Apple Warns iPhone Users to Not Put their phones in Rice
When phone devices fall in water iPhone users (not just iPhone users) typically the first they do is to put their device in rice, in hopes for the rice to get as much water as possible absorbed out of the device. Particularly, for Apple customers, putting their iPhone in rice has long been a common practice for many years, more specifically this method traces back to 1946 of trying to save their phone after dropping in any type of body of water.
According to Apple they have stated and warned to users, the following, “Don’t put your iPhone in a bag of rice. Doing so could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone.” It is incredible the amount of people that promise and guarantee from their personal experiences of how rice actually does help. However, this comes to show how this practice is overall a myth that is both very persistent, and highly inaccurate.
Alternative Ways to Dry Wet iPhone
Good news is that Apple has suggested and provided effective steps as to how to properly dry a wet device. Also for the phone to still function properly, instead of going for the usual and traditional way. Users that get the liquid detection alert are recommended to the following,
- Tap their iPhone gently against their hand with connector facing down to remove excess liquid, and leave their iPhone in a dry area and allow it to air dry.
- After at least 30 minutes, try charging with a Lighting or USB-C cable or any other type of connecting accessory that works for the phone.
- If they see the liquid detection alert again after trying to connect it to a corresponding cable or charger. That means that there is still liquid in the USB-C port or under the pins of their cable. In this case, leave their iPhone in a dry area with some more airflow for up to an entire day.
- Now, if their iPhone has dried but still isn’t charging, unplug the cable from the adapter and unplug the adapter from the wall and then connect them again.
The Research Behind the Myth
In terms of putting the soaked phone in rice practice, there were indeed researchers that claimed for years that this particular practice is all a myth. Also that it in fact, did not help dry phones faster but rather that it would even slow down the process. Ultimately, that this procedure could even leave the phone more susceptible to even further damage than what it already is.
Well, now there is a new 2024 support document from Apple is against this myth and that essentially encourages people to definitely not use rice to dry their iPhone. Instead the company has provided iPhone users with two warnings if their phones are ever exposed to a water situation. They have stated the following,
- Don’t dry the iPhone using an external heat source or compressed air.
- Don’t insert a foreign object into the connector, to dry iPhone like a cotton swab or a paper towel.
Overall, Apple has warned that it’s best to dry a soaked iPhone with the airflow rather than with the typical solution, the rice, before rice makes matter worse.
Written by Jeanette Sanchez
Sources:
Macworld: Apple warns: Drying a wet iPhone in rice could actually make things worse
The Verge: Rice is not included in Apple’s official guidance for a wet phone
Mass Live: Apple does not want you to put your iPhone in “bag of rice” if it gets wet
WFMJ 21: Apple: Rice not nice for wet iPhones
The Guardian: Stop putting your wet iPhone in rice, says Apple. Here’s what to do instead
Featured Image Courtesy of Paul Hudson Flickr Page-Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of JoslynLM Flickr Page-Creative Commons License
