Sand, saltwater and your iPhone®

So it happened - you went to the beach… and… your iPhone® went in the ocean. Don’t feel bad, it happens all the time in Hawaii, obviously. Good thing for you, if you can act quickly enough, you can salvage your iPhone and its contents! Below are the three main steps for you to best protect against an iPhone drowned in sand and saltwater.

Good news first: most iPhones are water resistant.

What does that mean exactly? For most working iPhones (iPhone 7 and later), they can survive up to 6 feet underwater for 30 minutes.

(For example, if it falls off a boat while you’re snorkeling and lands on the bottom of the sea, even though its farther than 2 meters, as depth affects pressure creating tension on the water-resisting seals, time is also a factor and the faster you get it dry, the more likely you’ll see limited damage. The IP68 rating details are more like factors for calculation, and real-world results are very different from official lab data.)

If your phone is ultimately broken, don’t worry, you can restore your entire mobile contents to a brand new iPhone within minutes if you’ve followed best practices for backing up your iPhone. Pacifitec is here to help get you set up with a backup plan and support you with all your emergencies.

STEP ONE

The first thing to do with an iPhone that went into the ocean is to rinse it in clean, fresh water to remove the saltwater as well as any sand, seaweed, muck, and debris that can dry and clog any seals including buttons, ports, or cracks in the glass.

STEP TWO

Let your iPhone dry thoroughly in a Ziploc-style sealed bag of uncooked white rice or silica packets. This can take up to a full day. Do NOT microwave, heat, or bake your iPhone in any device as this can be more damaging than the water and release toxic chemicals, if not create an explosion! Do NOT plug it in while it’s wet or drying as you can short the insides and possibly cause a fire. You may try a hairdryer set to low or leave it in front of a fan or air conditioner if you do not have a bag with rice or silica.

STEP THREE

Then, test to see if it still operates as normally, and you may have dodged a disaster. If it doesn’t turn on at all and you’ve tried charging it, then you may have coverage under your AppleCare® policy that can help repair it. If it does operate normally, congratulations! If not, you may need professional assistance.

If you’re busy, on vacation, or need help with any of these steps, Pacifitec offers in-person support as well as concierge-class, white-glove carry-in service to the Apple Store® for authorized repair.