I accidentally dropped my Poco M7 Pro into water. It was submerged for less than a second, but the display immediately started behaving strangely, so I powered it off as quickly as I could. After leaving it to dry for 24 hours, I turned it on to check it. Everything seemed normal for about 20–30 seconds, then the touchscreen began acting erratically and the screen became unusually bright, so I shut it down again. Should I leave it powered off and let it dry longer? Is there a realistic chance it will recover, or has the delayed screen problem probably caused permanent damage?
2 Answers
Keep it completely powered off for now. Even when the outside feels dry, moisture can remain inside and cause a short circuit when the phone is running. If you’re not comfortable opening the phone, avoid forcing the back cover off or applying heat yourself. Leave it in a warm, dry, well-ventilated place for longer, but drying alone may not remove residue or prevent corrosion. A repair shop can disconnect the battery and inspect or clean the internals safely.
Don’t turn it on again just to test it. The fact that it worked normally for 20–30 seconds isn’t necessarily a good sign; remaining moisture can cause problems only after the phone has been powered for a while. Keep it off and get it professionally opened as soon as practical. The phone might recover, but the screen behavior suggests moisture has already reached an internal component, so there’s no guarantee.
I’ll leave it off for another day, but I’m unsure whether the brief period of normal operation means it has a chance or is just a typical symptom of water damage.
Unfortunately, this model needs heat to remove the back, and I don’t trust myself to take it apart. Would simply leaving it off to dry longer be enough?