I dropped my iPhone 15 Pro in lake water and recovered it after roughly 40–50 seconds. It wasn't very deep, and the phone initially seemed normal—I could even take a few photos. Later, it began rebooting after showing the Apple logo, and the touchscreen stopped responding. After about eight hours, it stayed powered on, but the display still didn't accept touch input, and the Camera button on the lock screen appeared greyed out.
I haven't charged it or connected it to anything, though I did turn it on several times before realizing that might make the damage worse. The photos I took today are important and haven't synced to iCloud yet.
Could this be limited to the display or touch layer, or is logic-board damage more likely? Is there a realistic way to repair the original phone while preserving its data and recovering the unsynced photos? Should I contact Apple, or find a reputable repair shop that performs board-level water-damage repairs?
3 Answers
For the best chance of recovering those photos, take it as soon as possible to a reputable shop that has experience with liquid damage and board-level microsoldering. Explain clearly that data preservation is the priority and that they should not erase, replace, or restore the phone. Apple may be able to diagnose it, but liquid damage commonly leads to a replacement rather than a repair that preserves the original device and its data.
Stop turning it on and don’t connect a charger or cable. Water resistance is only a rating under specific conditions, and it can be compromised by drops, cracks, worn seals, or prior repairs. The phone appearing to work at first doesn’t mean the inside is safe; powering it while moisture is present can cause corrosion or short circuits. Don’t use rice either—it won’t properly dry the internals and can put debris in the ports.
The symptoms could come from a damaged display or touch circuitry, but the repeated shutdowns and the water exposure also make corrosion or logic-board damage possible. A screen replacement might solve it if the board is fine, but there’s no reliable way to tell without opening and inspecting the phone. Since lake water still contains minerals and contaminants, prompt professional cleaning and diagnosis give you a better chance than waiting for it to dry on its own.
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