How to Fix a Sweat-Logged iPhone

For many users, the iPhone serves multiple purposes. It is a communication hub, a camera, and a workout tracker. If you frequently use an armband to hold your iPhone on your arm while you're at the gym, your sweat can pose a danger to the phone's functionality. After a particularly hard workout, it is important to take steps to dry out a sweat-logged iPhone; otherwise, you risk voiding the terms of your warranty or causing permanent damage.

The easiest way to tell if your gym visits are taking their toll on your iPhone is to look for the liquid contact indicator. On the iPhone 5s, the indicator is located on the right edge of the phone, under a small panel. To remove the panel, poke the tip of a pin into the hole on the panel. The sensor is located in the middle. If it is red, your sweat has tripped the liquid indicator, and the phone. Although Apple Care does not cover liquid damage, Apple still advises you to bring the phone in to an Apple store for inspection and assistance. After it settled a costly lawsuit regarding LCIs that were tripped after exposure to humidity, Apple may offer discounted replacements as long as corrosion is not present, according to The Atlantic Wire.

If you notice that your iPhone is dripping with sweat after a workout or a day on the beach, it is crucial to take action immediately. Turn the phone off immediately; do not press the home button to test if it's working, as doing so can cause shorts in the circuitry. Take it out of its case, unplug any headphones or cables, and soak up as much liquid as possible with a soft cloth or cotton swab. As soon as you can, OS X Daily recommends that you place the phone in an airtight container full of dry rice and leave it for up to two days. The rice will absorb the moisture, pulling it out of cracks and crevices.

In response to users experiencing problems due to sweat-logged iPhones, several companies have begun to produce drying kits. The kits each use some variation of ultra-absorbent material to draw liquid out of the phone quickly. The iRecovery Drying Kit uses silica gel packets, while the Dry-All kit uses its proprietary Blue Bead Technology. Dry-All offers a guarantee that its kits will save your wet cell phone.

If you tend to sweat heavily during your workouts or everyday activity, a waterproof case is the best way to prevent liquid damage. Waterproof cases keep liquid off of your phone, whether you're sweating or swimming. According to CNET, a case must be able to protect a phone from liquid damage when it is fully submerged for at least 30 minutes. On the low end are inexpensive waterproof pouches, which go for as little as $10 but limit functionality during exercise. Higher-end cases, which start around $50, will enable you to use your iPhone in almost any sweaty situation.