iPhone Water Damage
Repair —
Apple Won’t Fix It
We Will
Your iPhone hit the water. The pool, the sink, the toilet, or a glass on the desk. Here is the part most people do not know yet: Apple does not repair water-damaged iPhones. They replace the whole phone for $549 to $799 instead. We do iPhone water damage repair at our Sterling shop with professional ultrasonic cleaning, free diagnostic, and a 30-day warranty on the work. Every hour matters.
Apple Won’t Fix a Water-Damaged iPhone. Here Is What They Do Instead.
This is the single most important thing to know before deciding where to bring your iPhone.
Standard One-Year Warranty
Does not cover water damage. At all. Even on water-resistant iPhones. The Liquid Detection Indicators inside your phone tell Apple it got wet, and the warranty is void.
AppleCare Plus Accidental Damage
Covers liquid damage at $99 per claim, with a maximum of two claims per year. If you have this coverage and your iPhone is newer, this is often the best deal available.
Without AppleCare Plus
Apple only option is a whole-phone replacement at $549 to $799 depending on the model. They do not actually repair the phone you bring in. You walk out with a different phone with a new serial number and a fresh battery.
We take a different approach. We open the phone, ultrasonic clean the logic board, replace any damaged parts, and give you back the same iPhone you walked in with. Your serial number, your photos in place, your battery health reading untouched.
The iPhone Liquid Detection Indicators You Probably Did Not Know Existed
Every iPhone since iPhone 5 has small white dots called Liquid Detection Indicators, or LDIs. They turn red or pink when they get wet. Apple uses them to verify water damage and deny warranty repairs.
Inside the SIM Card Tray Slot
Visible when you eject the SIM tray. Shine a phone flashlight into the slot and look for a small white dot. If it is red or pink, the phone has had liquid contact at some point.
Inside the Charging Port
A second LDI sits inside the Lightning or USB-C charging port. Visible with a flashlight on most models. We check both LDIs as part of every free diagnostic.
Why LDIs Matter for Your Repair
The LDI tells us how serious the damage is and where water entered. It also explains why Apple denied your warranty claim. And it helps us quote an honest price based on the actual situation, not a guess.
iPhone Models We Repair for Water Damage
We handle water-damaged iPhones from iPhone 8 forward. Price ranges depend on the model, how long the phone was wet, and what parts were damaged. We give an honest case-by-case quote after the free diagnostic.
IP67
IP68 on newer
IP68
IP68, 6m depth
IP68
IP68
IP68
IP68
IP68
Pricing reality: water damage is the hardest repair to quote up front because every case is different. Cleaning starts around $89. Total cost runs $89 to $299 depending on what else needs replacing. Saltwater is the most expensive case.
How Much Does iPhone Water Damage Repair Cost?
iPhone water damage repair cost is the hardest repair to quote up front. Here is what shapes the final number.
Fresh Water vs Saltwater vs Sugary Drinks
Fresh water is the cheapest case. Saltwater is the most expensive because salt corrodes metal in hours. Sugary drinks like soda, coffee with cream, beer, or wine leave a sticky residue that is almost as bad as saltwater.
Time Between the Damage and the Repair
A phone brought in within 30 minutes has the highest save rate and the lowest cost. A phone that sat in rice for 3 days has the lowest save rate and often needs a full logic board replacement. Speed matters more than any other factor.
What Else Needs Replacing
After cleaning, we test every part. If the screen, battery, charging port, speaker, or camera are damaged beyond repair, those add to the total. We tell you each part cost up front. You decide what to fix.
Severity of the Damage
Splash damage on the outside is cheap. Full submersion in saltwater can cost as much as a replacement phone. In some cases we honestly recommend buying a new phone if the math does not work in your favor.
How We Compare to Apple Store for Water Damage
Apple does not actually repair water damage. They swap the phone. Here is the side-by-side.
| What You Get | Apple Store | PC Mobile Sterling |
|---|---|---|
| Same iPhone you brought in | No — new replacement phone | Yes — we keep your phone |
| Your serial number | Lost | Kept |
| Your battery health rating | Reset to 100% (new cell) | Kept (unless battery damaged) |
| Your photos and data | From iCloud only | From the phone if storage intact |
| Cost without AppleCare | $549 to $799 | $89 to $299 |
| Cost with AppleCare Plus | $99 per claim | $89 to $299 |
| Appointment required | Yes | No — walk in any day |
| Wait time | Days to weeks for appointment | 24 to 48 hours typical |
If you have active AppleCare Plus and your iPhone is brand new, Apple $99 accidental damage option is a fair deal. For everyone else, our repair is faster and a lot cheaper.
Signs Your iPhone Has Water Damage
Some iPhones look fine right after a dunk. Hours later they fail. Here are the iPhone-specific signs.
The Port Shows “Liquid Detected”
This iOS warning pops up when the phone detects moisture in the charging port. Do not plug it in. Charging through a wet port can short out the logic board in seconds.
Speaker Sounds Muffled or Crackly
Water in the speaker grilles leaves mineral deposits that distort sound. You will notice it during phone calls and music playback. Both earpiece and loud speaker can be affected.
Face ID Stops Working
The Face ID dot projector and flood illuminator sit at the top of the iPhone screen. Water in those sensors stops Face ID even when nothing else looks wrong. The phone falls back to passcode entry.
The Screen Has a Pink, Green, or Blue Tint
Water under the OLED panel causes color shifts. Sometimes the whole screen tints. Sometimes only a corner or edge. The display layer is bonded so the panel needs a full replacement to fix this.
Camera Lens Fogged on the Inside
A foggy camera lens means water is trapped behind the glass. Mineral build-up shows as streaks or spots in photos. We open the camera unit and clean it during the repair.
Random Reboots, App Crashes, or Battery Drain
Sometimes water damage does not show up right away. Then the phone starts acting weird a few days later. Random reboots and unexplained crashes are corrosion spreading inside the phone.
The Phone Worked at First, Then Died Hours Later
The worst sign. This means corrosion ate enough of the logic board to shut the phone down. The longer you wait at this point, the harder the rescue gets.
Our iPhone Water Damage
Repair Process
We have rescued thousands of water-damaged iPhones since 2013. The process is the same whether your phone went in the toilet or the ocean. Speed matters most.
Free Damage Assessment
We check the Liquid Detection Indicators, screen, charging port, speakers, and battery. Written estimate before any paid work.
Full Disassembly
Screen, battery, logic board, shields, and connectors all come out on an anti-static mat.
Ultrasonic Cleaning of the Logic Board
A professional ultrasonic bath at the right frequency lifts water, salt, sugar, and corrosion off every contact. Home methods cannot do this.
Component Testing
We test every chip and every connector. Dead parts get replaced with premium-quality replacements.
Reseal the Phone
Fresh adhesive seal to restore the original IP rating. Same factory-grade adhesive.
Apple GSX Check
We verify the phone status in Apple database before handing it back, so you know where you stand for any future Apple support.
Full System Test
Charging, audio, Face ID, cameras, signal, sensors. Everything tested before the phone leaves the bench.
30-Day Warranty Plus Written Report
30-day warranty on the work. Plus a written report of what we found inside the phone and what we did to fix it.
How Long Does iPhone Water Damage Repair Take?
Time depends on what hit the phone and how long it was wet.
Light Splash, Fresh Water, Brought In Fast
Often 24 hours. Brought in within 30 minutes gives the highest save rate and the fastest turnaround.
Full Submersion in Fresh Water, Same Day
24 to 48 hours. The extra time is for thorough drying after ultrasonic cleaning.
Saltwater or Sugary Drink Damage
48 to 72 hours. Extra cleaning cycles needed to neutralize salt and sugar residue.
Damage From 3 Days Ago or Longer
48 to 96 hours or more. Corrosion has had time to spread. More components may need replacing.
Find iPhone Water Damage Repair Near You
We are based in Sterling, VA. Water damage cases get top priority because every hour matters. Call us at (703) 594-9339 on your way over.
Serving All of Loudoun County
Walk-in customers from Sterling, Ashburn, Herndon, Dulles, South Riding, Cascades, Potomac Falls, and the rest of Loudoun County drive over the same day. Call on your way so we can prep the bench.
Sterling, VA 20164
Sunday: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
No appointment needed.
FAQ — iPhone Water Damage Repair
Everything you need to know before coming in. Still have questions? Call (703) 594-9339 any day.
Walk In Today —
Every Hour Matters
We are open every day. No appointment needed. Free assessment. Professional ultrasonic cleaning. Apple GSX verification. 30-day warranty on the work. Trusted by 443 plus reviewers since 2013.