18-05-2025
Rice trick WON'T fix your phone if you get it wet in sink or pool on hols – the real ways to dry it are much safer too
DROPPED your iPhone in the sink? Your next move should NOT be to drop it in a bowl of rice.
It's a longstanding myth that rice will dry out your expensive phone and keep it running smoothly.
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But it turns out that rice isn't very effective at drying your iPhone out at all.
Worse still, Apple says it could even do damage to your mobile.
WET IPHONE TROUBLES
There are loads of ways your iPhone could end up soaked, from dropping it in the sink or loo – or even the pool on holiday.
Apple has been making its iPhones water-resistant since the iPhone 7, but that's not a guarantee that they're waterproof.
And water can still do serious damage to your iPhone.
Most iPhones can likely survive a dunking in water, but pressurised and hot water (like in a shower) can breach water-resistance.
And getting water in your Lightning or USB-C port (the one you use for charging) is bad too.
In fact, you'll usually get a pop-up from Apple if this is the case.
It'll say something like: "Charging not available. Liquid has been detected in the Lightning connector.
"Disconnect to allow the connector to dry. This may take several hours."
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If you ignore this warning, it can do serious damage to your iPhone.
So only override it if you're in an emergency.
Apple explains: "If you charge your iPhone while the Lightning or USB-C connector is wet, the pins on the connector or cable can corrode and cause permanent damage or stop functioning.
"Causing connectivity issues for your iPhone or accessory."
DRYING YOUR IPHONE – WHAT YOU SHOULDN'T DO
There are some things you absolutely shouldn't do, according to Apple.
And top of the list is sticking your posh blower in rice.
"Don't put your iPhone in a bag of rice," Apple explains.
"Doing so could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone."
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Not only that, but rice simply isn't very good at drawing water from the air around it.
You're just as well leaving the iPhone out on the side, and won't risk ruining your mobile.
There are a couple of other rules to follow too.
"Don't dry your iPhone using an external heat source or compressed air," Apple warned.
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IPHONE WATER RESISTANCE
Here's the full list from Apple..
Apple says the following iPhone models are "splash, water and dust resistant":
iPhone 16e
iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max
iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 13
iPhone 13 mini
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone SE (2nd generation)
iPhone 11
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone XS
iPhone XS Max
iPhone XR
iPhone X
iPhone 8
iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 7
iPhone 7 Plus
Picture Credit: Apple / The Sun
And the Californian tech giant added: "Don't insert a foreign object, such as a cotton swab or a paper towel, into the connector."
HOW TO ACTUALLY DRY YOUR IPHONE
There are two methods worth trying – one official, and one less so.
The first is Apple's technique, which is meant to sort your iPhone out if you've ended up getting water in the ports.
Firstly, gently tap your iPhone against your hand.
Apple recommends making sure that the connector is pointing down towards the ground to allow excess liquid to fall out.
Then all you need to do is leave your iPhone in a dry area with a bit of airflow.
Wait at least 30 minutes then try to charging again.
If the alert pops up warning you about moisture, Apple says leave your iPhone somewhere drive for up to a full day.
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The second isn't an official Apple method, but plenty of iPhone fans say it works.
It involves sticking your iPhone in a Ziploc bag with a load of silica gel packets.
They're those packets that you get inside a box with new shoes or furniture in.
Companies put them in boxes to draw in moisture and stave off damp – and they're extremely effective.
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These packets – which you can also bag off Amazon – are much better at drawing moisture out from the air than rice.
Not to mention they won't end up sneaking into an iPhone nook or cranny.
You've probably got a few silica gel packets lying around at home, so grab a few and try using those instead.
