I would bet pretty heavily that you’ve the ol’ “stick it in rice” advice if you’ve ever dropped your phone in water. It’s the modern day equivalent of an old folk remedy, with the rice supposed to suck the excess moisture out of your handset. But Apple has come out and said the opposite. If you’ve got your latest iPhone soggy, apparently you shouldn’t drop it in a bag of rice.

Read more: Apple iPhone 15 models compared: 15 vs Plus vs Pro vs Pro Max

Apple‘s latest advice says that dropping your wet iPhone into rice is about as useful as a chocolate teapot. It could even be damaging. As spotted by Macworld, a fresh-off-the-press support document advises against a few things you might think to do if your iPhone gets sodden. Resist the temptation to blast your iPhone with an external heat source or compressed air. Keep cotton swabs and paper towels away from the connector – you’re not cleaning your ears, after all. And, here’s the kicker, don’t chuck it in a bag of rice. Why not? Because you might end up with teeny tiny rice particles wreaking havoc inside your phone.

So, what should you do? Apple says patience is your new best friend. Give your iPhone a gentle tap against your hand with the connector facing down to shake out the excess liquid. Then, let it chill in a dry spot with some airflow. After waiting for at least 30 minutes, you can try charging it with a Lightning or USB-C cable, or hooking up an accessory. If you see a liquid alert again, it’s back to the waiting room for another day. You can keep trying to charge or connect an accessory during this period. It might take a full day for your iPhone to dry out completely.

If your phone’s dried out but still not charging, try the old ‘unplug and replug’ trick with the cable and the adapter. And if that doesn’t do the trick, it’s time to ring up Apple support – they’re the experts, after all. While newer iPhones are IP water-resistant, they’re still susceptible to water damage. The best advice? Try to avoid your handset getting soggy in the first place.

Related: Right to Repair explained: should you care about fixing your own gadgets?

Connor Jewiss

About

Connor is a writer for Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website. He has been writing for around six years now, with writing across the web and in print too. Connor has experience on most major platforms, though does hold a place in his heart for macOS, iOS/iPadOS, electric vehicles, and smartphone tech. Just like everyone else around here, he’s a fan of gadgets of all sorts! Aside from writing, Connor is involved in the startup scene. This exciting involvement puts him at the front of new and exciting tech, always on the lookout for innovating products.

Areas of expertise

Mobile, macOS, EVs, smart home

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