The Myth of Using Rice to Dry a Wet Cell Phone: Apple User Guide Advises Against It
The age-old advice of using rice to dry a wet cell phone has been debunked by experts and industry heavyweight, Apple, has now come forward to officially advise against it.
Apple’s support documents explicitly state, “Don’t put your iPhone in a bag of rice. Doing so could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone.” The warning comes as a surprise to many, as the rice method has been widely recommended in the past.
Supporting documents discovered by Macworld address what to do when you get the liquid detection alert on your iPhone. Not only does Apple advise against using rice, but they also suggested avoiding using external heat sources, such as hair dryers, and not inserting cotton swabs or paper towels into the charging ports.
So, what is the official solution indicated by Apple? They recommend touching the phone against your hand with the connector pointing down, similar to pouring water out of your ear after swimming. Then, simply leave it in an area with good airflow to dry and wait 30 minutes before charging. If the alert continues to appear, they advise putting the phone down and waiting, as it can take up to 24 hours to dry. If the phone is dry but not charging, Apple recommends unplugging the charging cable and reconnecting it.
It’s clear from Apple’s user guide that using rice to dry a wet cell phone is no longer a recommended method. As technology continues to evolve, it’s important to stay up to date with the latest advice and best practices for handling tech mishaps.