Is It Worth Selling Your Water-Damaged iPhone? Tips for Getting the Best Price

You are reaching for your drink, someone bumps your arm, and in slow motion, your iPhone does a perfect swan dive into a glass of water or worse, the pool.

You scramble to fish it out, frantically wiping it on your shirt. For a second, it seems okay. Then, the screen flickers. 

A few hours later, it refuses to turn on, or perhaps the speakers sound like they are underwater. It is a sinking feeling, both literally and figuratively.

Most people think that once an iPhone has taken a swim, its financial value has evaporated. They assume that because Apple’s warranty famously excludes liquid damage, the device is now just a shiny brick.

But even a dead phone has a heartbeat in the secondary market.

The Industry Secret: The Sum of the Parts

When you sell water-damaged phone units, you aren't usually selling them to someone who is going to use them to make a call. You are selling to specialists.

Consider it like a car that has been in a flood. The engine might be shot, but the doors, the leather seats, the high-end sound system, and the rims are still in perfect condition. 

In the tech world, your water-damaged iPhone 15 or 16 still contains extremely valuable "donor" parts.

Specialized buyers look for:

• The Display: Often the most expensive part to replace. If the water didn't ruin the OLED panel, it's a goldmine.

• The Chassis: The outer frame and buttons are always in demand for refurbishing.

• The Cameras: These modules are highly sealed and often survive even when the motherboard doesn't.

Why Your Warranty Won't Help (But We Will)

Apple is obvious. If the Liquid Contact Indicator (LCI) inside your SIM slot turns red, your standard warranty is void. 

Apple's repair for water damage is usually a full-device replacement, which can cost anywhere from $300 to $600, depending on the model.

For many, spending $500 to fix a phone worth only $700 doesn't make financial sense. This is where the Sell vs. Repair math comes in. 

If you can sell that damaged phone for $150 or $200 as-is, and put that toward a brand-new device, you are often coming out ahead compared to a risky, expensive repair.

How to Tell if Your Phone Has "Liquid Assets"

Before you try to sell, assess the damage. Water damage isn't always a total blackout.

Sometimes, the phone still powers on, but the Face ID is disabled. Other times, the battery drains in 20 minutes due to a tiny short circuit. 

In 2025, the market for partially functional water-damaged phones is actually quite strong.

Professional Tip

Do not put your phone in rice. 

Industry experts and even Apple have officially debunked this. Rice can actually get small particles inside your ports and doesn't stop the internal corrosion. 

Instead, use silica gel packets, those little "do not eat" bags found in shoe boxes, or simply let it air dry near a fan.

Steps to Getting the Best Price

If you want to maximize your cash, don't just walk into a random shop. Follow this checklist:

1. Be Transparent

When you go to sell water-damaged phone inventory, honesty is your best currency. Tell the buyer exactly what happened. 

Did it fall in the ocean or a freshwater sink? Does it still turn on? 

Buyers appreciate transparency because it helps them calculate their salvage risk.

2. Check the Model

A water-damaged iPhone 16 Pro Max is still worth a significant amount, potentially hundreds of dollars, because its parts are so rare. 

An iPhone 11 with water damage, however, might only be worth the value of its scrap metal. The newer the phone, the more forgiving the market is regarding its condition.

3. Find a Local Expert

In a fast-paced city like Las Vegas, you don't want to wait weeks for a mail-in company to inspect your phone, only to have them lower the price later. 

Local buyers like iPhone Buyer Las Vegas offer 60-second quotes and pay cash on the spot. They have the tools to test the device immediately and give you a fair market price based on what they can salvage.

Real Life: Sarah’s "Pool Party" Profit

Take Sarah, for example. 

She dropped her iPhone 14 Pro into a pool during a weekend trip. The phone wouldn't charge anymore. The Apple Store told her the out-of-warranty replacement would cost $549.

Instead of paying, Sarah contacted a local iPhone buyer. They tested the screen and cameras and found they were still perfect. 

She walked away with $180 in cash that same afternoon. She used that money, plus the $549 she didn't spend on a repair, to buy the latest model. 

She rode a disaster into a discounted upgrade.

The Sustainability Factor

Beyond the money, selling your water-damaged phone is a green move. 

In 2025, e-waste is a massive global issue. By selling your phone to a salvager, you are participating in the circular economy. 

Your broken screen might become the replacement for a student who can't afford a new phone, and your battery might be adequately recycled instead of ending up in a landfill.

Final Thoughts

A splash of water doesn't have to be the end of your iPhone's value. 

Whether the phone is completely dead or just acting glitchy, there is a buyer in Las Vegas ready to give you a fair price for the hardware that survived.

Stop letting that damaged phone sit in a drawer, losing value every day. The sooner you sell it after the damage occurs, the less corrosion builds up, and the more cash you can put back in your pocket.