Samsung S Duos GT-S7562 won't let me swipe to unlock the phone so I can't access anything

[AC Question]

Can you help me please? My 8 month old Samsung Duos 'froze' yesterday afternoon (home screen showing but cannot swipe to unlock & access phone for anything) I have been reading on-line & trying to open it (with 3 buttons on phone) again & removing the battery numerous times but with no luck. I am fine with setting it back to factory re-set (which I think I may have to do) but I can't open my phone via swiping to do ANYTHING. I can receive phone calls & can see I have some texts there but can't open the phone to do anything like read them or access internet, etc. Also I was using mobile data at the time so this is still on - will it be eating up my data still? Can I turn this off? I downloaded the FB messenger app yesterday so I wonder if this has freaked the phone out. I also dropped (& quickly retrieved) my phone in water 2 days ago as well & have been drying it in a rice bag in the hot water cupboard since then. It also looks like it is trying to download something - maybe the FB messenger app? And it has has 2 diagonal arrows showing at the top. I have an SD card in it but my phone has been saying the memory is almost full for past month or more as well. I've been clearing the cache & reducing my apps to only those I need.
I just managed to re-set it to factory settings (after taking the battery out numerous times, the right screen came up & I was able to do this manually) Now I can't do anything on the touch screen to set or open it. I now can't use it & have lost everything on my phone. Is this a fixable problem or is this phone now dead? I've had to move my SIM to an older phone I have for now, so I can still make & receive calls & texts. I may take it to some techs in town (not sure who though) today or tomorrow but wondered if you know anything about this first.
Thanks in advance,
Fiona

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! It sounds like the touchscreen has been damaged by the water exposure. It doesn't take much moisture to mess things up. When you say you were drying it in a rice bag in the hot water cupboard, what do you mean by that? The usual recommendation is to remove the battery, and place the phone and battery in separate ziploc bags of uncooked rice, and seal them. Let them sit for at least 12 hrs in a dry place.

If the drying process doesn't help, then you'd probably have to get the screen or digitizer replaced, either by Samsung or by a local repair shop. Not sure how much that'd cost, especially if you're out of warranty (and I doubt warranty would cover water damage anyway).

 

[william athill]

Re: Samsung galaxy s5 sm-g901f

My S5 has locked me out and I cannot get in to do anything. It prompts me swipe the screen to open and it does not open. It was fine this morning and now not. I have removed the battery and wonder if I remove the screen protection plastic sheet?
Thanks Willie

 

[haythmd1000]

Can’t unlock Samsung duos
There is a message on the screen:
(Swipe screen to unlock)
How can I unlock it?
Thanks

 

[Rukbat]

Read post #2 .