6 Things We Can Do To Save A Water Damaged iPhone

“Hey there! I accidentally spilled water on my iPhone 14 Pro yesterday and it won`t turn on anymore. I was pretty sure I retrieved the phone within 10 seconds, yet it’s not working! Is there a way to save and fix water-damaged iPhone?”

If you’ve ever accidentally dropped your phone in water or drenched it in rain, then you’re not alone. From a split cup of coffee or water to dropping it in pools, bathtubs or toilets, your iPhone can be water-damaged due to various reasons.

With new-generation Apple devices, water exposure isn’t an immediate death sentence for your iPhone as it used to be. But it can still create issues in your iPhone, such as:

• Liquid droplets flowing inside the iPhone screen
• Issues in the charging port or the iPhone won’t charge.
• No audio or ruffled audio.
• Blurry images due to moisture in the camera lens.
• The internal part of the device gets corroded.

While the new iPhones have good water resistant capabilities, this doesn’t mean they are totally immune to water. Being electronic devices, water can seriously damage them.

This article shares several best practices that can help you save a water-damaged iPhone. But first, let’s understand how water resistant your iPhone is.

Is my iPhone water resistant?

The water resistance of the smartphones is rated by the “ingress protection” code, also called IP rating.

This rating includes two number: the first number indicates protection against solids, such as dust, whereas the second demonstrate resistance to liquid, mainly water. For example, the iPhone 12 has a rating of IP68, which means it provides six levels of protection from solid and eight levels of protection from liquid.

There are multiple types of IP ratings, but IP67 and IP68 are mainly applied to iPhones.

• IP67  – A device with this rating can withstand being submerged in up to 1 meter of water for a maximum of 30 minutes
• IP68 – iPhone with an IP68 rating can survive submersion in water up to 2 meters for a maximum of 30 minutes

Here’s the list of last few generation iPhone with their IP rating

• iPhone 15/15 Plus/ 15 Pro/ 15 Pro Max – IP68
• iPhone 14/14 Plus/ 14 Pro/ 14 Pro Max – IP68
• iPhone13/ 13 Mini/ 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max – IP68
• iPhone12/ 12 Mini/ 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max – IP68
• iPhone 11/ 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max – IP68
• iPhone XS/ XS Max – IP68
• iPhone X/XR /8/8 Plus /7 /7 Plus/ SE (2^nd generation) – IP67

What Not to Do?

Most iPhones offer certain level of water resistance, but it doesn’t mean an iPhone dropped in swimming pool or a bucket full of water is immune to any damage. Moreover, not every repair step will help you fix water-damaged iPhone; and some can complicate things further. Before, we start on potential steps to save your water-damaged iPhone, let’s first look at some absolute things that worsen the cause and should be avoided at all costs.

1. Don’t turn on your iPhone

Your iPhone will turn off automatically after being dropped in water. However, you should manually turn it off if it doesn’t turn off. Turn your phone on only if you are sure water or moisture content from the exterior and interior is completely dry. Turning on the water-damaged iPhone might cause water to reach inside the device, causing it to malfunction.

2. Plug it in or Use the Charging Port in Any Way

Moreover, don’t charge your iPhone battery as it can result in an electrical short circuit or even combustion, resulting in a fire. No matter how water resistant the iPhone is, it’s better to not plug it in when wet or water-damaged.

3. Don’t use hot air to blow dry your iPhone

Blow-drying your iPhone with hot air can damage your device further. Hot air may heat your iPhone to an unbearable degree, making it unsuitable for device hardware. Also, avoid using a space heater or furnace sidewall exhaust to dry your iPhone.

Steps You Can Take to Potentially Save Your Water-Damaged iPhone

If you drop your iPhone in water, the following methods can save your iPhone from potential damage.

1. Take it out and turn it off immediately

Remove your iPhone from the water right away. Once retrieved, turn it off immediately. If there is any iPhone cover and screen guard to protect your phone, remove them as they might hold moisture. Use a paper towel or cotton cloth to wipe the iPhone’s exterior.

2. Evacuate the SIM card

After drying the iPhone’s exterior, remove the SIM card tray, if not using an e-SIM. Although SIM cards have a watertight seal, getting them out helps. Use a paper towel to dry the SIM card and the tray.

3. Dry your iPhone

While Apple recommends simply wiping the iPhone dry or tapping excess water out of the ports, we recommend the below-mentioned ways to ensure your iPhone is as dry as possible.

• Place it in a dry place

You need to place the iPhone in a warm and dry place so the water inside the phone can evaporate. Place it in a nearby window with proper sunlight, but do not expose the device to harsh sunlight.

• Place it in uncooked rice

The uncooked rice trick used to be the go-to method to dry any visible liquid in iPhone, as rice absorbs moisture quickly. Place the iPhone in a bag or bowl of rice for a day or two to ensure the water traces inside the phone are absorbed entirely. However, this method is slightly risky, as uncooked rice can push grains and dust in the charging port of your device.

• Dry it with silica gel packets

If the water has seeped into the internal parts of the iPhone, try burying it in a heap of silica gel bags in an airtight container. This helps in absorbing the moisture from the inside of your iPhone. Using silica gel packets is a safer alternative to the uncooked rice method for drying a wet iPhone, as nothing will get clogged in the ports.

• Use a hairdryer (if it has a cool wind setting)

If your hair dryer has a cool wind setting, you can use it to dry wet iPhone. While drying the iPhone, keep the hair dryer in low mode and keep your iPhone at a distance so that air blowing doesn’t cause any damage.

Or, you can keep your iPhone under a cool air fan to dry it.

4. Disassemble the phone and let it air dry

If drying the iPhone via uncooked rice method or silica gel packet doesn’t work, consider dismantling it as your last resort. You can use DIY repair tips to open the device to dry it out or go to any trusted tech expert.

Caution: We wouldn’t recommend dismantling the iPhone using DIY tips as it may worsen the problem.

Dismantle your iPhone carefully, air dry its interior, and assemble it back after a few hours. Also, if the Liquid Contact Indicators inside the iPhone have already detected water damage, opening the phone invalidates your warranty coverage.

5. Check if your warranty is still valid

If all the above efforts fail to fix the iPhone from water damage, you must check if the device’s warranty is still valid. If it is, call your manufacturer and request a repair or replacement. If it is invalid, visit an Apple Genius bar to repair your cell phone.

6. Take the phone to an approved repair shop

The longer you wait to take your iPhone to an Apple Genius bar, the more damage it incurs. If you cannot dry the wet iPhone by following the manual methods mentioned above, rush to an Apple Genius bar to get it repaired and minimize the chances of further damage.

How To Find Out If Your iPhone Has Water Damage?

Liquid Contact Indicator, or LCI, is the new way to determine whether or not your iPhone is exposed to water damage. An LCI is generally of white or silver color; however, when it comes in contact with water or other liquid, it turns red.

See the table to learn where the indicators are planted in your respective iPhone, depending upon its model.

How To Recover Data From Water-Damaged iPhone?

Once you have powered on your water-damaged iPhone after drying, it is possible to recover data from it. There are two ways to recover lost data from water-damaged iPhones: backup services or professional iPhone data recovery software .

Let’s see various scenarios where you can recover data from a water-damaged iPhone:

iPhone won’t turn on

If your iPhone won’t turn on even after drying the wet iPhone using the tips mentioned above, it has short-circuited or water has eroded some of its internal components. In such a situation, use any backup service to recover your iPhone data.

If you have enabled iCloud backup on your iPhone, you can easily restore your data. You can visit the official iCloud website and log into your account to save the lost data on your computer. Or, set up your new iPhone using the existing iCloud credentials to restore the data of your previous iPhone.

iPhone starts but data is lost

If you turn your iPhone back on again, but its data is lost, try setting up your phone with existing iCloud account to recover the data. However, if you haven’t enabled iCloud backup, it is recommended that you use reliable iPhone data recovery software like Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone. This software recovers deleted/lost photos, videos, audio, messages, voice memos, calendars etc. from iPhone, iPad, iTunes, and iCloud backup files.

The software supports recovery in all data loss scenarios like water-damaged devices, accidental deletion, failed iOS updates, iPhone stuck in recovery mode, etc. This iPhone recovery software is compatible with all variants of iPad and iPhone, including the series of iPhone 15/14/13/12/11 and below.

Conclusion

We hope you fix the water-damaged iPhone after following the above suggestion. However, it would be best if you were extra careful to protect your iPhone from any type of water damage. Here are some best practices you must follow:

• Use a waterproof case to provide an additional layer of protection to your iPhone against water.
• Keep your iPhone away from sinks, bathrooms, toilets, etc.
• Be mindful in rainy conditions, and put your phone in a waterproof bag or safe pocket.
• Refrain from touching your iPhone with wet hands.
• Take regular data backups, as it is handy in data loss situations.

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FAQs

What do I do if my iPhone speaker doesn’t work after falling into water?

If there is water in your iPhone speaker, it may not work. In such a situation, try drying your iPhone and turning it on to take a backup of your data before testing the speaker. You can even visit Apple Genius Bar to get the help of a tech expert to fix your iPhone.

How to Reset iPhone without Losing Data?

Summary: Sometimes, resetting an iPhone is essential to fix minor issues like iPhone crashing, freezing, or getting stuck at the Apple logo. But the iPhone reset process can delete important data and settings on your device. Read this post to learn smart ways to reset your iPhone without data loss. Moreover, you can also download this quick tool to reset your iPhone without losing data.

“Yesterday, my iPhone stopped working suddenly. I have been trying multiple ways to fix it since then; even tried the force reboot method. Should I simply reset my iPhone? How do I do it without losing my device data?”

Resetting an iPhone can sometimes become a necessity, whether due to sudden freezing up of your device, software glitches, or slow performance. Often, when your iPhone gets stuck on the Apple logo or suddenly crashes, you can reset your iPhone to fix this minor issue.

A factory reset is also necessary if you want to sell your iPhone and want to start fresh. When resetting your iPhone, it will become an empty slate with no pictures, contacts, videos, downloaded applications, playlists, or anything else. An iPhone reset restores your iPhone to its initial configuration and original factory settings.

However, be careful with this method as resetting your iPhone deletes all files & settings on the device.  For those looking to reset iPhone without losing their precious data, this blog is the answer. Let’s read on to find some simple ways to do so while keeping our data intact.

How to reset your iPhone without Losing Data?

Before starting, it’s crucial to back up your iPhone data to avoid losing important files and folders. You can back up your iPhone using iCloud, iTunes, or Finder on Mac or PC.

Next, follow the step-by-step instructions on resetting an iPhone using iPhone Settings, iPhone erasure software, and iTunes.

Method 1: Reset iPhone Without Losing Data via Settings

To reset iPhone without losing data, you need to use the ‘Reset’ feature in your iPhone. This feature has different options on how you would like to reset- whether through the ‘Reset All Settings’ or the ‘Reset Network Settings’ option.

The Reset All Settings option will remove or reset privacy settings, keyword dictionary, location settings, etc., to default. At the same time, Reset Network Settings will remove previously used networks and VPN settings. Resetting the Network Settings will turn off the cellular data roaming and remove previously used Wi-Fi settings of your iPhone.

Moreover, no data or media is deleted from iPhone when choosing the Reset All Settings or Reset Network Settings option.

Steps to Reset iPhone Using the ‘Reset All Settings’ option

• On the iPhone, navigate to Settings > General.
• Tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone.
• Click Reset options.

• Next, click the Reset All Settings option.
• Then enter the iPhone passcode.
• Now, click Reset All Settings. This process will take a couple of minutes to reset the privacy settings, keyword dictionary, location settings to default, but will keep the rest of your data fully secure.

Method 2: Reset iPhone via Stellar Toolkit for iPhone Tool

Sometimes, the ‘Reset All Settings’ option doesn’t solve your iPhone issue. In such a case, try resetting the iPhone with the help of trusted software. Stellar Toolkit for iPhone  is a secure and professional tool that can help you reset your iPhone to fix various iOS issues without losing data.

Also, you can also use Stellar Toolkit for iPhone to fix iOS related issues like- iPhone crashing, stuck at the Apple logo, etc.

This tool’s ‘Repair iPhone’ feature will first download the fresh copy of the iOS version present in your device from the official website. Then it will install the freshly downloaded iOS version on your iPhone after removing the existing one from your device. The software will reset your iPhone, making it seem new without removing or deleting your data.

Stellar Toolkit for iPhone is compatible with the latest iPhone 14, 13, 12, and below series and even all iPad versions, such as iPad Air, iPad Mini, and others.

 

Step-by-Step: How to reset iPhone with Stellar Toolkit for iPhone:

Step 1: Download Stellar Toolkit for iPhone on your Mac or Windows PC and connect your iPhone to the system using a USB cable.

Step 2:  Select Repair iPhone module from the launch screen of the software.

Step 3: On the Repair iPhone screen, click the Next button.

Step 4: Click on the iPhone icon.

Step 5: Click the Download button to download the latest iOS or iPadOS version of the firmware file. If you have already downloaded the firmware before, select Import.

Step 6: After downloading the firmware file, click the Repair button to start repairing.

Step 7: Once you receive the message —The repairing process of the selected iOS device is completed, click OK.

Restart your iPhone to see if the iOS issues are resolved.

Method 3: Reset iPhone Without Losing Data via Recovery Mode

To reset your iPhone, you can use iTunes or Finder app. You need to use Mac or Windows PC to access the recovery mode of your iPhone and reset the device. This method will erase all your device data, so take a backup of your iPhone before proceeding.

Steps to reset iPhone via Recovery

• Open iTunes on your Mac or Windows system.
• Connect your iPhone to the computer and then put your iPhone into Recovery Mode .
• Once your device has entered the Recovery Mode, a message ‘you’re in Recovery Mode’ will pop up. Click OK.

• Click on your iPhone when it appears in iTunes, then click Summary.
• Now, select the “Restore iPhone” option on the right pane.

• Click Restore to confirm. It might take a while for your iPhone to reset; don’t disconnect your device from the computer until the reset process is completed.

• Once the restore process is complete, set up your iPhone as new or restore it from a backup.

Conclusion

You can factory reset your iPhone without fearing data loss by trying different methods mentioned in this blog. Reset All Settings/ Reset Network Settings feature of iPhone can reset your device; however, it may not always work. You can even use iTunes to reset your iPhone, but you will lose all your device data.

Or use the ‘Repair iPhone’ feature of Stellar Toolkit for iPhone software to permanently reset your iPhone without losing data. This tool can repair iOS issues like iPhone crashing, Black Screen of Death, and iPhone stuck at the Apple logo.

Download the free trial version to evaluate the features of the software.

 

FAQs

How to remotely erase iPhone data?

If your iPhone is lost or stolen, you can protect your iPhone data from misuse by remotely erasing its data using the iCloud website.

How to restore or set up your iPhone after reset?

Use an iCloud backup to restore your iPhone after a factory reset.

How to fix ‘Unable to load Video: An Error Occurred’

Summary: Are you facing ‘unable to load video’ error message while trying to play videos on iPhone or iPad? No worries. This post guides you how to fix the error and watch your videos on the iOS device without any issue.

‘I am frequently facing ‘unable to load video’ error message ever since iOS 16 update. Its annoying as I cannot watch videos on iPhone. How to fix the issue?’

‘Since I upgraded to iPhone14 Pro from iPhone 11, I have problem playing a few videos. It states ‘error loading video’. I even bought more iCloud storage but no luck. Please help.’

Videos not loading on iPhone or show ‘Unable to load video, an error occurred’ message is a persistent issue faced by iPhone users, even after successive iOS upgrades, irrespective of the iPhone model.

As the annoying error stops you from watching your favorite videos on iPhone, you want to fix it soon. But before that its’ important to understand what could be the cause of this ‘unable to load video’ error, to troubleshoot the problem accordingly.

Why iPhone shows unable to load videos error?

There is no single reason for video loading error. Usually, videos saved in iCloud would display unable to load error on iPhone, if the Internet is off or you have slow connection.

Another common reason behind videos not loading on iPhone is that the ‘optimize storage’ option is enabled on your iOS device. Apple offers this feature to save space on your iOS device and stores the full resolution videos to iCloud. However, this often results in the video loading problem on the device.

Its’ also possible that your iPhone has insufficient space, which prevents videos from loading. There could also be a bug that can be fixed with iPhone update.

Right 9 ways to Fix ‘Unable to load Video, an error occurred’ on iPhone, iPad

Method 1: Restart iPhone

Restart, also called soft reset can fix error in loading video on iPhone or iPad. Close all the applications and restart your iPhone or iPad.

Method 2: Turn on Internet of the iOS device

If you are watching YouTube, Netflix, or other online videos, ensure cellular data of your device is turned on. In case you are facing the error ‘unable to load video: an error occurred’ while loading a higher quality version of the video on iPhone, try by switching to uninterrupted Wi-Fi connection. Note that high speed Internet is necessary for streaming videos on iOS device.

Method 3: Update your iOS device

You can update the device to fix ‘unable to load video’ error on iPhone or iPad. To update your iPhone or iPad follow the given steps. Before that make sure Wi-Fi is turned on.

• Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
• Click Download and Install followed by Install Now.

Method 4: Turn off the Optimize Storage option

When ‘optimize storage’ option is enabled on your iOS device, all the full-resolution high quality videos and photos get saved in iCloud while only the compressed space-saving versions are on your iPhone.

Thus, when you try to open a video on the iOS device, it takes time eventually to load it from iCloud. While sometimes, the video may not load at all. Try to fix unable to load video on iPhone by turning off this feature. Here are steps to disable optimize storage’ option:

• Open Settings. Click on your name.
• Tap on iCloud > Photos.
• Below Optimize iPhone Storage, tap on Download and Keep Originals option.

Figure: Disable Optimise iPhone Storage Option

Wait until the iPhone downloads all the videos from iCloud. You should now be able to open videos without loading error.

Method 5: Update the app that shows video load error on iPhone

If the video loading issue error pops up in a particular app like YouTube, Instagram, then update the application. If the update doesn’t help, you can reinstall the app also. This should fix videos not loading error or buffering issues. App update are available in App Store. To update any iPhone app follow the given steps:

• Open the App Store.
• Now click on your profile icon on top.

Figure: Update app in App Store

• Scroll to find your app and click on the Update button next to it. You can also click on Update All on top.

Method 6: Create free space on your iPhone

High quality videos may not load and show error if there is no space on your iPhone. Check your iOS device, if it has enough free space. Its’ essential to have 2GB free space available in the device to play high quality and large size videos.

You can check the available space on your iPhone or iPad by navigating to: Settings > General > iPhone Storage.

Figure: iPhone storage screen

On the top right, you will see the amount of space used on your iOS device. If the space is less, remove the useless videos, photos, apps and other data on your iPhone or iPad.

Method 7: Access video from iCloud.com

If the videos don’t load on iPhone and show error, try to access them via iCloud.com on your computer by following the below steps:

• Open iCloud.com and enter Apple ID credentials to sign in.
• Click on the Photos or iCloud Drive app where the video is saved.
• Find your video and click on it to open.

There’s also the options in icloud.com to share the video via email or download to save it on your computer.

Method 8: Repair video not loading on iPhone

If you face ‘unable to load video’ an error occurred in Camera Roll videos of iPhone, the file may have corrupted.

Copy or transfer the problem video to your PC or Mac. Download and install a video repair software—Stellar Repair for Video . It can fix file corruption in the error throwing iPhone video. The software is compatible with MP4, MOV, HEVC, video files formats used in iPhone and iPad.

The software also offers a free trail wherein you can repair the corrupt video and watch its preview.

Method 9: Restore iPhone to factory settings

If ‘unable to load video’ error is perpetual on your iPhone or iPad, in spite of trying the above methods, then factory reset can be your last bet.

As all know, factory reset will delete everything on your iOS device , make sure you create the latest backup of the iPhone in iCloud or iTunes.

Follow the below steps to factory reset iPhone and fix unable to load video error:

• Open Settings > General > Reset.
• Click on Erase All Content and Settings.
• Enter Apple passcode. Click on Erase iPhone and follow the prompts.

Now check if the video error problem is resolved or not.

Wrapping Up & FAQ

Usually one of the methods shared in this post fixes the error – ‘unable to load video‘, an error occurred’ on iPhone. However, unfortunately if none works and you cannot play videos on iPhone, contact Apple support .

FAQ

1. Why does my iPhone say ‘an error occurred while loading a higher quality version of this photo’?

High quality photos/videos require more storage space to open. Less free storage is one of the for the media file loading error.

Hence, delete some useless photos, videos, or apps to free up space. Now you can open the high quality photo/video smoothly without any error.

2. Why my iPhone videos not playing on PC?

Your iPhone videos may not play on Windows PC due to many reasons— the media player doesn’t support videos file format; virus in your PC; or the video has turned corrupt during transfer. However, you can fix the problem and play iPhone videos on Windows .

3. Why I cannot view my video in icloud.com?

In iCloud.com, select the Photos app and click Photos. In the side bar, you will see the thumbnails of all your photos and videos. Find your video and click on it to view.

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How to Recover Lost Data from iTunes Backup File?

If you have lost iPhone data and are unable to restore it from the iTunes backup file, use Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone. The software quickly recovers lost or deleted iPhone data from iTunes.

Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone is the best iPhone data recovery tool to recover data from iTunes backup files. The tool uses a sophisticated algorithm, which scans through the entire backup file to recover data. You can easily restore saved iOS data like Messages, Call History, Calendar, Notes, etc., from the backup file.

Note: Make sure your Mac or PC is updated and you are using the latest version of iTunes.

Follow the below steps to recover lost data from iTunes backup file:

1. Launch ‘Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone’ tool on your computer.

    Figure: Home screen of Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone

2. Click ‘Recover iTunes Backup’ option on the left. The software scans the system for iTunes backup files and lists them along with the date of creation.

3. Select an iTunes backup from which you want to restore data.

  4. On the left pane, click on the type of data that you want to recover. You can restore Camera Roll, Photo Stream, Contacts, Messages, Message Attachments, Call history, Calendar, Reminder, Voice Memo, Notes, Notes Attachments, Safari Bookmarks, WhatsApp, WhatsApp Attachments, Line, Kik Viber, Tango, WeChat, and Apps Library.  

The software lets you preview, select, recover, and also search for specific photos, videos, messages, and other data.

5. Select what you want to recover and click on Save. Select a destination to save the iPhone data.