Apple advises users against drying out wet iPhone using rice—here's what to do instead

Have you experienced getting your phone submerged in water and drying it out using bigas? That’s the years-long DIY remedy of many during accidents in the bathroom, the sink, and the like.

While several anecdotes attest that it’s foolproof, rice isn’t nice for Apple, the company behind the iPhone.

"Don’t put your iPhone in a bag of rice," the tech giant said on its support website, adding that doing so "could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone."

It also advised not to dry the gadget using an external heat source or compressed air, as well as inserting a foreign object like a cotton swab or a paper towel, into the connector.

If the iPhone or accessory such as the connector is wet, Apple said users can unplug the cable from the phone and unplug the other end of the cable from the power adapter or accessory.

Don’t plug the cable in again until the items are completely dry, it said.

In drying a wet iPhone, Apple suggested the following steps:

1. 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.
2. After at least 30 minutes, try charging with a Lightning or USB-C cable or connecting an accessory.
3. If you see the alert (“Liquid detected in Lightning Connector” or “Liquid Detected”) 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.
4. 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.