The latest iPhones come with IP-rated water resistance; however, you will end up with many users searching for how to take water out of iPhone. Depending upon which iPhone series you are using, the IP rating could differ, and with it, the time and depth of water it has been tested to stay without getting water-damaged in a controlled lab. With that said, what happens if you accidentally drop your phone in the water. Can you take out water from an iPhone just like that? What is the extent of damage due to water penetrating inside the ports, speakers, and microphones?
Although Apple lists IP-rating on its iPhones from iPhone 7 Plus to date, Apple doesn’t cover water damage in its warranty. That means if your iPhone gets damaged due to water or any liquid, you will have to pay for the repair/replacement majority of the time unless you opt for a warranty that includes water damage. Circling back to the problem, what would you do if you accidentally dropped water on your iPhone or, say, you dropped your iPhone in water?
Your iPhone uses IP-rating, and with that, it comes with protection mesh inside the ports, slots, and mics that keep the water out for some time. However, water-resistant wear off with usage, and since your phone isn’t waterproof, it will eventually succumb to water damage if you dip the phone in water too often and for too long. At TechBaked, we tested a methodology that experts recommend using to get water out of the iPhone, so read along for more info.
Getting Water Out of iPhone (2021)
Getting water out of the iPhone is crucial as you won’t like the damage water does to the internal components, even if it is just the charging port, as it can spiral into an expensive repair if you don’t give it a thought. We at TechBaked know just how disheartening it can be if you accidentally drop water on your iPhone or the other way around. These are some things you can do to get water out of the iPhone at the earliest.
Ways to Remove Water out of iPhone
As mentioned, it is imperative to take water out of the iPhone, and here are several ways you can do the same.
Use Gravity to your Advantage
You accidentally dropped your phone in the water. What’s the first thing to do? It is picking it up and holding it vertically so that the charging port, speaker, and other ports face downwards. This time is where gravity will take over as it will dislodge excess water from the places it has stuck. Of course, there is still some water lodged somewhere that you need to remove. You can use the following methods to do the same.
Use the Water Eject Siri Shortcut
Your iPhone is an all-powerful device offering more than what you can think. There’s a water ejector shortcut on-board iPhones backed up with a Siri Shortcut that lets you do the trick. Here’s how you can use it.
- Firstly, go to the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Proceed to Shortcuts and toggle on the “Allow Untrusted Shortcuts”.
- Firstly, add the “Water Eject” shortcut on your iPhone using this link by Josh0678.
- Navigate to “My Shortcuts” and select the “Water Eject” shortcut.
- Tap on “Begin Water Ejection” while keeping the volume at max.
It works similar to the Sonic app (explained later) and lets you eject water out of the speakers. Of course, if this doesn’t work, you can use the following methods listed here.
Use Sonic app
Even with a water-resistant rating, we don’t recommend dipping your iPhone in water to try fixes to remove water from the iPhone. Assuming that you either got your phone wet or just trying to brush up your knowledge just in case it happens, there’s a great app called Sonic that lets you use sound frequencies to drive water droplets out of the speakers.
Sonic is a free app available on the App Store. It uses sound frequencies to propel water droplets out of the rear, and front speakers in case water cause the speakers to muffle. Unlike Shortcut as an alternative, Sonic lets users decide the frequency manually, or there’s an option to select a frequency to buzz at automatically. Most importantly, you don’t need a rocket-science degree to use it. Follow the steps below.
- First of all, install the Sonic app from the App Store and launch it.
- Take your phone, use a cloth to wipe off any traces of water on the surface and then, keep the phone on a flat surface. The ideal position is a slight slant position with the bottom portion of the iPhone inclined downwards.
- Set the volume to the max.
- Tap on the water drop icon on the screen and adjust the frequency manually or you can set it to automatic.
- You will notice tiny water droplets emitting out of the speaker. Note that even if you don’t see anything, you should notice the sound quality changing from muffled to normal.
Use the tone-generator website
Your best bet to force water and moisture out of the speakers is sound frequencies, and this is the third method you can use to do the same. This tone-generator is based on a website instead of an app and mimics the same functions. Here’s how you can use it.
- First up, go to OnlineToneGenerator and FixMySpeakers.
- Tap on the water droplet button on FixMySpeakers to play frequencies.
- For OnlineToneGenerator, you will have to tap on the “Play” button, adjust the frequency and this should force the water out of the speakers.
Things to Avoid During Water Damage
If you search for ways to remove water from your iPhone on the internet, you will end up getting hundreds of things to do, but the question is, do all the methods recommended by users and publications work? Here are a few things that you should avoid while fixing a water-damaged phone.
1. Putting it in a Bag of Rice
I am pretty sure that half of the publications will recommend you to put your damped iPhone in a bag of uncooked rice as it acts as a desiccant. Although uncooked rice will indeed suck moisture out of your phone, it could introduce other problems. Since you have filled a bag of uncooked rice and inserted your phone in it, rice grains can easily penetrate the charging port, speaker, or other ports.
Instead of fixing a water-damaged phone, you might require a charging port replacement or a speaker repair if the grain makes its way into the openings. Unless you are ready to take that risk, you should try putting your iPhone in a bag of rice.
You can use silica gel instead, which is also a desiccant but relieves any probability that its grains penetrate the charging ports.
2. Don’t turn ON Your iPhone
You will end up in an unending spiral of things you should know should you ever witness your phone getting water damaged. Turning the phone ON is one of them. When you turn off your iPhone, it prevents water from causing damage to the internal circuit. Since your phone powers the circuit and the component on it via battery (which is electricity stored in a lithium-ion pack), this could cause a short circuit in contact with water. Thus, you should avoid turning the phone ON.
3. Don’t Connect Charger/Other Accessories
It would be best if you stay focused here. You should plug in the charger to the phone if the latter is liquid damaged or risk shorting the device. If you accidentally dropped your phone in water, wipe it off using a clean cloth to wipe off excess water. Keep the phone idle for a few hours before plugging in the charger or other accessories.
4. Other Things To Avoid
When trying to remove water from your iPhone, here are other things you should avoid.
- Do not use any direct heat source like a dryer
- Do not use compressed air
- Do not use a foreign object trying to remove any water out
- Do not use a paper towel or cotton swab as well
Save your iPhone From Water Damage
Water damage can be detrimental for a smartphone, and iPhones aren’t an exception, even with an IP rating attached to them. There are a lot of variables when considering water falling on the phone or phone falling in the water in any shape or form. We have discussed a few methods you can deploy in case this unfortunate event happens, helping you save your iPhone from an untimely death. Let us know which way did work out for you. If water damage is extensive, you might have to walk into an authorized service center to get it professionally fixed.