Save your laptop from water damage

Spilled water on your laptop? Follow our steps to minimise the damage 
Natalie TurnerContent writer
Water spilled on a laptop

Whether it's a cup of tea, a bottle of water or a glass of wine, if you've got a drink next to your laptop, you run the risk of possible liquid damage.

But act quickly and you can save it from the worst of a spill.

Read through our tips to give your laptop the best chance of avoiding a watery grave.

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What to do if you spill liquid on a laptop

Remember, speed is of the essence. The quicker you follow these steps, the more likely you are able to save your drowning laptop.

1. Turn it off

Power down your laptop as soon as possible. If you’re working on a crucial document, save it (use the keyboard shortcut Control and S, or Command and S if you've got a Mac), then hold down the power key for around five seconds and it will shut all power off.

If your laptop is running off a cable that's plugged into the mains, make sure you turn it off at the wall before you remove the power lead.

Pressing power button on a laptop

2. Turn it upside down

As quickly as possible, turn your laptop upside down to stop the water going further into the machine.

By opening the laptop out and sitting it on a flat surface as an upside-down V, you can prevent even further damage

3. Remove the battery

Take the battery out of your laptop. This will prevent liquid from reaching the battery unit and potentially causing an electrical hazard.

Remember, if your laptop was plugged into the mains, don’t attempt to do this until after you have unplugged it from the wall socket.

Removing laptop battery

4. Remove any peripheral devices

Take out any devices that may be attached to your laptop, such as a USB dongle and micro-SD cards. If you're able to remove the keyboard from your laptop, remove this and wipe off any water.


Need a new one? See our expert pick of the best laptops for all budgets


Advanced steps for saving your laptop from water damage

If you’re dealing with a serious spillage, rather than an unfortunate splash, you may need to go to extra lengths to protect the internal components.

5. Soak up moisture

Open up the laptop and use a lint-free towel start to mop up as much of the liquid as you can.

Cleaning laptop with a microfibre cloth

6. Remove components 

If you're confident in what you're doing, take out the hard drive and Ram before water damage causes permanent harm to these components.

7. Dry your laptop

Leave it for 48 hours in a cool, dry place, allowing air to get to as much of the laptop as possible.  

After two days, return the components to the laptop and test it out. Hopefully these steps have been enough to save your equipment, but if your laptop is non-responsive, all hope isn’t lost as a PC technician may still be able to save your computer.


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