Saving a wet iPhone by putting it in a bowl or bag of uncooked rice has been a popular go-to rescue methods for years, with the logic being that the rice absorbs the excess water from the phone. However, the God of iPhones has recently come out to warn poor mortals against resorting to rice in these situations, saying it could make things worse.
In a recent support document, Apple states that putting wet devices in a bag of rice could “allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone,” although it doesn’t go into further detail. The company also recommended against using other well-known hacks, such as using an external heat source to try to dry the phone or sticking a cotton swab into the connector. Apple’s recent advice was spotted by Macworld.
The company’s warning on rice coincides with those of other repair experts, who have found that the rice hack works slower than simply leaving your iPhone on a counter to dry. Time is crucial in these situations, as the most important thing is to prevent the water from reaching and damaging the electronics inside the phone.
Instead of resorting to rice, Apple provides users with an alternative solution. If your iPhone or charging connector is wet—in the latter case, an alert will appear and disable charging—Apple recommends the following:
- Unplug the cable from your iPhone and unplug the other end of the cable from the power adapter or accessory. Don’t plug the cable in again until your iPhone and the cable are completely dry.
- Tap your iPhone gently against your hand with the connector facing down to remove excess liquid. Leave your iPhone in a dry area with some airflow.
- After at least 30 minutes, try charging with a Lightning or USB-C cable or connecting an accessory.
- If you see the alert again, there is still liquid in the connector or under the pins of your cable. Leave your iPhone in a dry area with some airflow for up to a day. You can try again to charge or connect an accessory throughout this period. It might take up to 24 hours to fully dry.
- If your phone has dried out but still isn’t charging, unplug the cable from the adapter and unplug the adapter from the wall (if possible) and then connect them again.
In case Apple’s advice doesn’t work, it’s safe to say that you probably need help from professional repair experts and may even need to prepare yourself to buy a new iPhone. Whatever you do, though, resist the temptation of reaching for the rice.