Dropped iphone 5 in water. Help?

un plug it and shut it off and put it in a bag of rice if you leave it pluged in and/or on it could ruin your phone

$229 USD to do an out-of-warranty replacement.

I used the bag of rice method this weekend and it worked. My iphone 5 had been in my pocket when I fell in our pool while cleaning the pool. So the phone was fully submerged for about 3-4 seconds. I could see water in the camera lens after this occured. It was definitely wet.

First I sucked the water out of the speaker holes with my mouth. Then I turned off the phone. Researched online and found the rice method. I put the phone in a ziplock bag with brown rice (it was all we had) about 45 minutes after the incident. A little while later I was able to find some silica gel packets in some vitamin bottles so I put those in the bag of rice with the phone (another technique found online).

The phone was in there from around 3:30 PM Saturday afternoon until 9:30 AM Monday morning. Took it out this morning and tried to turn it on but wouldn't - got the red low battery signal. After 10 minutes of charging it booted up on it's own. Works fine now. Hopefully it stays that way. By the way check your charger connector on the phone for rice. Luckily I looked before plugging it in. I tapped it on the desk and dislodged 3 pieces of rice that would have been smashed in there had I not checked first.

I had the same incident but I'm sure the phone was in the pool for at least 1 1/2 minutes! I immediately powered off, removed protection case & shook any water out the best I could I placed in plastic ziplock bag face down; generously & completely covered w/white rice & silica packs, then sealed for 36 hrs. Works perfect! Immediately purchased LifeProof case because I cannot be this lucky again!

I think the best option is to swap your iPhone in an Apple Store for $229.

You could buy a screen with digitizer and an new battery, because this wil certainly die, just a matter of time. Also, you might see oxidation after a period of time, which can cause more technical problems.

If you don't like to swap your iPhone, you could hold your iPhone in demineralised water to clean it. Normal water contains minerals. Those minerals will start the oxidation process and they can also cause a short circuit, because minerals transport electricity.

Demineralised water, should not start the oxidation process or cause a short circuit.

After this, let all the part dry seperately in rice for a few days. Then, assemble it again.

You'll need a new battery for sure. Maybe you're touchscreen will work again. If not, you'll also need a whole display unit, including digitizer.

My iPhone 5 went for a swim in the washing-up bowl yesterday. Took it out immediately (it can't have been submerged for more than a couple of seconds), noticed that it was no longer blasting out Mumford & Sons that was playing at the time, removed it from its case, slid to power down, took out the sim, shook it a bit, dried it with a tea towel, put a hair dryer to it on low and blew through the speakers etc for about 20 mins (twice). Then it went straight into a warm dry room with lots of silica pouches on top of the boiler for 24hrs. Powered up as normal today and all functions work. in fact the touch screen is more responsive near the edges than it was (but that could just be due to the fact that it's now clean...). I think the case I had it in helped a bit (torro leather folding pouch) - it covers most of the phone and water didn't enter the display and camera units at all.

From my experience, iPhone 5's seem to be quite resilient to water exposure, as long as they're not turned on while the electronics are visibly wet. I used silica pouches and gentle heating to dry mine out before trying to turn it back on.

Hope this helps. I'll comment again if my phone's performance degrades; no more comments = the phone is ok.

I have the Torro pouch and it does sort of form a seal with a pull tab release to get it out. Makes me think it was a good choice buy after your experience. There is a review if their flip case in you tube if you're interested which is pretty good.

My iPhone 5 took a dirty bath in a gutter. I got it out after just a few seconds and was able to power down.

I placed it in a bag of rice for 48 hours. I was able to turn it back on, and so far it is working (it has been about an hour).

I think the key factors for me were

• a very short time in water
• powered down as quickly as I could
• patience

Hi, my iPhone went for a dive, I tried to turn it off but was impossible, it kept turning on and off automatically. I have it in rice since yesterday, about 30 minutes after the incident. Do you know if I can get a replacement at an Apple Store out of warranty? Many thanks!

You can do an out-of-warranty replacement for $149 for the iPhone 4, $199 for the 4s, and $269 for the 5 series, all USD. Make a Genius Bar appointment before you go.

Thanks so much for the information Deggie!

This is a true story of the death and life of my iPhone 5, recorded in emails I sent to my friends. My husband, Ray, is an unbiased observer. He witnessed the entire drama and can verify the following events to be true and accurate!

Email sent April 4, 2014

To whom it may concern, (I hope that’s all of you)

Yesterday around 3:00 pm PST, my phone did a backflip into the toilet. Quickly I submerged my hand into the water after I flushed. (Luckily, it wasn’t my early morning visit to the bathroom.) I just wasn’t quick enough. I felt the rhinestone case as it rushed past the grip of my hand. It proceeded to descend into the abyss of the sewer system.

My first thought: The iPhone 6 isn’t out yet!!! How could this happen now?

Today, the plumber came to rescue my rhinestone case, I am sure the phone drowned waiting to be rescued. Unfortunately, when he removed the toilet to get to the pipes, the toilet broke. Yup, need a new toilet now. Unfortunately, he is going out of town tomorrow and won’t be back till next week. Bathroom: Out of Service!

I buried my phone in a bed of rice. R.I.P. Although the last rites were given, I am praying for a resurrection. Should that not happen before the Rapture occurs, I will be without a phone for several days. Just thought you all would want to know this.

The good news is I can receive texts from iPhone users and email from everyone.

Goodbye, till we talk again,

Linda

Email sent April 5

I have good new and bad news. The good news is I have a phone again; bad news, I went from a 5 to a 4s. I am using Ray’s old phone. Its like being re-incarnated as a fly! Oh well, in all things, give thanks! I am back in business!

Linda

Email sent April 8, 2014

For all of you doubting Thomas’ out there, miracles still happen!

On the fifth day of my dead iPhone 5, (due to drowning) I went back to the tomb (the rice bag) to check the pulse again. Almost 24 hours submerged in water till someone (the plumber) was able to rescue him, 5 days in a rice bag, HE CAME BACK TO LIFE! Yes, you read that correctly, He’s ALIVE!!! Don Francisco even wrote a song about this!

My iPhone 5 was resurrected! When the iPhone 6 comes out, I may not upgrade. My 5 and I have been through so much together, I am not sure I can part with him again!

I just wanted to share this news flash with the people I love the most!!!

Your Pal,

Linda

Great news, Linda. Perhaps you could help others with a little more detail? For instance:

- something about the case, because perhaps it helped keep water out of the phone?

- when you first retrieved the phone (thanks to the plumber), did you or did you not try to turn it on (I mention this to reinforce the idea of turning the phone off without trying anything else, if you can)?

- what brand of toilet... no, not really.

Also, I want to point out to others who read this thread that Linda left her phone in the bag of rice for FIVE DAYS. (I saw some people asking -- maybe on another thread -- if they could try their phone after an hour or two in rice.) Patience is truly a virtue here, folks!

Finally, Linda, with all due respect, do you really want to feel that you've been through everything that phone went through??

So glad to hear your story and the happy outcome!

For those who are keeping score, my iPhone 5 survived a brief dunk--my details are about 4 posts above this one--and continues to operate about 3 months later.

Remember, your results may vary.

Cheers,

Jacque

Jacque, you helped me realize I have NOT been through everything my phone has! I was never stuck in the belly of a wale (toilet pipes).

I presses the button on top just to see if it would click on. I didn't depress it to power it on or off. I put it in a zip-lock back of rice. There was enough rice to completely cover the phone, then I zipped it shut.

I really think the newer phones are made better to endure our many phases of life. I don't think the rhinestone case had anything to do with it. It's a cheap plastic case with rhinestones.

The plumber is a full-time fireman, part-time plumber. Which may have something to do with toilet breaking. Not really his fault, but sad never-the-less. It's a $500 toilet. Well better than a broken phone & TOILET!

Linda

Where do you find this? My phone just took a tumble in the washing machine and I don't know if I'll be lucky. Can I just take it in to a store and swap it with a new one for $229USD?