Never dry your wet iPhone in rice, Apple warns

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your phone gets soaked, whether it's from being caught in a downpour, accidentally dropping it in the bath, or falling into a pool?

If so, you may have heard of the popular folk remedy of putting your device in a bag of rice to help absorb the moisture. However, experts have advised against this method for years, The Guardian reported.

In fact, Apple has officially warned its users not to use this technique.

"Don’t put your iPhone in a bag of rice. Doing so could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone,” the company says in a recent support note spotted by Macworld.

It's interesting to note that the origins of this fix can be traced back to the history of photography, where photographers used rice to maintain their cameras.

However, this method is not suitable for modern-day smartphones and can even cause further damage to the device, as testing has suggested uncooked rice is not particularly effective at drying the device.

So, what should you do if your phone gets wet?

Apple offers guidance for users who get a “liquid detected” alert when trying to charge their phones.

First, unplug the charging cable at both ends. Then tap the phone “gently against 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 the device again.

If that attempt fails, try again a day later.

Apple’s new support documentation includes two other warnings if your phone gets doused:

“Don’t dry your iPhone using an external heat source or compressed air.”

“Don’t insert a foreign object, such as a cotton swab or a paper towel, into the connector.”

If your iPhone isn't working at all, turn it off immediately and don't press any buttons. Dry it with a towel and place it in an airtight container with silica packets if you have them. Charge it until dry

Remember the instructions for iPhones dropped in water, as liquid disaster can sneak up on even water-resistant phones.