Water damage is not a death sentence to an iPhone. Chances are we’ve all experienced it. We drop our precious phone in some sort of liquid. We jump in the pool with our phones in our pockets. We drop it in the toilet. We spill a beer on it. Inevitably something happens.

Being that water damage repair is one of our specialties, we are asked this question a lot, dozens upon dozens of times per day. While the new iPhone 7 is not completely waterproof, it is fairly water resistant. With the help of some adhesive sealing the screen, some rubber gaskets around certain components, and some tweaks in the design, the chances of needing an iphone 7 water damage repair are lower than previous versions. This does not mean that you should try to push the phone to its breaking point and it certainly does not mean it’s immune to water damage. Something as simple as having your phone in the bathroom while you take a hot shower can cause problems.

First Steps After Dropping an iPhone 7 in Water

The process is quite straight forward and taking quick action can help decrease your chances of failure, and increase your chances of having a good, working device. This will work on other devices as well, but since we’re talking iPhone 7’s here, we’ll use this as our main example.

STEP 1) Turn Off the Device

First and foremost, turn off the device, and if it’s a model phone where you can easily remove the battery, do so. It is highly likely that your phone will work after you pull it from the water. The number one killer of water damaged phones isn’t actually the water, it’s the current that travels through the logic board after it gets wet. When you cross electricity with water, a short will occur.

STEP 2) Open All Covers and Ports

For an iPhone 7, pop out the SIM card tray by inserting the end of a paper clip in the small hole on the right side of your phone, take off any case, do not plug it in. You want to make sure if water has gotten in, that there is a way for the water to get out. You don’t want the liquid to be trapped inside if at all possible.

STEP 3) Dry Out Your Phone

We don’t advise to shake the phone, as this can cause water to get deeper into the board. Instead, we recommend using some sort of desiccant. You want something that will draw the water out. A shop vac is an okay application. Silica gel is ideal. A dehumidifier works wonders. A container of Damprid from Home Depot can also do the trick and will only run you about $10.

Steer clear of using anything that generates an excessive amount of heat, as this can only further damage the device. Do not place your phone in an oven or toaster. This is all around a bad idea.

A combo of Damprid, somewhere with good air circulation, and opening your device as much as possible will be your best chance of survival.

What do you do after your iPhone has been soaked?

After you complete the simple steps above, you need to wait. Do not try to power your phone on in any time less than 36 hours. It’s super important that your phone is completely dry before any attempt is made. If after 36 hours you see any liquid, do not try to power it on, you’ll just have to wait a bit longer. Let that Damprid soak up any liquid.

When you are confident any liquid that the device may have come in contact with is dry, then and only then try to power it up. If you get no power initially, it may need a good charge. Try giving it a short charge. If you don’t notice anything light up on the screen, chances are your battery may be shot, and possibly other components.

At this point, you may need to bring your phone to a repair shop or use a mail-in service for deeper diagnostics and help. iFixYouri has a no-fix, no-fee policy. We offer free round trip shipping on all services, including all of our iPhone 7 Repair Services.

Regardless of the state of the device, we recommend a good cleaning by a professional repair service after your device has been wet. Water can leave residual minerals and build-up on the components, which should be removed to ensure longevity and good functionality.

What should you do with a device that can’t be repaired?

In the event that iFixYouri cannot fix your device, there are options. The device can be sent back to you. It can be recycled (if it carries no value), or if it’s a relatively newer model (iPhone 5 or higher), you can sell your iphone and use the money you earned to purchase a new device.

We know how frustrating water damage can be. We see it every day. By taking the correct steps immediately after it happens, you can dramatically increase your odds of having a good, working phone again.

If you have any questions or need professional help for iPhone 7 Repairs, feel free to reach out to us at iFixYouri.com, or call us at 888-494-4349.