Phone water damage: what to do after your phone gets wet

If your phone got wet, unplug it, take it out of its case, and wipe it dry with a soft cloth. Tap it gently with the charging port facing down, then let it dry somewhere with good airflow. Don't charge it until the port is dry, and don't use heat or rice. Most water-resistant phones survive a splash or a quick drop, but water that gets inside can corrode parts over the following days, and standard warranties usually don't cover liquid damage.

What to do right after your phone gets wet

1. Take the phone out of the water and unplug it if it's charging. Remove the case.
2. If it was fully underwater or isn't water resistant, turn it off. Google and Samsung both advise this.
3. Wipe it with a soft, lint-free cloth.
4. Tap it gently against your hand with the charging port facing down to shake out water.
5. Leave it somewhere dry with good airflow. Apple says a fan blowing cool air toward the port can help.
6. Don't charge it with a cable until the port is dry. Apple says to wait at least 5 hours for an iPhone. Samsung phones won't charge while the port is wet.

Don't use a hair dryer or compressed air, don't push swabs or paper into the charging port, and skip the rice. Apple warns rice particles can get inside your phone.

If your phone fell in salt water, pool water, or a drink

Salt water, pool water, and drinks can leave residue behind as they dry. Samsung says to rinse a water-resistant Galaxy phone in clean water for 1 to 3 minutes after this kind of spill, then dry it completely before charging. If your phone isn't water resistant, don't rinse it. Turn it off, remove the SIM and memory cards, wipe it dry, and have it inspected before you turn it back on.

What liquid detected means on an iPhone

On an iPhone XS or later, an alert such as “Liquid Detected in Lightning Connector,” “Liquid Detected in USB-C Connector,” or “Charging not available” means the iPhone found moisture in the charging port or on the cable, and it stops charging through the port to protect the pins.

Unplug the cable at both ends, tap the iPhone gently with the port facing down, and leave it somewhere dry for at least 30 minutes before trying again. If the alert comes back, give it up to a day. A wireless charger still works once the back of the phone is dry.

The alert lets you override it in an emergency, but charging with a wet port can corrode the connector, so only do that if you really need the phone. If the alert keeps appearing when the iPhone hasn't been near water, try a different cable or accessory. One that triggers the alert every time may be damaged. If it happens with every Apple cable, the iPhone may need service.

What moisture detected means on a Samsung or Android phone

Samsung phones show a water drop icon or a “moisture detected” warning when the charging port is wet, and they won't charge through the cable until it dries. Plugging in anyway sets off an alarm. Unplug it, shake the phone gently with the port facing down, and give it 1 to 2 hours to dry. Wireless charging works once the phone is dry.

If the warning stays after the port is clearly dry, restart the phone and try a different cable. Samsung's support pages also suggest clearing the USB settings cache. On Pixel phones, Google says to turn the phone off and let it dry at room temperature. Pixel 10 owners in the US can run a liquid damage test from Google Store's device page.

How to get water out of your phone speaker

A muffled or crackly speaker after a splash usually means water is sitting in the speaker opening. Apple suggests placing the phone speaker-side down on a lint-free cloth to let it drip out. The sound usually clears as the water evaporates.

Water-eject sounds and Shortcuts play a low tone meant to push water out of the speaker grille. Many people use them, but the evidence is mostly user reports, and they only reach the speaker, not water inside the phone. If you try one, stop if the speaker starts to sound distorted.

Our water eject tool plays the tone in your browser and includes a before-and-after sound check, so you can tell whether the speaker actually sounds clearer.

Signs water got inside your phone

• The speaker stays muffled after a day of drying.
• The camera lens fogs up or there are droplets under the glass.
• The liquid or moisture alert keeps returning.
• The screen taps itself or ignores touches. Our ghost touch guide covers this.
• Spots, discoloration, lines, or flicker on the screen.
• The phone restarts on its own, runs hot, or the battery drains much faster.

If the phone gets hot or starts to swell, stop using it and have it inspected.

Water under your phone screen

Water that gets under the glass can show up as dark spots, a cloudy patch, discoloration, or lines, and it can make touch unreliable. Back up your phone while the screen still works. Once it's dry, our touch screen test can show whether touch is still responding across the whole screen. Marks that stay after the phone has dried usually mean the screen needs replacing.

Should you put a wet phone in rice?

No. Apple advises against it because small rice particles can get into the phone, and iFixit says rice doesn't help and can leave debris behind. Leave it somewhere dry with good airflow instead. A fan blowing cool air toward the port can help.

Is your iPhone or Android phone waterproof?

Not quite. Most recent iPhones, Pixels, and Galaxy phones are water resistant, not waterproof. Apple rates many iPhones for depths of up to 6 meters under lab conditions, but says resistance can decrease with normal wear. Google also says normal wear reduces water resistance on Pixel phones. An older phone or one with a cracked back or screen can let water in much more easily.

Does warranty or AppleCare cover phone water damage?

The standard warranty doesn't. Apple says liquid damage isn't covered under iPhone warranty, and Google says water damage isn't covered on Pixel phones. Accidental-damage plans are different: AppleCare+ for iPhone covers liquid damage for a flat service fee, which Apple currently lists as $99 plus tax in the US, and carriers and other phone makers sell similar plans. Before you pay for a repair, check whether your plan covers liquid damage and what you'd pay.

Can a water-damaged phone be fixed?

Often, depending on what the water reached. A damaged screen or charging port can usually be replaced, but corrosion on the main board can make a repair cost more than the phone is worth. Back up your data first. If the screen still works well enough, our Backup & Transfer service can help. Then get a quote, and use our repair-versus-replace guide if the price seems high.