Dropping your phone in water or getting your phone wet can be stressful, but what’s important is which steps you take next. If your phone is actually wet right now, follow our instructions immediately and you might be able to save your wet phone or at least avoid permanent damage.
There's no sure solution, every spill is different but we really hope we can help you save your phone.
What to do if a non-water-resistant phone gets wet
Most smartphones these days don't come with removable parts like batteries, which makes them much harder to dry out than they used to be. Follow these steps.
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Turn your phone off immediately. Running an electrical charge through any wet electrical circuit is bound to cause problems, because of how conductive non-distilled water can be. But wetting a circuit that's off is nowhere near as bad as wetting an active one. Plus, just because an electrical device gets wet doesn’t mean it’s immediately destroyed. If you’re lucky, your phone could have been shut off before any major damage was caused.
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For salt water, beer and other liquids: Wash the phone with a damp cloth. Yes, this means getting your phone wet again. But salt water is corrosive and will definitely damage your phone if not removed. Most smartphones these days should be able to cope with a damp cloth. Just dry it off again immediately.
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Take out any removable parts. If you don't have eSIM, remove the SIM card and any microSD cards. If you have the kind of phone that allows battery removal, do that too. While you're doing this, be careful not to tap or shake your phone as you could be moving any liquid around that's inside it.
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Dry it with a soft towel. You can also use a paper towel or cloth but make sure it's gentle and lint-free. Be very careful not to move any water into cracks, crevices or ports. You can also use your towel to dry any parts you were able to remove like the SIM card, microSD card and battery.
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Place your phone on a towel in a dry area. You've reached the 'wait and see' part of this journey. The most important thing now is to leave your phone alone to get dry.
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Wait until it's dry to switch it on again. The standard length of time recommended in this situation is between one to two days.
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Monitor for quirks. With a bit of luck, once your phone is dry it could go on working just fine. Or it might go on working, but with some strange new glitches. Keep a watchful eye over the next few days and test its performance on key tasks like playing music, taking photos, etc. If you do notice problems, you may have to get it repaired or replaced.
When drying your phone there are a few things you don't want to do which could either cause further problems:
- Don't insert the towel inside the charging port.
- Don't insert any other objects inside the charging port. Like cotton swabs
- Don't press any keys or buttons on your phone.
- Don't shake, tap or bang the phone.
- Don't put a fan on it or blow on it.
- Don't charge the phone. Even if you have a wireless charging mat
- Don't dry your phone using an external heat source. Like, say, a hair dryer. Don't do that
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How to save a water-resistant phone that got wet
If you bought your phone in the last few years or so, there's a good chance it could be water-resistant. But that doesn't mean it can't get water damage. Water resistance is a condition that decreases with wear and tear and water damage is probably not covered by your warranty.
The steps for drying your water-resistant phone are much the same as the ones we've detailed above.
Some manufacturers including Google and Samsung explicitly instruct that you switch the phone off while others such as Apple don't mention it. If you're in any doubt, we recommend switching it off. You paid good money for that phone so it's better to be safe than sorry. It's a good idea to check the manufacturer's website and see what they suggest for their specific devices.
If you do decide to leave your phone on, remember not to charge it (even wirelessly) and don't use accessories like headphones.
Remember: saltwater is corrosive and water resistance isn't going to help much with beer, fizzy drinks or other liquids. You don't want to run the phone under the tap. You want to give it a gentle rinse with a damp cloth, then dry it with a soft towel then leave it to continue drying.
As with a non-water-resistant phone, wait until it's dry before you switch it on again and look out for any quirks that suggest permanent damage which means you may need to repair or replace the phone.
Does rice work on wet phones?
Short answer, probably not. You've probably been told that the best way to dry out a phone dropped in water is to submerge it in uncooked rice. At WhistleOut, we believe that if the rice method ever did work, it likely doesn't anymore. Most smartphones these days don't have removable backs or batteries and they have fewer cracks and crevices. This means there's less opportunity for the rice to get up close and personal with the moisture inside your phone and absorb it.
The theory went that the rice would absorb moisture out of the hard-to-reach places inside your phone. There's some debate as to whether or not this was ever actually effective. Many online guides still recommend it. Others claim that the rice method is an urban myth.
Repairing a water-damaged phone
Even if you follow all the steps we described, it may be that your phone has sustained damage. There's still a chance it could be saved. Head into the nearest Apple Store or contact Samsung or whichever phone manufacturer is behind your handset to learn about your repair options. Some manufacturers, like OPPO, even have a few brick-and-mortar locations (in Sydney and Melbourne) while others may require you to mail your handset to them.
Be honest about what the problem is and you should be given a rough time and cost estimate on the spot if that's an option.
Can I sell a water-damaged phone?
If it costs too much to repair, or if it’s beyond hope, you can sell it off to any one of dozens of online businesses that accept old, broken phones. Most of these companies don’t care if the phone is working or not; all they care about are the precious minerals used to build the phone itself. Believe it or not, smartphones are a very rich source of gold, palladium and other rare metals. There’s not enough in there to be worth your while, but you can sell it to someone for whom it is.
Just do a web search for “sell my phone”, you can even use the manufacturer and phone name to get a more specific result. Make sure you shop around and don’t just go with the first website you find - there can be a big difference in how much you get for a broken device. Plus look at reviews and do your own research to make sure you're looking at a credible site.
Phones are incredibly bad for the environment if they end up in landfill and are allowed to seep into the Earth. If you can't or don't want to sell your phone, you can recycle it. Telcos with retail stores such as Optus, Telstra and Vodafone may have drop-off bins as part of the MobileMuster program. Or your manufacturer might provide you with a reply-paid plastic envelope in which to return it for recycling. You can usually find information about electronic or e-waste recycling programs in your area on your local council's website.
Latest water-resistant phones
Water resistance is an increasingly common feature in high-end smartphones especially in the latest iPhone, Samsung Galaxy and Pixel models. If you've just lost your handset to a spill, you may find it worth your while to upgrade to a newer phone or consider something like a refurbished iPhone that you could pair with a cheap mobile plan.
Check out the best waterproof phones available right now. Each has an IP68 dust and water resistance rating. Plan prices displayed are what you'll pay monthly over a 24-month repayment period:
iPhone 15
iPhone 15 128GB Plans
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#1
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Optus
$60 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$84.78/mth
Min. cost $1,137.72
Out of Stock
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#2
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Optus
$69 Optus Promo Plan
$114.78/mth
Min. cost $1,167.72
Out of Stock
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#3
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Optus
$70 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$115.78/mth
Min. cost $1,168.72
Out of Stock
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#4
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Telstra
$74 Basic Upfront Mobile Plan
$119.79/mth
Min. cost $1,172.96
Link not supplied
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#5
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Telstra
$84 Essential Upfront Mobile Plan
$129.79/mth
Min. cost $1,182.96
Link not supplied
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#6
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Optus
$90 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$135.78/mth
Min. cost $1,188.72
Out of Stock
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#7
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Telstra
$99 Premium Upfront Mobile Plan
$144.79/mth
Min. cost $1,197.96
Link not supplied
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Google Pixel 8
Samsung Galaxy S24
OPPO Find X5 Pro
Jacqui Dent
Editorial Strategist
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