Modern smartphones aren’t as susceptible to water damage as their predecessors. Flagship smartphones are rated IP67 or IP68 for water and dust resistance, which means they can easily survive a dip in water or being subjected to rainfall. However, if your phone is routinely exposed to liquids or moisture, the IP protection can deteriorate over time. If you dropped your iPhone in the water, here are the 10 things you need to do to recover it.
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In This Article
Before you begin, check your iPhone’s IP rating
Your iPhone’s IP rating conveys the level of dust and water exposure it can take without being damaged. Newer iPhones have an IP68 rating, which means they can survive temporary submersion in water up to 1.5-6 metres and 30 minutes. An IP67 rating also makes a smartphone ‘waterproof’, but it cannot withstand deeper depths or longer durations under water than an IP68 rated device.
iPhones with an IP68 rating under IEC standard 60529 (can be submerged in water up to 6 metres deep for up to 30 minutes)
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhones with an IP68 rating under IEC standard 60529 (can be submerged in water up to 4 metres deep for up to 30 minutes)
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhones with an IP68 rating under IEC standard 60529 (can be submerged in water up to 2 metres deep for up to 30 minutes)
- iPhone 11
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
iPhone with an IP67 rating under IEC standard 60529 (can be submerged in water up to 1 metre deep for up to 30 minutes)
- iPhone SE (2nd Gen)
- iPhone XR
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
Turn off your iPhone
Turning off your iPhone is the first thing you should do after dropping it in water. Well, after picking it up. In case some water droplets have managed to find their way inside the phone, you don’t want them to damage active circuits. Do not turn on the device until you’re sure it is completely dry. Once the iPhone is turned off, move on to other fixes.
Remove the case
If you use a case for your iPhone, remove it as soon as you pull the device out of the water. When your iPhone takes a dip, the water droplets can get trapped between its back panel and the case. Over a period of time, these droplets can seep into the display or SIM card tray. Removing the case will prevent this from happening.
Give the iPhone a good wipe
After removing your iPhone’s case, use a clean, dry cloth to wipe its exterior. Ideally, you should use a microfibre cloth to wipe the chassis of your iPhone. However, if you don’t have one at hand, a clean cotton cloth will do the job too.
Take out the SIM card
Once you have thoroughly wiped the exterior and made sure the outer body is dry, use a SIM ejector tool to pull out the SIM tray. Remove your SIM card from the tray to prevent any damage to it. With the SIM slot facing down, gently tap your iPhone on the opposite side to get rid of the water droplets that may have seeped into the SIM cavity. Do not re-insert the tray just yet.
Dry the lightning connector or USB Type-C port
Your iPhone flashes a warning whenever it detects moisture or water in the charging port. Follow the process mentioned above to remove excess water from the charging port as well. Hold your iPhone upright with the lightning connector or USB Type-C port facing down. Tap the top of the phone to force out the water droplets from the port. This is a very necessary step because if the water droplets aren’t removed, they can corrode the charging port.
Do not put your iPhone in uncooked rice
In the latest guidelines published by Apple, the company strictly states not to put your iPhone in a bag of (uncooked) rice after dropping it in water. Small particles of rice can end up damaging your iPhone even further, claims Apple. An alternative to this is using silica gel packets to absorb all the moisture from your iPhone. Place the packets along with your iPhone in an air-sealed bag and leave them there for a day.
Let it air dry
If you don’t have silica gel packets on hand, air-drying your iPhone works fine too. Keep the phone in a warm, dry place until the moisture dries up. Do not keep the phone under direct sunlight as excessive heat over a prolonged period of time may end up damaging its internals. This is also why you shouldn’t use a blow dryer to remove moisture from your iPhone.
Remove water from the speaker grille
While removing the water droplets from the SIM slot and charging port is a pretty straightforward process, the same cannot be said about the speaker grille. However, there is one method that works in this situation. Playing specific sounds from the speaker at a certain frequency can unsettle the water droplets from its membrane and eject them with ease. Install the Sonic app from the App Store and use it to play high-frequency sounds. Since this requires turning on your iPhone, it should be done after air-drying the device.
Wait for 24 hours to use your iPhone
Once you’ve used the methods mentioned above to dry your phone, wait for at least 24 hours before you power it on again. This will ensure that the water droplets that may have percolated into the phone are no longer there. If your iPhone takes a long time to reboot, turn it off and wait for a few more hours.
Take your iPhone to an authorised repair centre
If you can’t get your iPhone to work even after following the methods mentioned above, it is very likely that its internals have been damaged. Take your iPhone to an Apple-authorised repair centre. Read this article to learn how you can book an appointment at the Genius Bar. Since water-related damage isn’t covered under the AppleCare warranty, you will have to pay for repairs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is my iPhone water-resistant?
All iPhones from iPhone XS onwards are rated IP68 for dust and water resistance. The only exception is the iPhone SE (2nd Gen), which has an IP67 rating.
What should I do if I submerge my iPhone in water?
Turn off your iPhone, remove its cover and give it a thorough wipe, pull out the SIM tray and remove water from its cavities, and let it air dry for as long as you can.
Should I place my iPhone in a bag of rice after dropping it in water?
Apple does not recommend placing your iPhone in rice after dropping it in water. This is because small rice particles can push into the iPhone and cause it to malfunction.
Is it okay to blow-dry my iPhone after dropping it in water?
Blowing hot air into your wet iPhone can damage it even further. Placing it under direct sunlight is also not recommended. However, you can air dry it by blowing cold air into it.
Is water-related damage covered by AppleCare?
No, AppleCare does not cover water-related damage.
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Conclusion
Using these 10 fixes, you will be able to recover your iPhone after dropping it in water. If you need a complete guide on ejecting water from your iPhone using Siri, check out this article. If you have any other tips that would help in minimising water-related damage, let us know in the comments!
