Apple Updates 'Wet Phone Fix' Advice

Apple has warned users not to dry an iPhone in a bag of rice. It says the popular "tip" won't repair water damage and could cause even more problems.

Numerous online guides have suggested the fix in cases where a phone is dropped into water and stops working. They usually suggest putting the phone in a zip-lock bag with uncooked rice, the logic being that the rice will absorb moisture, eventually drying out even the inside of a phone.

Apple has now updated its official advice to include examples of what not to do:

1. Don't dry your iPhone using an external heat source or compressed air.
    
2. Don't insert a foreign object, such as a cotton bud or a paper towel, into the connector.
    
3. Don't put your iPhone in a bag of rice. Doing so could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone. (Source: apple.com)

Short Circuit Risk

In particular, the concern seems to be about particles getting into the charging port. Whether it's fragments of rice dust or tiny strands of tissue, they could stop the charging process working properly. In the worst case scenario, they could cause a short-circuit that damages internal components of the phone.

Apple says that for most iPhones released from 2020 onwards, even an extended submersion shouldn't damage a phone. With all models, it's advice for a wet phone is to gently tap the device to knock out any water, then leave it unplugged in a dry area for 30 minutes.

Patience Is Key

After this point, it's safe to plug the charger cable in. If the phone is still wet, it will display a warning message on the screen. In this case, users should leave the phone in a dry place with at least some airflow for up to a day to dry out.

When the moisture warning message displays, the phone should disable charging for safety reasons. Apple advises against trying to find a way to bypass this as moisture could corrode pins on the charger cable or phone connector, causing permanent connectivity problems. (Source: standard.co.uk)

What's Your Opinion?

Have you ever dropped a phone in water? How did you fix any damage? Do you buy Apple's warning that the rice bag approach could be risky?