How To Tell If Your Phone Has Water Damage

It tin be hard to know if your phone is water damaged or not. In some cases, it volition be fairly obvious - maybe yous dropped it down the toilet or were using information technology in a swimming pool. If things starting time to go incorrect afterwards, and so you lot probably know why.

But there are enough of times when it might not be as clear-cut as this. Many phones now have IP67 or IP68 water resistance ratings. This ways, in theory at least, that your phone is able to resist water ingress at a depth of one metre for up to xxx minutes. So using it in the rain or spilling a drinkable on it, surely wouldn't be enough to cause water harm, correct?

There are a few unlike ways you tin tell whether or not water harm is affecting your handset. Some are obvious, and some accept a footling more detective work. But here'southward what you lot demand to know.

How To Know If Your Phone Is H2o Damaged

Yous will probably suspect water damage if you lot find your phone is starting to misbehave, before long later on it has come into contact with liquid. And for many of us, our phones never exit our side, so nosotros will know whether a spillage has occurred.

Only there can likewise exist times when whatever contact with water was minimal, or you apace wiped your phone downwards. And it may therefore exist a surprise if your phone isn't working properly one-time later. So here's how you can tell whether that problem is acquired by water damage, or whether you lot need to look for an alternate crusade.

Await For Obvious Signs Of Damage

A visual inspection may immediately give the game away. Obvious signs include things such every bit wet under the screen. This will be pretty clear, and would unremarkably have required your telephone to take been submerged for a while, in order for the water to make it.

Check the phone edges and buttons for any signs of warping. And similarly, look at all your ports for any visual signs of damage. This might be rust, corrosion, discolouration, or some connectors may have come loose.

Fifty-fifty if you carry a visual inspection, the phone may still look absolutely fine on the exterior. This is why it's always worth looking for the LDI - liquid damage indicator.

how to know if your phone is water damaged — Credit: Samsung

Check The Liquid Damage Indicator

The liquid impairment indicator (or liquid contact indicator on iPhone) is, as the name suggests, a strip that changes color when information technology comes into contact with liquid. This is normally housed internally. If h2o has managed to penetrate deep enough to attain the LDI, and then it'due south a fairly stiff bet that information technology will accept reached other internal components too.

This is one of the first things a repair centre will check when they receive a phone for repair. It will almost e'er void your warranty as well. So if your telephone is in need of repair, you can bank check the LDI. If information technology indicates water impairment, yous can so prepare yourself to either pay a repair charge or brand a claim through your insurance.

Liquid Contact Indicator on iPhone

On an iPhone, any handset built mail-2006 has an LCI that is visible from the outside of the device. So you won't need to pull your phone apart to get to information technology. It will normally be white or silver, but once information technology has been exposed to liquid, information technology will turn crimson. This tin can also change colour if you are in a peculiarly humid environment. But this would be quite extreme.

Unremarkably, you can see the LCI by removing the SIM tray and having a look inside the slot for the tray. You may need a torch for this.

Read More than: How To Check Battery Health On Android

Liquid Damage Indicator on Android Devices

On an Android device, the LDI volition usually exist located inside the SIM card slot, or the SD card slot. On some older devices or those with a removable battery, it might be on the battery itself, or underneath it on the rear of the telephone.

As with an iPhone, these will usually be white, occasionally with some pinkish or purple crosses on, depending on the manufacturer. And as with iPhones, one time they have been exposed to water, they will plow pink or ruby.

Once again, remove the SIm or SD bill of fare tray, and have a look inside the slot. A torch may brand it easier to spot if you are having difficulty seeing information technology.

Read More than: How To Check If Your Phone Has Virus

What To Exercise If Your Telephone Is Water Damaged?

While there are plenty of remedies suggested by the net, such as placing your telephone in a bowl of rice, it's questionable how effective these really are. It's likely that whatever yous practise, your telephone is going to need repair.

As we mentioned earlier, water damage will unremarkably non exist covered by your warranty, so the chances are you volition need to pay for a repair. You can ordinarily arrange this through your network provider. Alternatively, you can ofttimes become directly to the manufacturer of the device and adjust a repair through them. Finally, you lot might take a local mobile phone repair shop that can offer help.

We certainly wouldn't recommend that you ignore the problem and hope it goes away.