Apple has published a new support article that warns iPhone users against what is apparently a very popular way of drying their devices—putting them in a bag of rice. This is because rice particles could get into the phone and damage it, Apple, whose current flagship smartphones start at $999, explained.
Apple has warned:
- 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.
- Don’t put your iPhone in a bag of rice. Doing so could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone.
How iPhones should actually be dried, per Apple:
- 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.
The alerts in question:
If you see one of these alerts, your iPhone has detected liquid in the Lightning or USB-C connector or on the cable or accessory. To protect your iPhone and the accessory, charging and accessory connection are unavailable until the connector, cable ends, and the accessory are dry.