iPhone Got Wet? Do This Immediately — and What NOT to Do

It happens fast. Phone slips into the sink, falls in a puddle, gets knocked into a drink. Whatever happened — the next 30 minutes are critical. The actions you take (and don't take) right now will determine whether your iPhone recovers or becomes a very expensive paperweight.

Do This Immediately

1. Power it off — right now. If it's still on, hold the power button and shut it down. A wet circuit with power running through it is a short circuit waiting to happen. Every second it's on increases the damage.
2. Remove it from the liquid. Obvious, but the faster the better.
3. Dry the outside. Shake out as much liquid as possible. Wipe down every port, speaker, and opening with a dry cloth or tissue. Hold it face down to let water drain out of the speaker grilles.
4. Do not charge it. Not even to check if it still works. Applying voltage to a wet board accelerates corrosion and can fry components instantly.
5. Get it to a repair shop. The sooner a professional can open it, clean it, and dry it properly, the better your odds.

What "Water Resistant" Actually Means

iPhone 7 and newer models have IP67 or IP68 water resistance ratings. IP68 means the phone can survive submersion up to a certain depth for a limited time under lab conditions — with a new, undamaged seal.

Here's what the rating doesn't cover: splashing (which can force water in at odd angles), pool or ocean water (salts and minerals are far more corrosive than fresh water), drinks (sugary, acidic), or phones with existing damage to the seal from drops or older repairs. Water resistance degrades over time. A 2-year-old iPhone 15 is not as water resistant as a new one.

Signs of Water Damage

• Phone won't turn on after getting wet
• Screen looks normal but touch doesn't respond
• Muffled or distorted audio from speakers
• Charging is intermittent or not working
• Screen has moisture visible under the glass
• Phone randomly restarts

What Professional Water Damage Recovery Involves

The goal of professional water damage repair is to stop corrosion before it destroys components. We open the phone, remove the motherboard, clean it with isopropyl alcohol or in an ultrasonic cleaner, inspect for corroded or shorted components under magnification, and replace anything that's failed. Then we reassemble and test.

It's not always a guaranteed fix — if the logic board took a direct hit or was powered on while wet for too long, some components may be unrecoverable. But the success rate for phones brought in quickly and not powered on is high.

What About Apple's Water Damage Indicator?

iPhones have a Liquid Contact Indicator (LCI) inside the SIM tray slot — a small sticker that turns red when wet. Apple uses this to deny warranty claims. If it's tripped, Apple won't cover the repair under warranty regardless of whether the water damage is what actually caused your issue.