This article will guide you on fixing the iPhone screen water damage issue if Liquid or other substances have damaged it. Because liquid damage tends to worsen with time, it’s essential to get started immediately.
However, liquid damage is one of the most challenging DIY fixes, so if you’re hesitant or need access to crucial data on your phone, you should see a professional before getting your tools out. These remedies work for all the iPhone models, including iPhone SE, Pro max, xs Max, iPhone XR, and iPods.
What Does iPhone Water Damage Look Like?
Liquid damage might be evident or undetectable. It can take the form of tiny bubbles beneath the screen or corrosion and discoloration within the charging port. Water damage to an iPhone, on the other hand, usually does not appear to be anything, at least from the outside.
How To Check For iPhone Water Damage
The liquid contact indicator, or LCI, is the best way to check for iPhone water damage. The LCI is positioned in the same slot as the SIM card in recent iPhones. LCIs can be found in the headphone jack, charging port, or both on older iPhone 6s plus models (4s, 5s, 5c).
Check The LCI Inside The SIM Card Slot
Use a paperclip for popping out the SIM tray, located below the side button (the power button) on the right-hand side of the iPhone, to check the LCI. Insert the paper clip into the teeny-tiny hole. To eject the SIM tray, you may need to press down firmly.
- Remove the SIM card and SIM tray from your iPhone, and hold it with the screen face down.
- Look at the SIM card slot with a flashlight from this position to verify the LCI.
- It’s preferable to leave a damp iPhone on a flat surface face down rather than face up.
- On iPhones, the LCIs are easier to see. Depending on your iPhone model, shine a flashlight into the headphone jack or charging port.
Liquid Contact Indicator Color And Its Meaning
Red
A red LCI signifies that your iPhone has come into contact with liquid, and you will be charged as a result. If you have AppleCare+ or carrier insurance, you’ll pay less than if you don’t have any coverage. The fact that an LCI is red does not rule out the possibility of an iPhone being resurrected.
Yellow
Don’t be startled if your LCI turns yellow, even if it doesn’t happen very often. The good news is that yellow does not equal red, indicating that fluids have not harmed your iPhone.
If the LCI remains yellow, visiting the Apple Store with your iPhone won’t hurt! However, if your iPhone is in perfect working order, Apple repair technicians won’t be able to help you much.
Pink
Pink is merely a lighter version of red. Whether the LCI is light red or dark red, your iPhone has liquid damage and will not be covered under warranty. Another substance may have stained your iPhone’s LCI. Using an anti-static brush or a brand new toothbrush, try to wipe out the SIM card slot, headphone socket, or charging port.
How To Repair An iPhone From Water Damage
- Turn off the phone.
- Remove the iPhone case.
- Dry The iPhone completely
- Check iPhone Screen Water Damage
Remove the phone from the water as soon as possible. The longer your phone is immersed, the greater the danger of shorting out.
1. Turn off the phone.
- When prompted, press and hold the Power button while sliding the button at the top of the screen right; the faster you can turn off your iPhone, the better your chances of it being recovered.
- Remove the battery if you have an older phone.
- If the phone is still plugged in, swiftly unplug the charger.
- If you’re not sure if the phone is on because the screen is off, swiftly push the Power button to see if the phone turns on. If this is the case, turn off the phone. Leave it off if it doesn’t.
- Check if the “iPhone screen water damage” issue is fixed or not.
2. Remove the iPhone’s case
If you have a case on your iPhone, it may be trapping moisture; removing it will allow the phone to breathe.
- Remove the SIM card and tray from the iPhone.
- To remove the SIM tray, insert a SIM removal tool or an unbent paperclip into the hole.
- Obliterate the tray to allow water to escape.
- Wipe the phone down with a dry, absorbent cloth.
- Using an absorbent cloth, remove all of the extra moisture.
- Ensure that the charging port, volume keys, headphone jack, and other crevices are moisture-free.
- Check if the “iPhone screen water damage” issue is fixed or not.
3. Dry The iPhone completely
- Using a toothpick and a piece of cloth, clean the ports. Wrap a single layer of cotton around the end of a toothpick using a thin piece of cotton, such as an old shirt.
- Use this to absorb any water that may have gotten into the charging port or headphone jack.
- Place the iPhone somewhere warm and dry. Allowing your iPhone to air dry in a warm environment for as long as possible is the best way to get freed of the water inside.
- Allowing your iPhone to air dry is the most effective method of repair. The rice method may leave a residue within the internal charging component, which may cause further damage to your smartphone.
- If you can remove the battery from the iPhone, air drying will be more successful.
- Check if the “iPhone screen water damage” issue is fixed or not.
4. Check iPhone Screen Water Damage
Look for the water damage indicator. Each iPhone features a slight indication that indicates whether or not the phone has been damaged by water. A piece of plastic that glows red when it comes into contact with too much water serves as the indicator.
- You can check this indication to discover if your phone is damaged. Make use of a flashlight to peek into the port.
- This usually indicates that you will not be eligible for free repair, in which case you should try repairing the phone yourself.
- On the screen side of the phone, look for a red indicator in the SIM card tray slot.
- Examine the red indicator in the charging port and the headphone jack.
- Check if the “iPhone screen water damage” issue is fixed or not.
Myths About Water Damage: What You Shouldn’t Do For iPhone Repair
1. Put iPhone In A Bag Of Rice
“Place the iPhone in a bag of rice if it gets wet iPhone.” Putting hearing aids in white or brown rice instead of laying it out on an empty table and letting it air dry has no benefit. However, attempting to dry out your iPhone with rice has several drawbacks.
Rice has the potential to damage an iPhone that could otherwise be saved. A grain of rice can easily snag a headphone jack or a charging port. A single grain of rice is about the size of the Lightning port. It might be exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to get out once you’ve become caught within.
Do not place your iPhone in a rice bag. It doesn’t count if the rice is white or brown. Furthermore, putting your iPhone in a bag of rice wastes delicious rice.
2. Blow Dry Your iPhone, Or Stick It In The Oven
Do not risk drying the iPhone using a blow hairdryer. The use of a blow dryer may aggravate the condition. Water will be pushed further into your iPhone by using a blow dryer. This exposes more of your iPhone to water, which is precisely what we don’t want to happen.
I wouldn’t recommend putting your iPhone in the oven to try to evaporate the water using heat. The iPhone XS can withstand temperatures of up to 95° F (35° C) in operation and up to 113° F (45° C) in non-operation.
If you have a cooker that can reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit, give it a shot! I double-checked, and the lowest temperature on mine is 170° F.
Although parts of the iPhone’s water-sensitive circuitry may potentially sustain higher temperatures, the screen, battery, waterproof cover, and other internal components are not. Blow during may cause a short circuit by melting the silicon print on the logic board.
3. Put iPhone In The Freezer
When it comes to iPhone screen water damage repair, I want to get the water out as soon as feasible. Putting your iPhone in the freezer accomplishes the exact opposite. It traps and prevents the water inside your iPhone from escaping by freezing it.
Water is one of the rare liquids that expands as it becomes colder. This means that freezing your iPhone will increase the volume of water trapped within, perhaps causing harm to internal components that were previously undamaged.
Another reason why you shouldn’t put your iPhone in the freezer is that it will freeze. The standard working temperature for iPhones is 32–95° F. Their non-operating temperature is a mere -4° F. Thus, wearing them in a colder environment might be dangerous.
4. Use Isopropyl To Dry iPhone
Isopropyl alcohol is a less-commonly utilized home remedy for iPhone water damage repair. The oleophobic coating on your iPhone’s display might be damaged by alcohol.
The oleophobic layer on your display is what makes it water-resistant. By submerging your iPhone in alcohol, you run the danger of seriously lowering the display’s quality.
Isopropyl alcohol is always mixed with another liquid in some fashion. It’s usually water. You’re exposing the iPhone to significantly more liquid by exposing it to isopropyl alcohol.
The polar solvent is isopropyl alcohol. This indicates that it is highly conductive. One of the most severe issues with water damage is that it generates electric charges in locations where they shouldn’t be.
If My iPhone’s LCI Is Still White, Will It Be Covered Under Warranty?
If the LCI is white or silver, the problem with your iPhone isn’t likely to be caused by liquid. It’s most likely if you dropped your iPhone in the pool before it stopped working. The good news is that your warranty may still be valid if Apple cannot show fluids damaged your iPhone.
However, just because an LCI isn’t red doesn’t mean Apple’s guarantee doesn’t cover the iPhone. Even if the LCI is still white, Apple technicians may deny warranty coverage if there is any indication of fluids or rust inside an iPhone.
Conclusion
If you have AppleCare, take your phone to a nearby repair shop immediately to get it serviced, or contact Apple. The longer the liquid sits within the gadget, the more damage it might cause. Seeking a repair sooner rather than later could save you money. All the above methods are basic troubleshooting ideas to fix the “iPhone screen water damage” issue.