How to Bring Your Phone Back to Life
Most of us rely on our phones for everything — messaging, banking, entertainment, navigation and work. So when something goes wrong, it can feel like a complete disaster.
A survey we carried out revealed that 40% of people feel “absolutely lost” without their phone, and another 30% feel nervous when they don’t have access to it. Even worse, 61% of us don’t own a backup device.
The good news? Many common phone disasters can actually be fixed. Below are the most frequent issues people run into and the steps you can take to revive your smartphone.
You Dropped Your Phone in Water
If your device isn’t water-resistant, dropping it in the sink, toilet or bath is enough to send anyone into a panic. But acting fast can dramatically increase your chances of recovery.
What to do immediately:
- Retrieve the phone as quickly as possible — seconds matter.
- Turn it off immediately if it hasn’t switched off already.
- Gently pat it dry with a soft towel.
- Do not shake it — you’ll force water deeper inside.
- Use a vacuum nozzle to carefully draw moisture from ports and speakers.
Drying it out:
Place the phone in a sealed bag filled with uncooked rice or silica gel packets for at least 72 hours. The longer you can resist turning it back on, the better your chances of saving it.
For a full guide on water damage, check out our article: What To Do When You Drop Your Phone in Water.
Your Screen Is Cracked or Smashed
If it’s a tiny crack, you might get away with a temporary DIY fix. Some users swear by a baking soda paste — mixing two parts baking soda with one part water to create a thick solution you can gently rub over the crack. It won’t fully repair the screen but may help hold the glass together.
For serious damage, try the following:
- Check if your device is still under manufacturer warranty.
- Review your home or bank account insurance — many include phone cover.
- Consider a professional screen replacement if the damage is significant.
Your Battery Keeps Dying
If your phone barely makes it through the day, try these tips to extend battery life:
- Lower your screen brightness or use auto-brightness.
- Turn off Bluetooth when you’re not using it.
- Close power-heavy apps running in the background.
- Enable Low Power Mode (iPhone) or Battery Saver (Android).
If your phone is still draining unusually fast, read our guide on battery lifespan: How Long Do iPhone Batteries Normally Last?
You’re Always Running Out of Storage
If your iPhone is constantly full and you can’t bear to delete any more photos, here’s a clever trick:
- Check your current storage in Settings → General → iPhone Storage.
- Open the iTunes Store and try to rent a film that’s larger than your available space.
- You’ll get a pop-up saying there isn’t enough storage — tap “OK”.
This triggers your iPhone to clear system caches automatically. Check your storage again — you might regain a few hundred MB instantly.
For Android devices, consider:
- Adding a larger microSD card (if your phone supports it)
- Backing up photos to Google Photos, Google Drive or a cloud service
- Moving large files to a computer or external hard drive
When All Else Fails… Trade It In
If your phone is beyond repair, don’t throw it away — trade it in. Envirofone accepts damaged phones and you can still get money back even if the device no longer works.
If you’re ready for a replacement, browse our full range of fully tested refurbished phones.
You might be surprised — even the most “dead” phone often has a little life (and money!) left in it.
