Can a Water-Damaged Phone Be Saved?
Water and electronics don’t mix. Fast action does. We restore phones when possible. We don’t do standalone data recovery.
Power off now. Don’t charge. Don’t press buttons.
Stand the phone upright, port facing down, let liquid escape. Gentle airflow only.
Bring it in within 24 hours for internal cleaning and corrosion control.
We focus on restoring the phone. If the device can’t be revived, we can’t recover data here.
Samsung’s “Moisture Detected” alert blocks charging by design. Bowl-of-rice is a myth.
Before you bring it in — quick checks
- Screen behaviour: half the image, flicker, lines, then black — classic liquid symptoms.
- Cameras: fog or droplets inside the rear or front lens module.
- Charging: Samsung shows Moisture Detected and refuses to charge — that’s normal safety.
- Sound: muffled speaker or quiet mic after exposure.
- Battery: sudden drain or won’t power after a short time.
Avoid hairdryers, ovens, or compressed air. Avoid repeated power-on attempts. Skip the rice.
Yes — we attempt liquid-damage restoration (when it’s worth it)
- Inspection & corrosion control: board, connectors, cameras, charge port.
- Ultrasonic cleaning: flux-assisted wash, rinse, dry, microscope review.
- Parts replacement as needed: display assemblies, batteries, charge ports, speakers, cameras.
- IP rating reality check: IP67/68 helps in labs; salt, soap, heat, and age defeat seals.
Data policy: We don’t provide data-only recovery. If the phone can’t be revived, data recovery requires a specialist lab.
Diagnosis & restoration — how we handle liquid damage
1
Safety & power isolation
(no charging)
(no charging)
- Power down, remove case and SIM tray, document symptoms.
- Open the device; isolate battery and power rails.
- Map corrosion points around the charge port, display, and camera connectors.
If the phone arrived after attempts to charge, success rates drop due to shorts around PMIC and USB-C lines.
2
Board clean & de-oxidation
(ultrasonic)
(ultrasonic)
- Flux-assist corrosion removal; ultrasonic bath and rinse.
- Drying cycle and microscope inspection under shields where needed.
- Connector and camera cavity de-fog; replace gaskets if required.
Goal: stop ongoing corrosion and restore stable power/boot.
3
Parts replacement
(as needed)
(as needed)
- Display assembly if lines/flicker persist or backlight rails damaged.
- Battery if IR drop or swelling detected.
- Charge port if pins corroded or moisture sensor tripped repeatedly.
4
Verification & pickup
(stress tests)
(stress tests)
- Thermal soak and repeated charge/discharge cycles.
- Camera de-fog check, speakers/mics, and wireless charging (if supported).
- Final quote and sign-off before reassembly and pickup.
Liquid damage carries no warranty on board-level effects. Replaced parts follow our standard policy (e.g., screen 6 months; battery/charge port 3 months).
What to expect
- Fresh water + fast power-off → best odds. Salt/sugar/soapy liquids reduce success.
- If it was charged while wet, mainboard failure risk rises.
- IP ratings help in labs only; seals age after drops and previous repairs.
- We’ll advise if repair is uneconomical and discuss options.
What we tell customers
“Power it off and bring it in. We’ll isolate power, clean the board, and replace any failed parts.
We don’t provide data-only recovery — if the phone can’t be revived, a specialist lab is required.
Replaced parts follow our standard warranty; liquid damage on logic boards does not carry warranty.”
We don’t provide data-only recovery — if the phone can’t be revived, a specialist lab is required.
Replaced parts follow our standard warranty; liquid damage on logic boards does not carry warranty.”
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Two stores: Christchurch & Auckland (Westgate). Walk in or book online.