Today’s latest Apple iPhone handsets certainly don’t come cheap, but more often than not, iPhones will end up broken or damaged. The most common complaint is a scratched or smashed screen, which doesn’t always necessarily mean that your iPhone will be unusable. On the other hand, the second most common issue of water damage can lead to more serious problems and could end with you shelling out for a replacement. Although Apple have been taking steps to make their newer handsets more splash-resistant, this doesn’t mean that your iPhone 7, 7s, 8 or X can survive a swim. Here’s what to do if you submerge your iPhone in water down the toilet, in the bath, a swimming pool, or somewhere else.

#1. Act Fast:

The first thing that you’ll need to do is get your iPhone out of the water and away from it into a dry place. Firstly, use a dry cloth to dab at any visible liquid and dry the exterior of your iPhone. By now, you’ve probably already tried turning it on and have assessed the damage caused. You may have already heard that getting your iPhone into dry rice overnight can help – this trick really works by helping to soak up any excess moisture – even from the inside of the handset where you can’t see it. Leave your iPhone to dry out for at least twelve hours, and leave it switched off for the duration.

#2. Are You Insured?

It’s worth checking if your smartphone contract includes insurance, or if you’re entitled to mobile handset insurance cover as part of your bank account package, for example. If you have contents insurance at your home, this may also cover repairs to water damage of smartphones and other gadgets. Even if you don’t pay for a dedicated insurance cover plan for your smartphone, this doesn’t mean that you are not covered. Ask around – your partner, relative or friend may have a smartphone insurance plan that you can take advantage of.

#3. Getting the Data Back:

If your smartphone has been submerged for too long to be repairable, it’s time to think about any data that you’ve lost as a result of damaging the smartphone. The good news is that your precious photographs, videos, and chat histories don’t need to be gone forever. If you use iCloud and have regularly backed up your smartphone until now, you’ll be glad to hear that everything is easily recoverable by simply logging in on a different device. However, getting your files back will be trickier if you haven’t backed them up. Contact Secure Data Recovery for help.

#4. Protecting Your Smartphone in Future:

Whether you’ve managed to repair your current smartphone or are replacing it with a brand new one, one thing’s for sure – you won’t want to go through this again in a hurry! There are several measures that you can take to help protect your phone from water damage – for example, use a waterproof case, and get it insured.

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