What happens if you drop your iPhone into water. What to do if iPhone falls into water? What services do with the "drowned"

Mobile devices are very widespread - most users practically do not let their smartphones out of their hands, even in the bathroom. The consequence of such active use may be the fall of the device into the water and its further failure. What to do if the iPhone falls into the water, is it possible to somehow "save" the device?

Why is water dangerous for iPhone and what is the risk of "bathing"?

Falling into water, even for a short time, in most cases is fatal for any mobile device (except for waterproof models or the use of special protective covers).

If spilling liquid on the phone sometimes succeeds relatively without consequences, then the complete immersion of the phone almost always ends with a complete breakdown of the device. This is due to the fact that by spilling liquid on the phone, you can quickly eliminate it, while a minimum amount of it gets into the joints and seams, then it will evaporate.

However, water can be spilled “badly”, for example, by hitting a speaker or port. In this case, it penetrates into the mechanisms of the device in a sufficiently large amount and quickly. The smartphone may not be repairable.

When the device is completely immersed in liquid, water is poured into the ports, openings of microphones, speakers, body joints. That is, the entire phone gets wet, and almost instantly. Even if you pull it out of the water right there, the damage will still be done.

Some floods of this type cause changes that are incompatible with the further operation of the device. That is, even service specialists will not be able to dry and fix it. Sometimes, with quick measures taken, most of the unpleasant consequences can be avoided.

What changes that interfere with normal operation take place in the phone after flooding?

  1. Liquid entering the charging port - this leads to instant water ingress on the battery contacts and on the battery surface itself. The phone stops charging, the remaining charge, if it was available when dipping into water, is consumed very quickly. Moreover, by putting such a phone on charge, you risk ruining the cable itself by wetting its contacts.
  2. The contact of the buttons is broken - they almost immediately stop working at all or work periodically.
  3. If liquid gets into the SIM card installation port, it gets wet and becomes unsuitable for use in other devices (most often). The SIM card reading mechanism deteriorates and oxidizes - the phone is no longer able to perform its main communication function.
  4. Condensation will form in the phone for several hours after a fall, especially if the water is very different from the ambient temperature. The first sign of its appearance is characteristic drops of water on the glass of the screen from the inside. Condensation forms even on those parts of the phone that were not initially wet when dropped, provoking their failure.
  5. Getting wet almost immediately "kills" the screen matrix. The changes that have occurred can manifest themselves in different ways: sometimes broken pixels appear, in other cases the screen does not turn on at all, and / or stops responding to touches.
  6. There are closures of various contacts of the device that can cause problems of various types - the buttons stop working, the backlight does not turn on, the call is not heard, the SIM card is not read, the speaker and / or microphone does not work, the connection to the network stops, the battery starts to get very hot, and more ...
  7. Over time, the liquid remaining on the metal parts of the device does not evaporate completely, since the phone case is tightly closed. It enters into chemical interaction with metals, causing them to corrode, which leads to a gradual complete failure of the phone, its transition to a state beyond repair.

Dropping the device into water is always dangerous. Although in the first minutes and even days it can turn on normally after that and not show any significant deviations in operation, condensation and corrosion will still occur. Gradually, the basic functions of the device will be disrupted and in any case it will become inoperative.

Different liquids have different effects on the device. The most "favorable" is pure alcohol, vodka, whiskey. Alcohol evaporates quickly without having time to cause corrosion.

But due to the violation of evaporation in the device case, it can also significantly harm. The most "unfavorable" is flooding with sweet and / or thick liquids. They evaporate poorly, dry out, cause additional chemical reactions, accelerate corrosion, provoke sticking, overheating.

The design of the iPhone is such that, unlike some Android devices, it does not have replaceable parts at all. On the one hand, this makes it more resistant to flooding, preventing liquid from getting inside, on the other hand, it complicates its drying. Therefore, you should be as careful as possible with devices of this brand.

Device warranty issues

Apple devices in Russia are covered by a two-year manufacturer's warranty, during which free repairs and replacement of the device in case of a malfunction are carried out. But flooding is not a warranty case, and devices that were once exposed to it become out of warranty.

After taking urgent measures to dry, open the slot for your SIM card. Look into it - there should be a small gray round area - this is a flooding indicator necessary for warranty service employees. If the area has acquired a red color, the flooding was strong, the service employee will quickly identify it and you will be denied any subsequent repairs if the phone is still under warranty.

If the indicator was not colored, but remained gray, the flooding was not strong. Sometimes such phones even manage to be handed over to the service under warranty. However, it is better not to risk and not waste time, but immediately contact a paid service center (or free, if the flooding is covered by your additional insurance).

IPhone dropped in water - what to do?

The main thing that the owner should do after removing the device from the water is to contact the service center as soon as possible. Only there will take the necessary measures to normalize the functioning of the device. But before that, it is important to take emergency measures to dry the mobile device at home.

Immediately, immediately after removing the smartphone from the water, do the following:

  1. Turn off your phone.
  2. Take it out of the case.
  3. Don't shake it too hard - just flip the ports down and let the water drain on its own.
  4. Pull out the SIM card, remove other connected devices, if any.
  5. Wipe the phone with a napkin, rag.
  6. Try to blow out the moisture with a vacuum cleaner.
  7. Place the device in a dehydrator for several hours. Rice is suitable as a dehydrator. If you don't have rice at hand, you can simply wrap your phone in a paper towel, but as tightly as possible.
  8. After drying for the first time, you can try to remove the back cover of the device by disconnecting the two end screws next to the charging port. But if you have never disassembled mobile electronics before and have a poor idea of \u200b\u200bhow it works, you should not start with a "drowned man".

After the end of the emergency drying process, contact the service center and ask for a diagnosis of the device, during which it will be determined whether it needs additional drying.

IPhones and moisture resistance

What to do if the iPhone falls into the water and does not turn on? If you own an iPhone 7 or older, don't worry.

These devices are moisture resistant - they are protected from liquid ingress to IP67 and above. This means that their short-term immersion in water is permissible - this will not lead to its ingress, nevertheless, it is worth quickly wiping the phone off after taking it out.

As for the owners of the iPhone 6, despite all the manufacturers' assurances of moisture resistance, it does not meet the standards. Strictly speaking, moisture resistance is realized in it due to the presence of additional rubber gaskets around the button openings. These phones should be dried as thoroughly as the 5S and earlier models.

Do I have to go to the service?

As mentioned above, any fall into the water causes significant harm to the phone. Even if you took the device out of the water quickly, it, at first glance, works normally or only with minor deviations, over time, as condensation forms, corrosion develops, destruction will progress.

P therefore, it is important to contact the service as soon as possible - so that the changes do not have time to affect important parts of the mechanism.Due to the small size, high sensitivity of iPhones microcircuits, negative changes progress as quickly as possible.

On average, after falling into the water, the phone is able to turn out to be more or less efficient for a maximum of 7-10 days, which is often used by dishonest owners, trying to have time to sell the phone during this period. The sooner you contact the service, the higher the chance that your phone will be repaired with minimal consequences.

Also keep in mind that the smaller the changes, the more likely it is cheaper and easier to repair. Therefore, timely contacting the service will save you money. If the phone is under manufacturer's warranty, and the flooding indicator has not darkened, it makes sense to contact Apple service - there is a chance that the manufacturer will carry out a free repair.

In addition, always contact the service should be those owners whose phone is under an additional warranty, including flooding. Even with a slight wetness, just in case, it is better to carry out diagnostics and repairs.

In what cases, after getting water on the device, you can not contact the service?

  1. The ingress of liquid is quite insignificant - it mostly spilled onto the screen.
  2. You quickly removed the entrained liquid, it did not exactly hit the ports.
  3. The phone was in a waterproof case and remained completely dry.
  4. The smartphone is old, had a number of failures, malfunctions - in this case, the cost of repairs can be higher than purchasing a new device.

In all other cases, you need to take urgent measures to dry the iPhone yourself at home. And then contact the service as soon as possible.

What shouldn't you do if your iPhone falls into water?

Some of the ways in which users try to provide "first aid" to the device can significantly harm. Avoid the following if you have just taken your phone out of the water:

  1. Do not try to charge it right away - this will only quickly provoke a short circuit and failure of the battery, and in addition, damage the cable.
  2. Don't try to turn it on. On the contrary, if the phone was turned on, it should be turned off immediately.
  3. Do not start testing the device immediately - dry it as much as possible first.
  4. Do not transfer to a hot room - this can accelerate, provoke the formation of condensation. For the same reason, do not put your phone in your pocket.
  5. Do not dry it with a hot air dryer. This will cause the systems to overheat. Microcircuits, will provoke a short circuit, accelerate the formation of corrosion on a heated metal.
  6. Do not place in a container with salt, especially sugar. Finely dispersed compositions enter the ports, worsening the condition of the phone.
  7. Don't waste time. The sooner you contact the service, the higher the likelihood of “saving” your smartphone.
  8. Do not shake the device trying to shake out the water - this can provoke the spread of the liquid further, to those parts of the mechanism that have not yet been touched.
  9. Do not try to dry the ports with a cotton swab - cotton particles may remain in the port, impairing performance. For this purpose, it is more advisable to use non-woven wipes or wet wipes for technology.

    For many years now I have been following the latest in mobile technology. Previously, it was my hobby, but now it has grown into a professional blog, where I am happy to share the information I have gained with you. I personally checked all the instructions, life hacks, a selection of the best programs and tariff plans.

Perhaps you are now in a panic and do not know what to do as yours (toilet, bathroom, puddle ... this is not so important)?

The most correct solution in this situation would be to visit a service center where your iPhone will be disassembled and water drops removed from all hard-to-reach places (the average price for this service in Moscow is 1000 rubles).

If for some reason you cannot take your phone to a workshop, try the method described below. Act as quickly as possible using the following steps:

  1. STEP 1 - Never turn on your iPhone (iPod, iPad)
  2. STEP 2 - Use a cloth to wipe off the remaining water and soak it from the charging / headphone jack
  3. STEP 3 - Don't try to dry your phone with a hairdryer
  4. STEP 4 - Fill a bag or bowl of regular raw rice (not boiled !!!)
  5. STEP 5 - Put the phone in there, release the air and seal the bag
  6. STEP 6 - Do not open for at least 24 hours.

Now that you have done all this, you can exhale and read the article to the end.

ATTENTION!!! The steps above do not in any way guarantee that moisture will be removed from the interior of your phone. You should be well aware that in order to "completely drain" a wet iPhone, at least it needs to be disassembled and internal components examined.

Perhaps under a microscope. Even if the phone (seems to be) working normally, moisture can remain somewhere inside, due to which corrosion can begin over time. The consequences can be dire. You decide!

Background

Sometimes, waking up in the early morning, I have a desire to run along the river along the forest paths to some invigorating music. I try to keep myself in shape, you know, plus my brains understand better and my mood rises.

I usually take my iPod Nano for runs - it's lightweight and less noticeable in my shorts pocket. So it was that time. Light sprint for 3 km, warm-up, swimming in the river ...

As I was about to go ashore and reached for my T-shirt ... I heard a "gurgle" - my iPod went to feed the fish. The depth was only knee-deep, but that does not change the essence.

Pulling my gadget out of the water, I began to say goodbye to it. He served me for a long time and never let me down. And I will go into the abyss for it. And it became so bad in my soul that I decided by any means to try to revive my little assistant.

Don't try to turn on your device

He ran home, wiped the player dry, put it in a glass bowl and “headlong” covered it with ordinary rice. This method was suggested to me by my friend, whose phone was lying on the windowsill in condensation that had drained from the glass.

By ear it seems obvious that it is absolutely not worth turning on an iPhone that has fallen into the water. But your hands are itching to press the button and check if your favorite phone or player is working. You have to overpower yourself. By turning on a wet device, you only increase the risk of burning it completely.

How to dry an iPhone dropped into water

Once your device is on land, it is necessary to get rid of all the water if possible. Any method is good for this - even a gentle shake can help the water escape.

Wipe your phone from water

This point also seems logical and this is the first thing that each of us will do. But at this stage, you need to carefully examine the phone and soak water from all available places.

If necessary, use a cocktail straw - it is convenient for it to suck water out of crevices and holes.

Be careful with a hairdryer

I have heard stories of someone "curing water" their iPhone with a hairdryer. Some are lucky, some are not. If you decide to use this device, I want to warn you a little.

Use the hair dryer at the lowest temperature setting. Overheating the device can fry sensitive components on the board. Well, of course, water can be driven even deeper into the phone by a stream of air and close what is not yet closed.

Rescue rice pack

All that now remains to do is fill the bathing device with raw (not to be confused with wet) rice. Rice acts like cilica gel sachets and is a very good moisture absorber.

Leave your device in the bag / bowl of rice for at least 24 hours

After removing the iPhone from the rice, wipe off the rice dust and try turning it on. If it won't turn on, plug into the charger. If the phone still shows no signs of life, leave it to charge for 5-10 minutes.

The battery may not have survived the short circuit and was completely discharged. Otherwise, contact the service center.

Conclusion

Now you know what to do if your iPhone falls into the water. My iPod Nano survived back then and still serves me today. Do not immediately despair and run to buy a new phone or player. Just leave your device covered with rice for 24 hours.

As sad as it may sound, a wet iPhone will never be the same. Even if you got rid of moisture and successfully revived it, sooner or later you will encounter glitches or lags that were not there before.

Subsequently, a part of the screen may fail, the battery will hold a smaller charge, the buttons may not react from the first press, the sound of the speaker may change, etc.

If you or one of your friends decided to buy a used iPhone, then be sure to check the moisture sensors built into the case. Where to find them -.

To keep your Apples always healthy - do not bathe them! Good luck!

The iPhone is an expensive device that needs to be treated with care. Unfortunately, situations can be different, and one of the most unpleasant is when the smartphone is in the water. However, if you act immediately, you will have a chance to protect it from damage after getting wet.

Starting with the iPhone 7, popular Apple smartphones have finally received special moisture protection. Moreover, the latest devices such as the iPhone XS and XS Max have a maximum IP68 standard. This type of protection means that the phone can safely survive submersion in water to a depth of 2 m and for up to 30 minutes. The rest of the models are endowed with the IP67 standard, which guarantees protection against splashes and short-term immersion in water.

If you own an iPhone 6S or lower, it should be carefully protected from water. However, the deed has already been done - the device survived the immersion. How to be in such a situation?

Step 1: Disconnect your phone

Immediately, as soon as the smartphone is taken out of the water, you should immediately turn it off to prevent a possible short circuit.

Stage 2: Removing trapped moisture

After the phone has been in water, you should get rid of the liquid that has got under the case. To do this, place the iPhone on your palm in an upright position and, with small patting movements, try to shake out the remaining moisture.

Stage 3: Drying the smartphone completely

When most of the liquid has been removed, the phone should be completely dried. To do this, leave it in a dry and well-ventilated place. A hair dryer can be used to speed up drying (however, do not use hot air).

Some users advise from their own experience to put the phone overnight in a container with rice or cat litter - they have good absorbency, allowing you to dry your iPhone much better.

Step 4: Check moisture indicators

All iPhone models are equipped with special indicators of moisture ingress - based on them, you can deduce how serious the dive was. The location of this indicator depends on the smartphone model:

  • iPhone 2G - located in the headphone jack;
  • iPhone 3, 3GS, 4, 4S - in the charger connector;
  • iPhone 5 and older - in the SIM card slot.

For example, if you own an iPhone 6, remove the SIM card tray from your phone and pay attention to the connector: you can see a small indicator, which should normally be white or gray. If it is red, it means moisture has entered the device.

Step 5: Power on the device

As soon as you wait until the smartphone is completely dry, try turning it on and check it works. Externally, no streaks should be visible on the screen.

Next, turn on the music - if the sound is dull, you can try using special applications to clean the speakers using certain frequencies (one of these tools is Sonic).

  1. Launch the Sonic app. The screen will display the current frequency. To zoom in or out, slide your finger up or down, respectively.
  2. Set the speaker volume to maximum and press the "Play"... Experiment with different frequencies that can quickly "knock out" all the moisture from the phone.

Step 6: Contacting the service center

Even if outwardly the iPhone works the same way, moisture has already entered it, which means that it can slowly but surely kill the phone, covering the internal elements with corrosion. As a result of such an impact, it is almost impossible to predict "death" - for some, the gadget will stop turning on in a month, while for others it may work for another year.

Try not to postpone the trip to the service center - competent specialists will help you disassemble the device, get rid of the remnants of moisture that might not dry out, and also treat the "insides" with an anti-corrosion compound.

What not to do

  1. Do not dry iPhone near heat sources such as a battery;
  2. Do not insert foreign objects, cotton swabs, pieces of paper, etc into the connectors of the phone;
  3. Do not charge an undried smartphone.

If it so happened that the iPhone could not be protected from water ingress - do not panic, take action immediately to avoid its failure.

There are situations when water gets into the iPhone. Perhaps he fell into the snow or the bathroom, was washed along with things, got wet in the rain, was taken with wet hands or doused with a drink. Any liquid that gets inside the device poses a significant threat to its further performance.

Moisture sensitivity of internal iPhone modules

It is believed that the Apple iPhone is waterproof and can be used underwater. This opinion only partially reflects the reality, which leads to frequent breakdowns and calls to service centers.

Starting at 6S, iPhone models are IP67 rated, which means they are splash-proof and can be submerged to a depth of one meter for no more than 30 minutes. But at the same time, Apple does not consider situations when water gets into the device as warranty cases.

The reason for this is simple - this protection class does not guarantee that water will not get into the device. Some connectors and the camera have silicone plugs, but their protection will diminish over time. Also, the protection class takes into account laboratory conditions, therefore it will not protect against chlorinated, carbonated, sea water and other liquids.

What to do if the iPhone gets into the water?

If your smartphone is in the water, then you need to:

  1. Remove the device from the water.
  2. Switch off.
  3. Lay on a horizontal surface.
  4. Wipe the housing with a dry cloth.
  5. Do not charge.
  6. Remove the battery if possible.
  7. Take it to a service center as soon as possible.

If the device was submerged in seawater, carbonated drink, milk, etc., it is recommended to rinse it as soon as possible with plain water, or better with distilled water. After that, wasted no time to carry to the service.

What problems can arise after water ingress?

If liquid gets inside, then the process of oxidation of the microcircuit begins. Metal in contact with liquid and air begins to deteriorate, corrosion occurs. If the device has been turned on when water gets in, a short circuit is likely to occur. Even when turned off, a short circuit may occur if the battery is not removed. The degree of damage depends on many factors.

The most typical breakdowns are:

  • failure of the motherboard;
  • breakage of connectors and modules;
  • breakage of the display, sensors, etc.

Typical mistakes that users make when cleaning an iPhone from water

It is worth highlighting the methods that are proposed as a solution to the problem, but at the same time worsen the situation:

  • dipped in rice - won't work:
  • drying with a hairdryer - can harm even more;
  • dry on a battery - the same case as with a hairdryer;
  • use a vacuum cleaner - will accelerate the oxidation process;
  • enable and keep using.

These methods will only take away valuable time and exacerbate the problem. If you dropped the device into water, then you need to contact a specialist as soon as possible to clean it from moisture and repair damaged parts.

How is the cleaning procedure after water in the service center?

When a drowned iPhone falls into the hands of a specialist, the following happens:

  1. Emergency disassembly.
  2. Condition assessment.
  3. Removing modules and cables.
  4. Cleaning contact tracks.
  5. Removal of plaque and oxidation with chemicals and a special brush.
  6. Cleaning in an ultrasonic bath.
  7. Drying.
  8. Repeated stripping.
  9. Replacement of unusable parts.
  10. Performance testing.

Why do you need to immediately contact the professionals, and not fix it yourself?

Repairing an iPhone that has penetrated with liquid is a rather complicated process that requires a certain skill and equipment. Doing all the work at home is quite problematic. The Total Apple Service Center will bring your iPhone back to life.

No iPhone is 100% water resistant. Water is his terrible enemy. We can list the most common situations when water gets into iPhone.

  • You can take it with wet hands (this is the least scary case). Then small droplets of water can damage the button mechanisms.
  • Do you like to steam in the shower? Remove it from the room, otherwise moisture will appear in the device.
  • They put it on the table in a restaurant / bar, knocked over a glass / glass - water (or wine / beer) got into the iPhone.
  • You can just drop your iPhone into water - into the bathroom or even into the river (although it happens that the iPhone may fall into the toilet :)
  • The worst case is to drown your iPhone in the sea. Salt water is almost death to the phone.

what need to to do if an iPhone falls into the water?

If you drop your iPhone in water, the most important thing is to immediately turn off the phone and disconnect the battery. Of course, this is best done if you have at least some experience in disassembling an iPhone (often people tear the cables when disassembling carelessly). Then it needs to be dried and corrosion removed from the contacts, this can be done in the service. But even this may not save you. After water, various elements may fail, which will have to be changed or restored.

what can't What to do if water gets into the iPhone?

Do not put in salt

Sometimes this is done so that the "salt draws out moisture." Yes, some of the water is actually absorbed by the salt. But then all the water in the phone will be salty, and the oxidation process in salt water is accelerated many times over. For example, devices after falling into sea water are much more difficult to recover than after clean water.

By the way! On the contrary, in distilled water, oxidation proceeds very slowly.

Don't put in rice

This is a very popular way to dry your phone. But alas, it doesn't help. Instead, dry your phone with a towel.

By the way, the devices that were dried in rice and then brought to the service are immediately visible - rice gets stuck in all connectors :)

Cannot be disassembled without tools and repair experience

It is clear that the first step is to disconnect the battery. But if you haven't done this before, don't risk it. Often people in panic tear off the battery from the board, touch the microcircuits with screwdrivers, break the cases. It is often more expensive to repair a phone after opening it than after being damaged by water.

Can water get into iPhone 7?

the iPhone 7 is touted as a water-resistant device. Indeed, it is more secure than previous models. But water can also get into the Seven, since the increased degree of protection does not mean complete waterproofness.

On the Apple.com website, in the specifications for the iPhone 7, you can find a line that indicates the standard of protection that the device complies with. This standard: IP67. What does it mean:

  1. Ingress of dust is completely excluded
  2. Protection against temporary condensation, protection against partial or short-term immersion to a depth of 1m

Note: these values \u200b\u200bare far from complete tightness. Taking a bath with the iPhone 7 is not worth it.

Also, it's worth noting that these terms apply to the new phone. Over time, from use and impacts, the body bends, gaps appear, and the effectiveness of protection decreases. So it’s not surprising that after dropping the iPhone 7 into water, the phone will stop working correctly.

What most often fails after water?

Here are the parts and microcircuits that are most often damaged when iPhone comes into contact with water.

Screen

In the first place in popularity is the display module. In most cases, the display continues to work, but streaks appear. Sometimes there are so many streaks and the liquid got so dirty that it becomes very difficult to distinguish the image.

Only screen replacement will help here. You can clean the traces from water, but they will not disappear to the end. And we want it to be like new, right? So - a replacement for a new display.

Battery

If the battery stops working first from water, then consider yourself lucky! Without current from water, there is almost no harm (not counting stains). A discharged battery is also a good sign, but even when discharged, the battery supplies a small amount of current to the board.

If during the diagnostics process a problem is identified in the battery, then it is changed to a new one. And the new one at the same time will keep charging longer than the old one.