Why Apple Says You Should Never Put a Wet iPhone in Rice

Apple is pushing back on an age-old tradition for drying out your iPhone. The company updated its support tips for drying out a wet iPhone, bluntly telling consumers, “Don’t put your iPhone in a bag of rice.”

For many years, putting a soggy iPhone in a bag of rice was the sure-fire way to ensure your device lived to see another day. But Apple is saying that this trick, while useful at eradicating moisture, can also damage your phone.

Apple says that putting your phone in a bag of rice for any amount of time “could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone.” Particles of rice could get into the charging port, making it impossible to charge your phone even when it does dry out.

Additionally, the company advises against using compressed air or external heat sources to dry out your device for the same reasons. Using compressed air to clean dust or debris from parts of a dry phone is still fine to do.

Apple now recommends holding one’s iPhone with the charging port facing the ground and lightly tapping the device to drain extra moisture. Wait at least 30 minutes before attempting to plug the charging cable back into your iPhone.

If your phone still alerts you that it’s wet, it means there are still water droplets in the connector or under the charging cable’s pins. “Leave your iPhone in a dry area with some airflow for up to a day,” the company recommends. “You can try again to charge or connect an accessory throughout this period. It might take up to 24 hours to fully dry.”

Apple’s revised advice for dealing with a wet phone can be found here.