Apple Inc., the smartphone manufacturer, has issued a warning advising users against placing their phones in a bag of rice when they encounter water damage, as this practice is ineffective and could potentially harm the device.
Despite the longstanding belief that submerging a wet phone in uncooked rice can resolve water damage issues, Apple has debunked this myth. According to the company, placing the phone in rice may lead to rice particles entering the device, causing further damage.
The tech support unit of Apple emphasized, “Don’t put your iPhone in a bag of rice. Doing so could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone.” Additionally, users were cautioned against using external heat sources or compressed air to dry the liquid on the phone, as these methods could also cause damage.
“Don’t insert a foreign object, such as a cotton swab or a paper towel, into the connector,” Apple added in its advisory to users published on January 2, 2024.
Finally, the manufacturer of smartphones cautioned consumers against plugging in charging cables until both the phone and the cable were completely 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 company said.