Whether you're washing your hands or walking near water, it only takes one moment of inattention to get your phone wet. We use our cell phones for an average of 4.8 hours a day according to specialized studies , and with everything from family photos to online banking , the prospect of permanent damage is stressful.

Fortunately, dropping your phone into water does not always mean the end for your device. Here's what to do to save it.

What should you do if you drop your phone in water?

1. Immediately remove the smartphone from the water and dry it thoroughly with a clean cloth.
2. If the phone is on, turn it off immediately. Resist the urge to unlock it and check if it works as this could prevent it from working later. If it's off, leave it off.
3. If possible, remove the back and take out the battery (unfortunately you cannot do this with an iPhone and other latest generation smartphones). Eject the SIM card and memory card if you have one.
4. Gently shake the smartphone to remove any water from the headphone port, charging port, and other ports.
5. Do not use the useless procedure you find online. Rice absorbs water but cannot do anything to solve the problem with your device. The water inside the smartphone CANNOT be absorbed by rice. Avoid wasting unnecessary time.
6. Where possible, try to dry your device externally with the help of a hairdryer, not for too many minutes but for the time necessary to dry visible parts such as the charging port and speaker. Do not overheat the smartphone too much.
7. DO NOT turn on the phone or charge it for any reason. Any energy source could cause current to pass where there are still small drops of water and a very dangerous short circuit could occur for the motherboard. It is important to avoid supplying power via battery or cable to the device until the absence of liquid inside the phone is certainly excluded.
8. Contact a technical assistance center that has the necessary machinery to intervene within 24/48 hours. Timing is important to prevent oxide from accumulating inside.
9. The service center will know how to intervene, carefully opening the device and cleaning it of residues, also using ultrasound for oxide cleaning.
10. Once cleaned, it is possible to turn everything on and verify the complete Hardware and Software functioning.

Is there a waterproof phone?

If your phone cannot be saved and you are looking for a replacement, consider a waterproof model. Waterproofing is becoming increasingly common on modern cell phones, especially in the higher end. 

The key specification you need to pay attention to is the phone's IP (Ingress Protection) rating. This will be a two-digit code, where the first digit indicates how well the device can resist the ingress of solid objects, such as dust, and the second indicates how well it is protected against the infiltration of liquids into it. In any case, larger numbers are better. So, a phone with an IP67 rating is dust-tight (the 6) and can withstand immersion in water up to a depth of one meter (the 7). If the second digit were 0, the phone would offer no water resistance; a 1 indicates that it can withstand drops.

In all TEC Stores you will find a professional who will help you with liquid damage.

Contact us immediately to describe your problem and we will provide remote assistance to prevent the device from being permanently damaged.
Remember to carefully follow the instructions above.

The intervention must be as fast as possible.

We always prioritize technical interventions for liquid contact, because the sooner we intervene, the sooner we avoid oxide accumulation in the circuits.