Apple warns: Drying a wet iPhone in rice may actually make matters worse

Ever since cell phones came along, we've been dropping them into water. And even though today's iPhones are resistant to splashes, drops, and dives, there are still times when they get too wet and the dreaded liquid detection alert appears on your screen.

For years, we've turned to a simple household staple when we need to save our iPhones from liquid death: a bag of rice. This method is definitely low-tech. Simply place your phone in a bag of rice, close it, and wait for a day or so. The idea is that the rice will draw water from inside the phone before it can fry any internal parts. People who have tried submerged phones swear by it, and there's plenty of anecdotal evidence that it actually works.

However, researchers have been claiming for years that it's all just a myth and that rice doesn't dry out your phone faster and can slow down the process, leaving your logic board vulnerable to more damage. A new 2024 support document from Apple actually advises against using rice to dry your iPhone because it may make matters worse, as “doing so may allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone.” Instead, Apple suggests the following steps:

1. Gently squeeze your iPhone on your hand with the connector facing down to remove excess liquid. Leave your iPhone in a dry area with some air flow.
2. After at least 30 minutes, try charging using a Lightning or USB-C cable, or connecting an accessory.
3. If you see the alert again, it means there is still liquid in the connector or underneath the cable pins. Leave your iPhone in a dry area with some air flow for up to one day. You can try charging or plugging in the accessory again during this period. It may take up to 24 hours to dry completely.
4. If your phone is dry but still won't charge, disconnect the cable from the adapter, unplug the adapter from the wall (if possible) and plug it back in.

Among the dos and don'ts, Apple also urges you not to dry your iPhone with an external heat source or compressed air, or insert a “foreign object,” such as a cotton swab or paper towel, into the Lightning or USB-C port.

iPhones have certainly been able to withstand immersion in water to a maximum depth of 6 meters (about 20 feet) for up to 30 minutes since the iPhone 12, so you likely won't have to worry about liquid damage for a while. But if you do, just leave the rice in the cupboard.