This is why you shouldn't put a wet iPhone in rice

It happens fast: Suddenly your smartphone ends up in the lake, or the pool, or you spill a drink on it. Although newer iPhones are resistant to splashes and brief immersions, there are instances when they get exposed to extreme wetness.

To save the day, many people resort to a tried-and-tested trick: simply place the phone in a bag of rice, close it and wait for a day or so.

The idea behind this is simple: the rice should draw water from inside the phone before it damages the internal parts. Many people swear by this method for water damaged cell phones.

But the rice hoax could be a pure myth. Researchers have long claimed that rice can slow the drying process. Now Apple itself is warning against this method.

Drying your iPhone with rice could make the situation worse, says a new support document from 2024 in black and white. “This may cause tiny grains of rice to damage your iPhone,” Apple warns.

Instead, the tech company suggests the following steps: First, you should gently tap the iPhone on your hand with the connector facing down to remove excess liquid.

Then leave the smartphone in a dry area with some air flow for 30 minutes. After these steps, you can try charging it using a Lightning or USB-C cable.

Apple also lists drying your iPhone with a heat source or compressed air as one of the things you shouldn't do. Inserting “foreign objects”, such as cotton swabs or paper towels, into the charging port is also prohibited.

Fortunately, since the Model 12, iPhones have been able to withstand six meters of water for 30 minutes. Therefore, iPhone owners no longer have to seriously worry about water damage. But if this happens, it is better to leave the rice in the cupboard.