Liquid damage is a common issue for devices like the iPhone, despite its improved water resistance. But putting your wet iPhone in a bowl of rice isn’t the best solution, and I’ll explain why below.
When your phone has been submerged underwater for too long, moisture can reach the electronics inside, causing the device to malfunction or shut down. And it’s important to keep the phone turned off until it’s completely dry.
Removing its case and wiping down any visible water on the exterior will stop excess moisture from finding its way inside.
At this point, common knowledge suggests submerging your iPhone in a bowl of uncooked rice. But that’s actually not a very good idea. In fact, Apple specifically recommends against using any external heat sources or compressed air, and inserting foreign objects to dry the inside of your iPhone. This is because they’re likely to hurt more than help. Things like cotton swabs and paper towels can introduce contaminants to the device’s internals, while uncooked rice contains small particles that could enter your phone, all while doing very little to actually help dry it out.
Instead of the rice approach, the best thing to do is simply leave your phone out to air dry. 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. If you want to speed up the process, you can place a fan nearby to help with airflow.
After at least 30 minutes, you can try charging with a cable or connecting an accessory. If you see the liquid detection alert again, there is still liquid in the connector. It might take up to 24 hours to fully dry. Hopefully you’ll see the familiar Apple logo, and be able to use the phone without any issues.
