iPhone dropped in water. Data salvagable?

[hallidayny]

Hi - We were on a boat and phone fell in. We can probably retrieve it from the mud, but we think phone part is dead. However, we would like to retrieve data if possible. Any idea if the iPhone uses a detachable card, or shall we say funeral mass instead? thanks so much...

 

[TwinCities Dan]

...We can probably retrieve it from the mud...

Is it still there? How long has it been there!?!

Wipe it off and throw it in a zipper-seal bag of dried rice and try it again in a few days, that's about all you can do for the phone.

You have back-ups on your computer for the data, right?

 

[Jamie0003]

Hi - We were on a boat and phone fell in. We can probably retrieve it from the mud, but we think phone part is dead. However, we would like to retrieve data if possible. Any idea if the iPhone uses a detachable card, or shall we say funeral mass instead? thanks so much...

If it's still there it's probably too late

 

[mrapplegate]

Salt water or fresh?
I would worry more about the salt if that is the case. Rinse in distilled water if salt then try to dry.

http://www.wikihow.com/Save-a-Wet-Cell-Phone
See Salt water reference.

 

[QuarterSwede]

I take it it wasn't backed up?

 

[SaSaSushi]

Salt water or fresh?
I would worry more about the salt if that is the case. Rinse in distilled water if salt then try to dry.

Unless the battery is removed first, the last thing you want to do is pour more water on it. That's a very bad idea.

 

[mrapplegate]

Unless the battery is removed first, the last thing you want to do is pour more water on it. That's a very bad idea.

Yea, I think the article I linked to said to remove the battery first. The salt water reference was in the footnotes.

If your phone falls in the ocean or another form of salt water, rinse it with fresh water before salt crystals can form in the phone after the removal of the battery.

 

[cookiesnfooty]

man I'd cry if I dropped my phone in water, I don't let it go far from me...

 

[SaSaSushi]

My son dropped his previous iPhone 3GS into a pond. I disassembled it, removed the battery and carefully dried all components before reassembling it but it was for naught. It was cooked.

Sadly, if the iPhone was completely submerged and the battery wasn't removed promptly there's a very good chance it, and all of it's data, are gone.