Advice from The Bridge: what to do after a laptop damage event

Guidance provided by experts from Information Systems' Tech Shop repair experts, part of The Bridge IT Service Desk

It’s always a heart-sinker when you hear that "crunch" or see the "splash." Whether it was a coffee spill or a tumble off the desk, the first few minutes are critical and can mean the difference in data or device loss.

Here is a quick-action guide to managing a laptop damage event.

1. The first minute or as soon as you can

If the damage involves liquid or smoke/sparks, speed is your best friend.

Kill the Power

1. Unplug from power immediately, then
2. hold the power button until the screen goes black.
3. Leave it open to allow any liquid to evaporate
4. Close before bringing to The Bridge. ⚠️ Do not re-open the laptop - this can prompt a reboot/power-up which can cause further damage.
5. Unplug any other items: Remove mice, USB drives, and external monitors.

2. Assessing the Damage

Contact Information Systems at The Bridge as soon as possible. 

3. The Recovery Process

Before visiting the Bridge to assess and provide next steps, it may be helpful to gather some information.

Check Your Coverage

• Standard Warranty: Usually only covers hardware defects, not damage.

• Accidental Damage Protection (ADP): If you paid for WakeWare (“SafeWare”), AppleCare+, Dell ProSupport, or a similar tier, your repair might be covered. If you have your serial number (usually on the underside of the device), you may be able to find coverage details:

  • checkcoverage.apple.com

  • https://www.safeware.com/lookup  

  • account.microsoft.com/devices 

  • https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/warranty-lookup#/ 

• Credit Card Benefits: Some credit cards offer "Purchase Protection" for items damaged within 90 days of buying.

Data Preservation

If the laptop still turns on but is physically falling apart, back up your files immediately to Google Drive or an external drive. If you think liquid may be present, do not attempt to power your laptop on after your initial power-down. The Bridge tech shop can attempt to recover your photos and documents for you.

4. Prevention for Next Time

Once the dust settles, consider some preventative steps:

• Padded Sleeves: Backpacks or other bags may not be safe places for an uncovered laptop. A padded cover will protect it from the other items in your bag.
• Back it up to the cloud: Use OneDrive, Google Drive, or iCloud so that if the hardware dies, your important files stay safe the cloud.