Water Worries: Here Are a Few Tips to Protect Your Phone From H2O (And What to Do if It Does Get Wet)

We’ve all experienced the sensation at one point or another: that sinking feeling in your stomach when you accidentally drop your phone into the water. Whether it’s into your toilet or over the side of your canoe, getting your phone soaked is upsetting. There are some precautions that you can take to minimize the chances that your iPhone or Android meets a watery demise. If you do happen to find yourself with a drenched device, you may still be able to save the information stored on it.

Use a Waterproof Phone Case

A waterproof phone case offers substantial protection for your phone, especially if you are planning to partake in activities at a beach, lake or river. Many waterproof cases also come with lanyards that you can hang around your neck or wrap around your wrist, lowering the chances that your phone is swept away. They also help keep your phone buoyant if it falls into the water.

Use a Plastic Bag

You can also use a plastic bag, which provides a modicum of protection. If filled with air, it can prevent your phone from sinking swiftly to the bottom of the ocean. The bag will, however, need to be properly sealed.

What to Do if Your Phone Does Get Wet

When your phone is fully submerged in liquid for a significant period of time, critical circuits and wiring are at immediate risk of water damage. You’ll need to act fast if you want to save your information. First, don’t try to switch your phone on. This may end up inadvertently short-circuiting the device. Wipe off the device as soon as possible. Don’t use a blowdryer or other type of heating source because these can actually cause more damage to your phone. Next, remove the SIM card. This card holds much of the important information that links you to your device, such as your phone number and user identity. The SIM card is located along the side of the device; it should be marked by a tiny hole. You can remove it using a SIM card remover tool or just a paperclip.

It is also recommended that you remove your phone battery as well. This is a much more complicated process, and you might end up doing more harm than good to the hardware in trying to remove the battery. If you want to have it expertly removed, go to a cell phone repair shop.

The rice method is often touted as an effective way to rescue your phone. This involves placing your device in an airtight container of rice and leaving it there for at least 24 hours, although 48 hours is recommended for best results. This is supposed to create an environment that sucks the dampness out of your phone. There is some debate, however, over whether or not this actually works or is just an urban legend. Some people recommend using silica gel packets as a more effective alternative. Whether the rice method works or not, putting your phone in an airtight container is definitely the right way to go, as it creates a vacuum that helps to pull water out of damp areas.

Unfortunately, your phone may be lost, no matter how many steps you take to save it. There is only so much that can be done once the water has seeped into your device’s hardware. If you are unable to save your phone, your best bet is to take it to a phone repair store, where a technician may be able to save some of your data.

Backup Your Phone Regularly

Perhaps the most important way to protect your data is to make sure that it is backed up to a secondary storage site such as iCloud or Google One. This will ensure that important photos and documents can be retrieved even if your phone is corrupted. You can also keep copies of this information on your computer. Regularly backing up your device ensures that, even if you do accidentally break it, your most important files are still accessible.