What to Do If Your Screen Flickers After Water Damage: Latest Solutions

Why Do Waterproof Cell Phones Still Malfunction When Dropped in Water?

Many cell phones are marketed as having some level of water resistance, but water resistance does not mean they are completely impervious to water. A smartphone’s water resistance typically only works under specific conditions. When the phone is subjected to high water pressure, prolonged immersion, or when the waterproof gaskets lose their seal due to aging, drops, or disassembly for repairs, water may still enter the phone through the edges of the screen, the earpiece, the charging port, or other gaps. Therefore, even water-resistant phones may experience screen malfunctions, touchscreen failures, or other hardware issues after being dropped into water.

How to Fix a Flickering Screen After Water Damage

If your phone’s screen starts flickering after it gets wet, stop using it immediately and avoid repeatedly turning it on or charging it. Next, depending on the extent of the water damage, you can try vacuum drying, disassembling the phone for cleaning, or using a dry environment to absorb any remaining moisture.

Vacuum Pump Method

First, completely disassemble the phone, remove the SIM card and SD card, and if the phone has a Qi wireless charging module, remove that as well.

Next, prepare a vacuum container, or make one yourself. Any container with a lid that can be sealed will work.

Then, prepare a vacuum pump.

You can use a vacuum pump such as:

Mityvac Vacuum Pump

A vacuum pump of this type.

Take the hose barb that comes with the vacuum pump, then punch or drill a hole in the container lid.

Install the hose barb into this hole, then apply adhesive around the barb to seal it. You can use rubber cement, Monster Glue, or any other adhesive capable of creating a seal; the key is to ensure there are no air leaks.

When installing it, position the pointed end of the barb toward the outside of the container to facilitate connection to the vacuum pump.

Next, place the disassembled phone components inside the container, screw the lid on tightly, and seal it securely.

Connect the vacuum pump, reduce the pressure to approximately 26 inHg, and maintain this pressure for at least 3 hours.

The longer the better; ideally, leave it overnight.

If moisture has already penetrated beneath the screen’s laminate, it may take longer to completely remove all the water.

Following this method, if the phone’s internal electronic components haven’t been damaged by water exposure or powering on, the phone may return to normal operation once all internal moisture has been completely removed.

If the electronic components have already been damaged, simply removing the moisture will not repair the damaged parts.

The purpose of this method is to avoid powering on the phone again until it is completely dry and to use the vacuum environment to remove as much moisture as possible from the phone’s interior and the space behind the screen.

Disassembling and Cleaning a Phone After Exposure to Seawater

If the phone has been submerged in seawater, simply letting it air dry is usually not enough, as salt residue may remain even after the seawater has dried. You can disassemble the phone to clean the areas where water entered, the connectors, and related components, removing any residual seawater and salt. If you have experience disassembling phones, you can search online for a disassembly guide specific to your phone model and follow the steps to disassemble and clean it; if you are unfamiliar with disassembly, it’s best not to attempt it yourself to avoid damaging flex cables or other components.

The Rice Absorption Method

Place the powered-off phone into a bowl of rice, then cover it completely with rice. The rice can absorb some of the moisture from the environment, allowing the phone to gradually dry out over time. However, this method primarily helps reduce the surrounding humidity; its effectiveness is usually limited when it comes to moisture that has already penetrated the screen’s laminate or deeper into the phone’s interior. Therefore, it cannot replace a thorough internal drying and inspection.

If the phone still has issues after drying, how can you determine which component was damaged by water?

If the phone has been thoroughly dried but the problem persists, you’ll need to further assess the abnormal symptoms it’s exhibiting to determine which component may have been damaged by water. You can check components such as the screen, speaker and microphone, camera, and motherboard one by one.

The phone powers on, but the screen is blank, appears white, displays green lines, is unresponsive, or experiences phantom touches

If the phone powers on normally but the screen is blank, appears white, displays green lines, is unresponsive to touch, or experiences persistent phantom touches, the problem likely lies with the display assembly or related components. Water damage may have affected the display layer, touch layer, display flex cable, or connection points.

Sound is crackling, buzzing, or different from normal

If, after the phone has dried out following water damage, you hear noticeable crackling or buzzing sounds when playing audio, making calls, or recording, or if the sound quality is significantly different from before the water damage, you should focus on inspecting the speaker and microphone. These components may experience reduced volume, static, or abnormal sound after being exposed to water.

Completely Black Screen When Taking Photos or Recording Videos

If the screen remains completely black when taking photos or recording videos after opening the camera app, while other phone functions continue to work normally, you should inspect the camera module. Water damage may have affected the interior of the lens or the camera’s connection points, preventing the image from displaying properly.

Phone Restarts Repeatedly

If the phone continues to shut down and restart automatically even after drying out, and restarts again after booting into the system, you should consider the possibility that the motherboard has been damaged by water. Water damage may have affected the electronic components or circuits on the motherboard, preventing the phone from operating stably.

When Repair Isn’t Possible, Choose the More Cost-Effective Solution

If an inspection confirms that only the phone’s screen is damaged, replacing the screen assembly usually resolves the issue—there’s no need to replace the entire phone. If, in addition to the screen, the speaker is also damaged, you can replace the screen assembly and the speaker separately. Replacing only the damaged parts is usually more cost-effective than buying a new phone. However, if water damage has simultaneously caused damage to critical components such as the motherboard and camera, the cost of repairing and replacing multiple parts may be relatively high. In such cases, you may want to consider purchasing a new phone instead.

First Aid Steps for a Water-Damaged Cell Phone

If your cell phone gets wet, the first thing to do is turn it off immediately. Do not continue using the phone, and do not plug it into a charger right away. Next, remove any parts that can be safely detached—such as the phone case and SIM card—to minimize the amount of moisture remaining inside the phone. After doing so, place the phone in a well-ventilated, dry area to air dry naturally. Do not rush to turn it back on or charge it until you are certain the inside is completely dry.

Our Business

If your phone has been exposed to water and the issue has been confirmed to be with the screen, replacing the appropriate phone screen assembly is usually more cost-effective than replacing the entire phone. We specialize in selling high-quality phone screen assemblies for iPhone, Samsung, and other popular phone models, offering a variety of specifications for both individual users and repair shops. All screens undergo quality inspections before shipping to ensure optimal display, touch responsiveness, and overall reliability. You can visit our store based on your phone model and select the appropriate phone screen assembly or replacement screen.