Q: Another case of dropping iPhone 5s in water - please help me

ASAP!!! Please make an appointment at the Apple Retail Store - Genius Bar and take it in for service ASAP. If you are not in the USA or cannot set up an appointment this way, then contact your local Apple Store directly. Don't waste a minute's time with rice and other methods that supposedly will fix your device. Rice may dry it out but it cannot prevent all the damage that is being done at the same time.

ApplesAreAwesome wrote:

 

I'm on vacation in the states and will only be back tomorrow night. Dealing with Apple can be a lengthy process.  Is there anything else I could do instead, at least until I get to an Apple store? If my phone was off when I took it out of the water, does it mean it short circuited? Anyone with a similar story of success? Anything I should know ? Please everyone. I really want to save my data from the phone. Thanks again.

In all likelihood, you're phone is finished. I was at the Genius Bar this afternoon. A woman near me had brought in her iPhone that she'd dropped in water. The nice Genius explained that all Apple can do is offer an out-of-warranty replacement (or replacement at reduced cost under AppleCare if you have it). He was quite emphatic they don't repair water damaged phones, won't even replace the battery.

Rice or silica gel won't cause corrosion and they may help. Rice is probably better than doing nothing. Hair dryers, on the other hand, are bad. The last thing you want to do is blow the water back in the phone. Leave the phone off for four or five days (or even longer). You may get lucky and there won't be much damage. The one time I dropped my iPhone in water, everything came back to life except I got no audible notifications for text tones even though all the other sounds worked.

It's hard to tell the depth of possible water damage without cracking that bad boy open, which I don't recommend if you're still under Apple's limited warranty. You can check to see if the phone is water damaged: Liquid damage to iPhone or iPod isn't covered by warranty - Apple Support. That will show you how to check the liquid indicator. I've had some luck with the rice method but my phone(s) weren't completely submerged in water. With the Apple Store, sometimes they are able to do a same day repair/swap if they have your phone in stock but it will be an out of warranty fee. If you call Apple tech support, you will either have to mail in the phone (and be without it for approx. 5 business days). Call an Apple Store to get more info, they may be able to help you decide what is best.

Your phone is probably toast. If you are on vacation in the US, I am assuming you did not buy it in the US. If you did not you, will not get service on that device in the US but in the country you bought it from. Avail yourself of the out of warranty replacement option. And I hope you have a recent backup.

ApplesAreAwesome wrote:

 

Is there a safe way to open the phone in order to dry it better? I have a little silver key thingy that the Apple Geniuses use.

No, there is no way to safely open the phone. You'll only make it worse. Take the SIM card out (that's what that tool is for) won't hurt but I'm not sure it will make much difference.

You can't judge anything by how long the phone was in the water. I've seen phones that have gone through the washer work fine and phones that were used outside in a heavy fog die completely. Put the phone in some rice or in a warm (not hot) dry area and LEAVE IT OFF for a week. Then, plug it in and let it charge. If it turns on by itself, great. If not, try pressing and holding the home and power buttons. If you can get it to turn on. back it up immediately.

Hopefully, you've been making regular back ups using iCloud so you won't have lost much.

There are some reputable drive recovery companies, such as DriveSavers, that can attempt to recover data. They are quite expensive. I inquired, 10 years or so, about recovering a small external hard drive. I believe the price started at about $2000.

The most important thing I can tell you now is DO NOT turn the phone on or connect it to power until it has a chance to dry. Passing current over wet circuitry (lakes not being made of distilled water) is an almost sure recipe for corrosion.

Well I think it auto backs everything up  I just don't know what it backs up really and when was the last time

 

This will answer the what

About backups in iCloud and iTunes - Apple Support

ApplesAreAwesome wrote:

 

I was talking about companies with technicians who replace certain parts inside your phone to make it work again.

I wouldn't waste my money. Apple doesn't sell parts so any parts such people would use would either be counterfeit or scavenged. But, depending on how much they want and how important the data is to you, your decision might be different than mine.

I've got my fingers crossed for you.

Don't open the packets. Just put them in the bag with the rice and the phone.