Phone · Apple · iPhone 15
Apple iPhone 15 Water Damage Repair
Water Damage Repair guide for the Apple iPhone 15
Before you begin
Tools
- P2 Pentalobe screwdriver
- Tri-point Y000 screwdriver
- Heat gun
- Suction cup tool
- Plastic prying tools
- Spudger tool
- Tweezers
- Soft brush
Parts / materials
- Isopropyl alcohol (99%)
- Custom adhesive seal strip
- Compressed air
- Lint-free wipes
Safety
- Disconnect power immediately and do not plug in a water-damaged device.
- Wear eye protection and work in a well-ventilated area when using isopropyl alcohol.
- Handle the internal lithium-ion battery carefully to avoid punctures or thermal runaway.
Overview
Step-by-step
- 1
Power Off Device
1 minTurn off your iPhone 15 immediately to stop electrical current flow. Do not connect a charger under any circumstances.
- 2
Remove Pentalobe Screws
2 minUse a P2 pentalobe screwdriver to remove the two 3.8 mm screws on either side of the USB-C charging port.
- 3
Heat Lower Edges
3 minApply a heat gun set to low heat along the perimeter of the back glass for two minutes to soften the waterproof adhesive.
- 4
Apply Suction Cup
2 minAttach a suction cup near the bottom edge of the back panel and pull up firmly to create a slight gap.
- 5
Insert Opening Pick
2 minInsert a plastic opening pick into the seam created under the back glass.
- 6
Slice Edge Adhesive
4 minSlide the pick around all four edges of the phone to cut through the display adhesive perimeter gasket.
- 7
Open Back Panel
2 minGently swing the back panel open toward the right side like a book cover.
- 8
Remove Battery Connector Shield
3 minUse a Tri-point Y000 screwdriver to remove the screws holding the lower metal shield plate.
- 9
Disconnect Battery Cable
2 minPry the battery press connector straight up from its socket on the logic board using a spudger.
- 10
Disconnect Back Panel Connectors
3 minUse a spudger to detach the wireless charging and rear glass ribbon cables from the board.
- 11
Remove Board Fastening Screws
5 minUnscrew all logic board bracket screws securing the mainboard to the phone enclosure.
- 12
Disconnect Remaining Flex Connectors
4 minCarefully pry up the display, camera, and sensor flex cables connected to the mainboard.
- 13
Extract Main Logic Board
3 minLift the logic board out of the phone enclosure using tweezers and a plastic spudger.
- 14
Clean Logic Board
10 minSubmerge the logic board in 99% isopropyl alcohol and scrub away liquid corrosion gently with a soft brush.
- 15
Dry Circuit Board
15 minBlow away residual alcohol using compressed air and let the board air-dry completely.
- 16
Clean Chassis and Connectors
8 minDip a lint-free wipe in isopropyl alcohol and clean off liquid residue inside the aluminum housing.
- 17
Reinstall Logic Board
5 minPlace the dried logic board back into the housing and press all ribbon cable connectors firmly into place.
- 18
Reattach Battery and Seal
10 minReconnect the battery cable, secure metal shields, apply fresh perimeter adhesive, and press the back glass closed.
After your Apple iPhone 15 water damage repair
Power the iPhone 15 back on and test the water damage repair function before you put every screw away. Check touch/display response, charging, cameras, buttons, and wireless as relevant to this repair. If something fails after closing the device, reopen carefully and reseat the connectors for this Apple iPhone 15 job before assuming the part is defective. Keep leftover adhesive and screws labeled in case you need a second pass.
Keep learning
Explore more Apple iPhone 15 repair context in the encyclopedia, or open related DIY guides.
