Oh so sorry that you dropped water on your tablet! Did you get a mini-heart attack when your beloved tablet decides to go for a swim? Yeah, I’ve been there too.
While I all love a good beach day or a coffee-shop work session, our tablets don’t exactly share the sentiment when it comes to water.
But fear not, I’ve got you covered with a comprehensive survival guide for your waterlogged device. Quick hint: grab a towel (and maybe a bowl of rice), and let’s get started!
So You’ve Got a Soggy Tablet?
First off, don’t panic! Your tablet might not be ready for the digital graveyard yet. While I can’t guarantee a 100% success rate (because, let’s face it, water and electronics are mortal enemies), following these steps could give your tablet a fighting chance.
Dry It Off, Quickly!
Water is a sneak, seeping into tiny cracks and crevices faster than you think. The first step in our tablet-saving regimen is to dry your device off completely. But remember, do this while it’s still turned on! This helps you gauge whether the primary functions are still working.
If your device is working like a charm and there’s no moisture in sight, give yourself a high five, let it rest a few hours, and voila! If not, keep reading, you’re in for some more fun.
Turn Your Tablet Off
If there’s even a tiny droplet inside your device, turn it off immediately. Why, you ask? Because water and live electronics are a recipe for short circuits. Think of it as a timeout for your tablet while you get ready for the next step.
Clean Your Ports
Your headphone jack, SIM tool (if your tablet has one), volume rockers, home button, and any other physical port or opening are where moisture can collect and damage your device. Therefore, cleaning them as quickly as possible is of utmost importance.
In order to do so, we recommend picking up a dry Q-tip and gently rolling it in areas where your hands or fingers can’t reach. After a few tries, you should have cleaned up your ports pretty well. If your ports were affected by water damage, you can turn your tablet on at this stage and try charging it.
If your tablet starts charging, well and good! If it displays a water warning, you’ll have to proceed to the next steps like the rest of us. Sucks.
Its Rice Time
You’re probably thinking, “Wait, rice? I thought this was a tech blog, not a cooking channel!” Well, dear readers, rice has an exceptional talent for absorbing moisture, making it a valuable ally in our war against water damage.
Submerge your tablet in a tray filled with uncooked rice and park it near a fan or an A/C. After a good 24-hour rice bath, your tablet might just be ready for action!
Use Alcohol
Pure isopropyl alcohol (99%) alongside other alcohols has the property of displacing water when present near it. Isopropyl alcohol does not harm your device, unlike water. Therefore, you can gently pat your entire device with isopropyl alcohol, wait for it to dry off, and you should see some positive results.
Back Up Time
If all of this fails and your device still is not able to boot up, that means that you’ll probably have to give up or take it to a certified technician for them to try their fair share of fixes. Before you do that though, we recommend checking whether your tablet still is able to connect to your PC.
If it is able to do so, backing up your files and making sure you have the latest copy of them should be of utmost importance. You can use iTunes for iOS and Google Drive for Android to make sure that happens.
Head To A Repair Technician
Most repair technicians tend to not cater to water damage unless they’re absolutely sure they can fix it. This is generally because a tablet that has been soaked in water for too long is a lost cause since all the electronics short circuit or rust.
However, if your device still has parts that are dry, they can be salvaged. For instance, if your storage module or camera is intact, valuable information or parts can be extracted which can then be salvaged for parts.
In essence, even if you feel like there is no hope for your device after it is wet, we still recommend taking it to a local repair technician to hear their second thoughts.
FAQ
What Happens When A Tablet Gets Wet?
When a tablet gets wet, it can immediately short out its circuits or give you a slight shock as well. As the water starts further reeking in, it can damage most of the electronics present to an unfathomable scale. Therefore, it is recommended to act fast and to make sure you get as much water out as possible.
Can Electronics Still Work After Getting Wet?
Yes, electronics can still work if they are wet given that they are dried off before you turn them off again. This is because water can only harm your device when electricity flows through it. If the device itself is turned off, there is no way water can affect the device.
How Do You Know If Your Tablet Has Water Damage?
If a part of your tablet has suddenly stopped working after being wet, there is discoloration or moisture found under the screen, blurriness, fuzziness, a crackled speaker / microphone, or an indicator on your device, chances are that your tablet has water damage.
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Ernests is passionate about technology and its potential to enhance productivity. They are dedicated to sharing their knowledge and insights with blog readers. As a user of iPad Pro, iPhone, MacBook, and Apple Watch, Ernests possesses expertise in these devices and strives to create informative content focused on these topics.