What to Do When Your Phone
Falls in Water
The first 60 seconds decide whether your phone survives. Most people do the wrong thing — here is exactly what to do, and what never to do.
Last updated: June 2026 · 6 min read
The rice trick does not work
Rice does not absorb moisture from inside a phone. Waiting 24 hours in rice while water corrodes internal circuits is one of the most expensive myths in phone repair. Silica gel is marginally better, but time is the real enemy.
Do This in the First 60 Seconds
Get it out of the water immediately
Every second submerged pushes water deeper into ports and gaps. Grab it fast, even if you have to reach into the toilet or bucket.
Power it off — do not press any buttons first
If the screen is on, turn it off. Electrical current through wet components causes corrosion damage. If it's already off, don't turn it on to check.
Remove the SIM tray
Use the SIM ejector pin or a paperclip. Leave the tray slot open to allow airflow. This also protects your contacts and 2FA numbers.
Wipe the outside dry
Use a soft cloth or paper towel. Pat, don't rub. Tilt the phone with ports facing down to let gravity pull water toward the openings.
Do not charge it or plug anything in
Charging a wet phone will short-circuit it. Wait at least 24–48 hours before connecting power, even if it appears dry.
Things That Make It Worse
Putting it in rice
Rice does not draw moisture from inside the chassis. It wastes the 24 hours when you could be drying it properly.
Blowing air into the ports
Blowing pushes water deeper inside. Point ports down and let gravity do the work.
Using a hair dryer or oven
Heat warps the plastic frame and can melt the adhesive sealing the display. Room temperature air only.
Pressing random buttons to check if it works
Each button press can drive water into the circuit board. Keep it still and off.
Charging it the same day
Internal moisture needs 24–48 hours to evaporate. Charging too soon is the most common cause of permanent damage.
The Next 24–48 Hours
Leave it in a dry, ventilated spot
Ports facing down or sideways. A fan blowing cool air nearby helps. Do not seal it in a bag with rice.
If you have silica gel packets, use them
The small packets that come in shoe boxes or electronics packaging. Place the phone in a sealed bag with several packets. This actually works, unlike rice.
After 24 hours: try turning it on
If it boots normally and the display is clear, you got lucky. Charge only after it's confirmed working.
If there are spots on the screen or it won't turn on
Take it to a repair shop immediately. Corrosion spreads quickly. The sooner you get it opened and cleaned, the better the chance of recovery.
If the Phone Does Not Recover
If the phone won't turn on after 48 hours, your priority shifts to data recovery. Take it to a local repair shop — many in India can clean the circuit board with isopropyl alcohol and replace corroded components for ₹500–₹2,000. Data recovery from water-damaged phones is possible even when the screen and charging port are dead.
If you had Raksha installed and your family members have access to your account, they can still see your last known location and trigger a remote ring or lock from their phones — useful if the phone was lost and damaged at the same location.
Is Your Phone Water-Resistant?
IP67 means the phone can survive 1 metre of water for 30 minutes. IP68 means deeper or longer. But these ratings are tested on new phones — the seals degrade over time with drops and wear. A 2-year-old IP67 phone is no longer reliably waterproof. Never assume your phone is safe from water just because it has an IP rating.
Most budget Android phones sold in India (Redmi, Realme, Moto G series) do not have IP ratings at all. Treat all phones as water-vulnerable.