Dropped your phone in water? The old advice is to bury it in rice. Phone makers now say the opposite: rice is slow, it can leave starch and dust in the ports, and it gives you a false sense that something is happening. Air, gravity and patience work better.
Quick answer
Turn the phone off, wipe it, tap it gently with the charging port facing down, and leave it in a dry place with moving air for at least 5 hours. Do not charge it until the port is dry. When it is dry, clear the speaker with our Water Eject tone.
Step by step
1. Get it out and switch it off
The faster you act, the better. Power it off to reduce the chance of a short circuit while water is inside.
2. Remove the case and SIM tray
Cases trap water against the phone. Taking out the SIM tray opens another path for moisture to escape.
3. Wipe and tap
Dry the outside with a soft cloth. Hold the phone with the charging port facing down and tap it gently against your palm. Do this for each side that has an opening.
4. Let air do the work
Place the phone upright, port down, in front of a fan blowing cool air. A dry room is best. Leave it for at least 5 hours, longer if it was fully submerged.
5. Clear the speaker
Water often stays behind the speaker mesh even when the phone looks dry. Turn the phone on, raise the volume and run 2 to 3 cycles of the Water Eject tone with the speaker facing down. On iPhone, use the iPhone Water Eject; on Samsung and other Android phones, the Android Water Eject adds vibration.
What not to do
| Avoid | Why |
|---|---|
| Rice | Slow, and dust and starch can get into ports |
| Hair dryer or oven | Heat can damage the battery and soften seals |
| Cotton swabs in ports | They push water and lint further in |
| Charging by cable | Water plus current can corrode the port |
| Shaking hard | Moves water deeper inside |
Silica gel is better than rice
If you want something to absorb moisture, silica gel packets (the ones in shoe boxes) absorb water much better than rice. Put the phone and several packets in a sealed bag. Fresh air with a fan is still the main thing.
When to get help
If the screen flickers, the phone gets warm, it will not turn on after a day of drying, or salt water or a sugary drink was involved, take it to a repair shop. Sugar and salt leave residue that keeps causing corrosion.
Common questions
How long should a wet phone dry?
At least 5 hours for a splash, and 24 to 48 hours if it was fully under water.
My phone works but sounds muffled. Is it broken?
Usually not. Water on the speaker mesh muffles sound. Run the water eject tone a few times, then compare loudness with the Sound Meter.
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