No Regardless of how your phone gets wet – whether you get caught in a downpour, drop it in the bathtub or fall into a pool – perhaps the most popular folk remedy place the device in a rice bag. Dry, absorbent rice should help absorb moisture, saving your device, so the theory goes. Experts have stressed that this is a bad idea for years, and now Apple is officially warning users not to do it.
“Don’t put your iPhone in a bag of rice. Doing so may allow small particles of rice to damage the iPhone.” says the company in a recent support note Spotted by Macworld. In addition to the risk of damage, suggested testing Uncooked rice is not particularly effective for drying the appliance.
The correction may stem from the history of photography: Verge traces the method back to 1946 as a way to store your camera. In the intervening years, panicked phone users have suggested risky methods, from attacking your phone with a hair dryer to soaking it in alcohol. So what should you actually do?
Apple offers guidance for users who receive a “liquid detected” warning when trying to charge their phone. First, disconnect the charging cable from both sides. Then, gently tap the phone in your hand with the connector facing down to remove excess liquid. Leave it to dry for at least half an hour and then – if the phone and cable are “completely dry”, try charging again. If this attempt fails, try again in a day.
Apple’s new support documentation contains two other warnings in case your phone is dehydrated:
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“Do not dry your iPhone with an external heat source or compressed air.”
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“Do not insert a foreign object such as a cotton swab or paper towel into the connector.”
If your phone doesn’t work at all, turn it off immediately and don’t press any buttons. The next steps depend on your specific circumstances, but broadly speaking: dry it with a towel and place it in an airtight container filled with silica packets, if you have one. Do not fill it until you are sure it is dry. There are a few more guidelines worth keeping in mind for iPhones that have been dropped in water – because even though many of today’s phones are waterproof, liquid disaster still has a way of sneaking up on you.