Symptoms
- Touch stops working fully or partially after exposure to water
- Screen may show discoloration or moisture under the glass
- Ghost touches or erratic behavior
- Phone may otherwise power on normally
Likely causes
- CommonSurface water confusing the capacitive touch sensorA thin film of water on the glass can mimic or block finger touches.
- PossibleMoisture that got past seals into the display connectorWater reaching internal contacts can cause shorts or erratic signals.
- PossibleCorrosion from water that dried without being cleanedMineral residue left behind can cause lasting connection problems.
What to do
- Power off the phone as soon as possible if it's still wet, to reduce the risk of a short.
- Dry the outside thoroughly with a towel, including the charging port and speaker openings.
- Do not charge the phone or plug in any cable while it's wet or drying.
- Place the phone in a dry, room-temperature spot with good airflow for at least 24–48 hours before powering on.
- Avoid rice, which doesn't dry phones effectively and can leave dust inside; use silica gel packets if available.
- After drying fully, power on and test touch response.
- If touch is still erratic after drying, professional cleaning of internal corrosion may be needed.
Tools and parts
- Towel
- Silica gel packets (optional)
When to call a pro
See a repair shop if touch stays unresponsive after a full drying period, or if the phone won't power on at all.
Safety
Use caution
Never charge or power on a phone you suspect has water inside until it has fully dried, to avoid an electrical short.