Can static electricity damage iPhone

Question

Level 1

27 points

Can static electricity damage iPhone

So, I've got "shocked" a few times when I touched my iPhone's home button (the metal ring around it) and I'm pretty sure that's static electricity there. Can it cause any damage to my iPhone? I'm worried if it could... One time it was quite noticeable, like I really felt the shock, but sometimes it's just a weird, little pinch or something like that. I've also got "shocked" by other stuff that has metal on it, so I'm pretty sure that it's not my iPhone that gives me those electric shocks.

Sorry for my English, if you don't understand I'll try to explain again!

iPhone 6, iOS 10.2

Posted on Jan 22, 2017 5:51 AM

Reply

Answer 1

wondering_99 Author

Level 1

27 points

Jan 22, 2017 9:11 AM in response to Chris CA

Hmm, okay... The annoying thing is, that we can't avoid static electricity... It's good to know that it's really unlikely to happen, but it enough annoying to know that there's a possibility.

If something happened to my iPhone caused by the static electricity shock, would the consequences be noticeable right? Would my iPhone act strange immediately, or after a week/month/6 months/ a year...?

By the way, thank you Chris CA for a really quick answer! 🙂

Reply

Answer 2

wondering_99 Author

Level 1

27 points

Jan 22, 2017 6:49 AM in response to Chris CA

Really? I found this just after I posted my question:

Can iPhones break by static electricity?

According to that discussion, static electricity can't break iPhone or cause it any damage if you use your iPhone normally.

Reply

Answer 3

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Jan 22, 2017 6:11 AM in response to wondering_99

Yes, it is possible for static to damage an iPhone.

You cannot even feel a static discharge until it’s ~4,000 volts.

Reply

Answer 4

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Jan 22, 2017 9:01 AM in response to wondering_99

It is extremely unlikely (but still possible given the right circumstance).

I doubt it had happened to more than a handful of the 10's of millions of iPhones.

Reply

Answer 5

Jan 22, 2017 9:14 AM in response to wondering_99

Any damage, however unlikely, would be immediate. If this is a common problem touch the case before the HOME button, as a discharge on the case would not hurt the phone.

Reply