Apple has updated its support page dealing with the water resistance of the iPhone 7 and later models. The company is now coming out and explicitly stating its position that, contrary to myths and old wives’ tales, a wet iPhone should not be dumped in a bowl of rice. I even found a story I wrote back in 2009 that took the pro-rice side, but this has been debunked (although not debanked) as a method to dry out a soggy smartphone.
On Apple’s revised support page, the company warns, “Don’t put your iPhone in a bag of rice. Doing so could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone.” Other things NOT to do include:
- 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.
So with rice, compressed air, and cotton swabs out, if your iPhone or accessory gets wet, Apple says the first thing to do is to unplug the USB-C plus from the charging port and the other end of the cable from the power adapter or accessory. Don’t plug the cable in again until your iPhone and cable are dry.
I must say, I like the way Apple refers to its most important product as iPhone instead of the iPhone. So with that in mind, here are the recommendations Apple gives for drying iPhone:
- 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.
- After at least 30 minutes, try charging with a Lightning or USB-C cable or connecting an accessory.
- If you see the alert 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.
- 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.
If you’re not sure if the charging port on your iPhone is too wet to use, iPhone itself will let you know. On devices using the Lightning cable to charge, a pop-up will tell you that charging is not available because “liquid has been detected in the Lightning connector.” If you’re rocking an iPhone 15 series model, you might see a full-page warning that says “Liquid Detected in USB-C connector. Disconnect charging cable to prevent damage to iPhone. Allow the connector to dry. This might take several hours.”
Apple will warn you if your Lightning port (L) or USB-C port (R) is too wet to use
So there you have it folks. You can certainly enjoy a bowl of steaming hot white rice after your iPhone falls in the pool, the sink or the toilet. But that rice is for you to eat, not to place your iPhone in. Follow Apple’s suggestions for drying iPhone instead.
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