Rainy Vancouver Days: How to Keep Your Phone Dry

To protect your phone from rain, keep it in an inside pocket or a closed bag pocket, use a case that covers the edges, and dry it before you plug it in. Water resistance helps with splashes, but it wears down over time and doesn’t cover everything a wet Vancouver winter can throw at a phone.

What “water resistant” really means

Most recent iPhone and Samsung Galaxy models, and many other phones, carry an IP rating such as IP67 or IP68. The second digit is the water part. A 7 means the phone was tested in still fresh water up to one metre deep for up to 30 minutes. An 8 means it was tested deeper than one metre, at a depth and time the manufacturer sets.

Those tests use a new phone in clean, still water. Real life is different:

• Seals age. The adhesive and gaskets that keep water out wear down with heat, drops and normal use. Apple says splash and water resistance are not permanent and can decrease over time.
• Damage breaks the seal. A cracked screen, cracked back glass or a bent frame gives water a way in, even if the phone still works normally.
• Not every phone has a rating. Many budget and older models have no official water resistance. Check the maker’s spec page for your exact model.
• Liquid damage is usually on you. Phone makers generally exclude liquid damage from their standard coverage, even on rated phones.

iPhone owners can read Apple’s own explanation: About splash, water, and dust resistance of iPhone.

Why Vancouver rain still causes problems

A few minutes of drizzle won’t hurt a healthy, rated phone. The trouble comes from how we actually use phones in the rain:

• Wet ports. Plugging a cable into a wet charging port can cause corrosion. iPhone and Samsung phones can show a liquid or moisture warning and pause charging when they detect this.
• Wet screens. Raindrops confuse a touchscreen, causing missed taps, phantom taps and typing that goes sideways.
• Slippery hands. Plenty of phones get damaged in the rain by being dropped on wet pavement rather than by the water itself.
• Condensation. Going from a cold, damp street into a warm shop or SkyTrain car can fog the lens for a few minutes. Fog on the outside is normal. Fog on the inside of the lens is not.
• Damp pockets. A phone that spends an hour in a soaked jacket pocket sits in moisture far longer than any quick splash.

Everyday habits that keep your phone dry

Small habits make the biggest difference, and none of them need special gear.

1. Use an inside pocket. An inside jacket pocket or a zipped bag pocket keeps the phone dry and harder to drop. Avoid back pockets and open tote bags.
2. Check directions under cover. Look up your route under an awning, then put the phone away instead of walking down Granville Street with it held out in the rain.
3. Take calls on earbuds. The phone stays in your pocket while you talk.
4. Have your fare ready. If you tap a phone wallet at a fare gate or on the bus, get it ready under shelter so the phone is out for a second, not a minute.
5. Keep it off wet surfaces. Café tables and bus shelter benches collect puddles.
6. Dry your hands first. A quick wipe on your jacket lining means a better grip and a screen that responds.
7. Carry a zip-top bag. On a day of heavy rain, a simple sandwich bag in your backpack is a good emergency cover.

Accessories that help on wet days

Accessories won’t make a phone waterproof, but they cut the risk.

• A grippy case with raised edges. Grip matters most with wet hands, and raised edges protect the screen and camera if the phone slips. Some rugged cases also cover the charging port.
• A screen protector. It won’t stop water, but it protects the glass in a drop, and an intact screen is part of what keeps water out. See our guide to tempered glass vs film screen protectors.
• A waterproof pouch. Worth having for the seawall, ferries, hiking or cycling in steady rain.
• A wireless charger or power bank. If your port is wet and your phone supports wireless charging, you can top up while the port dries. Wipe the back dry first.

You can browse phone cases and other accessories at the kiosk and check what fits your model.

Caught in a downpour? What to do next

If your phone got properly wet, don’t rush to charge it.

1. Wipe it with a soft, dry cloth. Take the case off and dry inside it too, since cases trap water against the phone.
2. Hold the phone with the charging port facing down and tap it gently against your palm to shake out extra water.
3. Leave it somewhere dry with some airflow. A port can take several hours to dry fully.
4. Don’t plug in a cable until the port is dry. If you see a liquid or moisture warning, unplug and wait.
5. Don’t use a hair dryer, heater or compressed air, and don’t push cotton swabs or paper towel into the port.
6. Skip the bag of rice. Apple advises against it because small particles can get into the phone.

If the phone went fully underwater, or got wet with a cracked screen or back, turn it off and follow the steps in Phone Dropped in Water? What to Do Right Away.

Signs the rain got inside

Water damage doesn’t always show up right away. Over the next few days, watch for:

• fog or droplets behind the camera lens or under the screen
• a speaker that sounds muffled or crackly, or a microphone callers can’t hear well
• charging that stops and starts, or a moisture warning that won’t clear after a full day of drying
• a screen that flickers, shows lines or registers touches on its own
• a phone that runs unusually warm or drains its battery much faster than before

If you notice any of these, back up your data, power the phone off and have it checked, since corrosion can keep spreading while a damp phone stays on. If charging is the only issue, Phone Not Charging? 8 Things to Check First can help you rule out a bad cable. And if your screen or back glass is already cracked, fix or cover it before the wet months: a crack is the easiest way in for rain.

Need help with a wet phone in Downtown Vancouver?

MyChoice Mobile Repair is a phone repair and accessories kiosk at 798 Granville St in Downtown Vancouver, open every day from 9 AM to midnight. If your phone is acting up after getting wet, bring it to the kiosk and we’ll check it, or read about our water damage repair first. Call (236) 785-8300 or ask for a quote for your model.