Steps to try to fix a water-damaged smartphone

Here’s how to get water out of your phone:

  1. If your phone takes a spill, remove it from the liquid immediately. The longer it stays there, the more liquid will seep into the crack around your screen or into various inlets.
  2. Turn the phone off and leave it off.
  3. Remove the protective case.
  4. If possible, open the back and remove the battery, SIM card, and microSD card.
  5. Use a cloth or paper towel to dab your phone dry. Do not rub the phone, as doing so could accidentally push liquid into the phone’s more sensitive parts. If the phone was completely submerged, you might try gently vacuuming around the phone’s cracks and openings to suck more water out.
  6. Resist the urge to bake your phone in the sun. Keep it in a cool, dry place.
  7. The old rice trick isn’t very reliable, but silica gel packets—like the ones that often come with new products such as a pair of shoes—have proven to be much more effective. Fill a plastic zip-top bag with silica gel and bury the phone in the bag. Leave your phone in the bag for at least 24-48 hours.
  8. After you’ve allowed your phone to fully dry, switch it on. If it doesn’t turn on right away, try charging it to see if that makes a difference.