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What to Do If You Dropped iPhone in Water: Complete Do's and Don'ts Guide

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  • "I dropped my iPhone in water; how to dry it out and rescue the data?"
  • "I dropped my iPhone in the toilet. Can an iPhone survive being dropped in the toilet?"
  • "My iPhone fell in a pool. Can an iPhone recover from being dropped in water?"
  • ......

I recently received many similar messages on the background of the website asking me how to deal with an iPhone falling into the water. Therefore, I deliberately organized this topic, hoping that it can be helpful to you. If you have also accidentally dropped the iPhone in water, you can try the emergency methods mentioned in this article to rescue your iPhone quickly.

dropped iphone in water

 

Part 1: Things to Do After Dropping Your iPhone in Water

Many people will ask: Can an iPhone survive from water damage? Well, it depends. We cannot guarantee that your iPhone will survive after falling in the toilet. However, if you can take emergency actions when the iPhone is resisting water, you can significantly reduce the risk of damaging your iPhone. Here are the essential steps you should take immediately to minimize damage and increase the chances of saving your device..

1. Turn Off Your iPhone Immediately

As soon as your iPhone gets wet, power it off. Running the device while water is inside can cause a short circuit, which may lead to permanent damage. Press and hold the side button and volume button (or just the side button on older models) to turn it off safely.

2. Remove the protective case

If you are using a protective case on your iPhone, it will be hard to flow the water away. Therefore, you can take away the case and other accessories from your device to prevent it from water immersion any longer.

3. Drain the water away from the ports

If there is water around the lightning, speaker, or earphone ports, slant your iPhone slightly to place the ports downward and rock it to drip water out. This operation helps dry out your iPhone on the surface. (iPhone Touch Screen Not Working?)

4. Take out the SIM card

You also need to remove the SIM card from your iPhone since you don't know whether there is still liquid inside. Just use a SIM card pin, a needle, or a stiff paperclip to eject the SIM tray and take the SIM card out of it.

5. Dry out your iPhone with silica gel or a dry towel

Using a packet of silica gel is a better choice than uncooked rice to dry out your iPhone. You can get enough of them from a craft store, handbag parcel, shoebox, etc., and put them on your iPhone for more than 48 hours. If you cannot buy enough silica gel, you can use a dry towel instead.

6. Use Absorbent Materials

Place your iPhone in a dry environment with silica gel packets or another moisture-absorbing material. Avoid using rice, as it is less effective and may leave dust or starch inside the phone. Silica gel can help draw out moisture more efficiently.

7. Ask a technician to dismantle your iPhone

Make this solution your last resort. If the above tips cannot save your iPhone, you can try to dismantle your device to dry it out inside. Dismantling may harm the device and invalidate the warranty coverage. If you are uncertain about DIY, you can ask a technician to help you do this.

After dismantling, you can remove the back cover, take out the battery, use a dry cloth piece to remove the water, and air the components for a couple of hours.

Note: Please don't expose your iPhone or its components in direct sunshine. Or, the sunlight may corrupt the components.

8. Visit the Apple Maintenance Center

The safest way to rescue a water-immersed iPhone is to take a safety check in the nearby Apple Maintenance Center. If any parts go wrong, Apple's serviceman will fix it for you.

contact apple support if dropped iphone in water

Part 2: Things Not to Do After Dropping Your iPhone in Water

While knowing what to do is important, understanding what NOT to do is equally critical. The wrong actions can make water damage even worse and reduce the chances of saving your iPhone (How to Recover Data from Water Damaged iPhone?). Avoid the following mistakes:

1. Do Not Turn It On Too Soon

Even if your iPhone looks dry on the outside, there may still be moisture inside. Turning it on too early can cause a short circuit and lead to permanent damage. Always wait until you are sure it is completely dry.

2. Do Not Charge the iPhone Immediately

Plugging in a wet iPhone is extremely risky. Charging can send electricity through damp components, increasing the chance of internal failure. Wait at least 24–48 hours before attempting to charge it.

3. Do Not Shake or Blow Into the Device

Shaking your iPhone or blowing into ports might seem helpful, but it can actually push water deeper inside the device. This may spread the moisture to sensitive internal parts.

4. Do Not Use Heat Sources to Dry It

Avoid using hair dryers, ovens, or placing your iPhone under direct sunlight. Excessive heat can damage the battery, screen, and internal circuits, making the situation worse instead of better. (How to Fix iPhone Black Screen of Death?)

5. Do Not Put Your iPhone in Rice

Although this is a common suggestion, rice is not very effective at removing moisture and may introduce dust or small particles into your phone. It's better to use silica gel or simply let the device air dry in a ventilated area.

6. Do Not Disassemble the iPhone Yourself

Unless you are a professional, opening the iPhone can damage its delicate components and void any warranty. Improper handling may also break the waterproof seals, leading to further issues.

7. Do Not Ignore Signs of Water Damage

If your iPhone shows problems like screen flickering, no sound, or charging issues after drying, don't ignore them. These are signs of internal damage, and you should seek professional repair as soon as possible.

Bonus: Fix Your Water-damaged iPhone with iOS System Recovery

What if the methods above don't work for your water-damaged iPhone, or you simply don't have the time and patience to try them one by one? Is there another effective way to fix an iPhone that has been dropped in water? The answer is yes. You can try iOS System Recovery to fix a disabled iPhone safely and efficiently.

As its name suggests, iOS System Recovery is a professional iOS repair tool designed to fix various iPhone system issues. Whether your iPhone is water-damaged, disabled, or stuck on the Apple logo, DFU mode, or Recovery mode, this tool can help restore it to normal in just a few clicks. It's user-friendly and suitable even for beginners.

Key Features of iOS System Recovery:

  • Repair your iPhone, iPad, or iPod back to normal on a computer.
  • Supports a wide range of issues, including water damage, locked or disabled devices, activation problems, battery drain, no service, charging issues, frozen screens, and different screen errors (black/white/blue/red).
  • Fix devices stuck in Apple logo, DFU mode, Recovery mode, or experiencing iTunes errors.
  • Offers two repair modes: Standard Mode (no data loss) and Advanced Mode.
  • Compatible with almost all iPhone models (supports the latest iOS versions), including iPhone 17/16/15/14/13/12/11/X/8/7/6, etc.

After ensuring your iPhone is completely dry, you can use iOS System Recovery to repair it quickly.

01Download and launch iOS System Recovery on your computer. Then connect your iPhone using a USB cable. On the main interface, click More Tools > iOS System Recovery to proceed.

click the start the button

02The program will automatically recognize your device and display its current issues on the screen. Once the detection is complete, click the Start button to move on.

detect the system problems on iphone

03After the firmware download completes, click "Repair" to begin fixing your iPhone. Make sure your device remains connected throughout the process and avoid using it until the repair is finished.

fix an iphone dropped in water with ios system recovery

Sum Up

Losing audiobooks on your iPhone can be frustrating, but in most cases, the issue is caused by account, syncing, or display settings rather than permanent deletion. By following the step-by-step methods above, you can quickly locate and restore your missing audiobooks. Simple fixes like re-logging into your Apple ID or re-enabling iCloud sync often work effectively. To avoid this problem in the future, it's recommended to regularly back up your audiobooks and keep your device properly synced and updated.

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