What to Do (And Not to Do) If Your Laptop Has Water Damage

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Spilled water on your laptop? Learn how to rescue it

Written by Hannah Dillon

Last Updated: September 26, 2025 Fact Checked

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Immediate Steps

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Removing the Water

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Next Steps

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What Not to Do

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Video

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Q&A

If your laptop gets wet, you might have heard you should stick it in some rice to try to save it. The truth is, you will likely do more harm than good by putting your laptop in rice. Rice does absorb some moisture, but the dust and particles can get inside your laptop, causing more damage. In this article, we'll go over what exactly to do—and what not to do—when your laptop gets wet to save it from water damage.

Note: These steps are for removing water from your laptop. If you spill something else, like coffee, juice, or soda, it's best to bring the laptop to a repair technician.

Saving Your Laptop from Water Damage: Does Rice Work?

Don't use rice to save a laptop with water damage. Instead, turn the laptop off, unplug it, and remove the battery if possible. Dry the laptop with a microfiber towel, and tilt it to the side or upside down to allow water to drain. Allow the laptop to sit for 24-48 hours to dry before turning it back on.

Section 1 of 4:

Immediate Steps

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As soon as you notice that your laptop is wet, turn it off. Don't try turning it on again until you've dealt with the water, as this could short out your laptop's internal components.^{[1]
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If the power cable is attached to an outlet, unplug it right away to avoid electric shock and damage. Also remove any devices connected to the USB ports.

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If the battery is wet, it's likely damaged and shouldn't be used again, even after it is dried off. Replacing the battery is the safest choice in this instance. If you have a PC laptop, you may be able to open the battery compartment to remove the battery. For other PC laptops, you'll need to remove the bottom cover of the laptop to access the battery. Unfortunately, you cannot remove the battery from a MacBook.^{[2]
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Section 2 of 4:

Safely Removing the Water

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Use dabbing motions and avoid rubbing (as this can push more water into the laptop). Avoid paper towels or facial tissues, as they can both leave lint that could get inside your computer and cause damage. A microfiber cloth is best, as it wicks away moisture easily.^{[3]
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You can either tilt the laptop to one side to encourage draining, or you may want to turn the laptop over and let it drain on a towel (with the lid fully open).^{[4]
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Use silica gel packets (optional). Using rice is not a good way to save your laptop from water damage. Instead, use a dessicant like silica gel, which often comes in small packets included with some products labeled "do not eat" on the outside. While these packets are not okay for human consumption, they are great at what they do, which is to absorb water. Silica gel is a desiccant, which is a substance that attracts and absorbs water. Silica gel is safe to use around electronics and is preferred over other household items (such as rice).^{[5]
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- If you've saved a bunch of silica gel packets, place them with your laptop in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. You can also purchase silica gel from some electronics stores or online.
- If you don't have a large quantity of silica gel packets, it's better to skip this step. Keeping your laptop in an airtight container with an insufficient amount of desiccant could be more harmful than helpful, since the water won't have anywhere to evaporate.
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Wait at least 24 hours. If possible, leave your computer for even longer. The longer the computer sits, the more time the water will have to drain out or evaporate.^{[6]
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- If you flipped your computer over to let it drain on a towel, you may want to flip it back over after the first 24 hours and let it dry with the keyboard facing up for another 24 hours. This will give any water in the computer a chance to evaporate.

Section 3 of 4:

What to Do After Water Removal

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If the battery is removable, try doing this without inserting the battery first.
If the computer doesn't power on, don't keep trying to turn it on and off. This could cause more damage to your device.
On some occasions, the computer will only function for a few hours before permanent failure. This is a good time to back up your files in case you need to replace your computer.
If your computer still won't turn on, you'll likely need to get the computer looked at by a professional, or it may need to be replaced entirely.

Section 4 of 4:

What Not to Do

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Don't submerge your laptop in rice. While rice can absorb some of the water from your laptop, it's not an ideal way to dry your laptop if it gets wet. Rice dust can mix with water and form a thick paste that can damage the inside of your computer. Small rice particles can also get stuck in ports or in your laptop's components, which will lead to even more problems down the line if you manage to save your laptop. Plus, rice dries too slowly to be an effective desiccant for electronics.^{[7]
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Don't use heat. Using a hair dryer or heat gun might seem like a good idea to speed up the drying process, but the heat from these tools can actually damage your laptop.^{[8]
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Research source} If you have a warm, dry room in your house, you can keep the laptop there while drying, but avoid extreme temperatures.

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Question

My son placed his wet keyboard upside down on a bed of rice overnight. Can I now cook the rice or might there be toxins?

Community Answer

There are likely some germs and toxins there, though probably not enough to harm you. It's up to you whether you want to take the risk. Most people would find the idea of eating that rice disgusting and throw it away.

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What if my parents' laptop is water-damaged, but I don't want them to find out because they'll blame me for it, even though it's not completely my fault?

Jarod Smith

Community Answer

If the computer is toast, then its toast. There is nothing that you can do about it. Just explain to them what happened, and apologize.

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Can I use an external keyboard with my laptop?

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Yes. You can plug an external keyboard into the USB jack and use as normal, or you can use a wireless or Bluetooth keyboard with the appropriate USB dongle (some notebooks have built-in Bluetooth, and would not require a dongle).

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