Note: None of this is a guarantee that you can rescue your phone. For some of you, any of these actions might be too late. But if there’s a chance, here’s what the experts say you should do.

1. Remove your phone from the water as soon as possible. If it hasn’t turned off, carefully power it down and make sure it is unplugged. Try not to wake it from sleep mode when you power down, as that may cause circuit board damage.
   
   
2. Do NOT turn on your phone. Not to test it, and not until you’re 100% sure your phone is completely dry.
   
   
3. If the battery is removable, take it out and dry it off.

   If it’s not removable, follow steps 4 and 5 then take it to a phone specialist.

4. Take off the phone cover and dry the outside and inside (if you can open your phone) with a cloth or paper towel to dry the external components.
   
   
5. Put it inside a large 2 quart sealed container filled with a moisture absorbing substance for a day to a week depending on your location and humidity:

   • Rice (the instant kind) – the worst but workable option for absorption.
     
     
   • Silica Gel – found in new products or grocery items like beef jerky. You can also order them online.
     
     
   • Crystal Cat Litter – must be blue or clear crystals. This is NOT clay, clumping, or biodegradable litter.
     
   • Prevent dust by making sure to sift the dust out of the litter or rice before you place it in the air-tight container or bag.
   • A vacuum seal will help draw the moisture out of the internal components.
     
     

6. If you try to use a hair dryer, do not use any heated setting as that can cause damage. Use the cool setting only. The hair dryer works best for external wetness, but not internal moisture.

   • You can also simply leave the phone to air-dry for a week without touching it, or place it in front of a fan, depending on the humidity in your home. Works best in dry, arid environments.
     
     

Waterlog Prevention & Post-Care

• Waterproof cases are an option to prevent future phone swimming.
  
  
• Always test waterproof bags with the testing cards or paper before placing your phone inside.
  
  
• Keep your phone away from toilets, if possible – there’s a 19% chance you’ll drop it into the toilet at least once.
  
  
• A swim in the water voids your phone’s warranty. Phones have a water indicator that changes color and tells a manufacturer it’s been dunked.
  
  
• Your phone could still have problems due to corrosion from water or chemicals in the water, so expect your phone’s life to be shorter.
  
  

Think about going full waterproof for your phone. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are IP67, which means they can survive submersion in 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes.