How to save your phone if you dropped it in water

Picture Courtesy: Facebook

It has happened to the best of us: accidentally dropping a smartphone in water and then frantically trying anything and everything to recover it. If you act fast after dropping your phone in water, you might be able to prevent damage.

Here are some tips below to try and save your device:

Take it out

Unless you are actually trying to damage your phone, it is recommended to take out the phone from the water as soon as possible. Some smartphones have a waterproof coating that can resist damage for a few seconds in water. If you have one of these phones, you might actually have no water damage at all if you fish out the phone quickly enough.

Switch it off

Since chances are that your phone was powered on when you dropped it in water, it is advisable to switch it off immediately after taking it out. Switching the phone off will prevent any short circuits from damaging the internals of the phone.

Remove everything

After switching off the phone, start removing everything possible from the phone. Remove the battery, SIM cards, memory cards as well as any accessory (Stylus, case, cover, skin). You can easily wipe these off with a dry cloth so that no water remains on these items.

Shake it off

Gently shake the phone to get rid of any water present in the headphone jack, charging port or under the physical buttons. After this, wipe the phone with a dry cloth, toilet paper or paper napkins thoroughly to remove any water present on the exterior.

Bury it in rice

This is one of the most commonly used and known techniques. Get an airtight container or a ziplock bag and fill it with uncooked rice. Place your phone inside the rice, shut the ziplock bag/container tight and keep it in a dry place. You can also try using oatmeal or silica gel packs.

Wait it out

Leave the phone in the rice for at least 24 to 48 hours. Ideally, do not even try to take the phone out to check if it has started working or not. If there wasn’t too much water damage, your phone should start working.

If it still doesn’t work

Please keep in mind that there is no guarantee that your phone will survive a dunking in water. There is only a 50% chance of your phone working again. In case the phone does not work even after trying out the rice method, take it to an authorized service center. They will be able to dismantle your phone and assess the damage better. Remember that water damage is not covered in the standard warranty of your smartphone.

There are a couple of ways of preventing your phone from getting damaged by water in the first place. If you are traveling in the rainy season or going to a beach/swimming pool, then you can get a waterproof carry pouch. They are available for as little as Rs 150 from e-commerce websites. These pouches have a transparent window, which allows you to see incoming notifications.