Your hands loosen as your concentration slips. You panic and try to reaffirm your grip, but by this time, you know it's too late. Your smartphone plunges towards the liquid below – the bath, the sink, your pint. In a frenzy, you dive in after it. Your sleeve gets wet, but you don't care. Your phone sits there, soaking wet in your hand, as you ask yourself: will your broken iPhone ever work again?

Luckily, water-damaged phones are not completely ruined, and it's certainly not something out of the ordinary. Many of the newer models are water-resistant phones, but if yours isn't (or if you’re unsure), then by following the tried-and-tested method below, you might just be able to save your smartphone from an early grave. Here's how to fix a phone that's dropped into water.

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What should I do if I dropped my phone in water?

The first thing you should do is attempt to remove water from anywhere that could cause further damage. To avoid a shortage in your phone's delicate circuitry, your priority should be to turn it off immediately to prevent further issues due to water damage. Every second counts once your handset comes into contact with water, and the sooner you power down, the more likely your phone is to survive. One of the key areas to ensure if you try straight away is the charging port.

How do I dry out my phone quickly?

One of the best ways to dry out your phone on a budget is to submerge it in a bowl of rice. To do this, simply grab a paper towel, wrap up your handset and then put your phone in a container full of rice for 12 to 36 hours. Make sure you thoroughly wrap your phone, as the last thing you'll want is a piece of rice lodged in your headphone socket or speaker once it's recovered.

For those looking for a swankier option, purpose-made desiccants (a substance used as a drying agent) are available thanks to the likes of Bheestie, The Thirsty Bag and DryBox.

Can you use a hair dryer on a wet phone?

While some may suggest that blow-drying your handset could help restore it to its former glory, doing so can frazzle your handset's internal electrics, so be sure to give this particular tip a wide berth.

Another tip that's about as much use as a chocolate teapot is placing your phone in the oven at a low temperature. Again, this idea is much more likely to do more damage than it is good, so be sure to save your oven for Sunday roasts and not your Samsung smartphone.

Does rice get water out of a charging port?

If the good old rice method worked, that's great – but for those still dealing with a phone that doesn't work, it can be tricky to know exactly what to do next...

Related blog: Signs It's Time For A Smartphone Upgrade

Conclusion:

If you need a new phone, selling your damaged handset at Envirofone could be a sensible move. Unlike other outlets, we do accept damaged handsets – meaning you could still generate a quick quid or two for your current, soggy model, which can then be used to pay off part of a new or refurbished smartphone. No worry about sending a photo of a broken phone, we will just accept it from you and offer you the money you deserve!