventually sustain terminal water damage if exposed to moisture consistently over time. Careful precautions to keep your phone dry and promptly drying it out after any wetness can prolong its lifespan significantly. Be proactive against liquids, humidity, and submersion threats to help your phone defy drying out prematurely.