Rice won’t save water-damaged iPhones says Apple
According to Apple, using rice to drain a water-damaged iPhone could do more harm than good.
Online tutorials and articles recommend placing a smartphone in a bag or bowl of rice to dry it out, but Apple says smaller particles of grain are more likely to exacerbate the issue.
Experts have long warned that rice shouldn’t be used as a quick fix, but it remains a popular technique for iPhone owners to patch up their devices cheaply.
Apple has now advised against using rice in newly published guidance.
The tech giant also urged customers to steer clear of any “external heat” sources like hairdryers and radiators, blasting devices with compressed air, or using paper towels and cotton swabs to remove water.
The recommended guidance is straightforward: simply leave phones in a “dry area with some airflow”.
After a short while, the device should be connected to a charger and turned on.
The good news for smartphone owners is that improving tech could soon make water damage a thing of the past.
Apple devices from iPhone 12 onward are more than splashproof; they can be submerged in water for 30 minutes and will continue working afterwards.
This gives new smartphone owners peace of mind in the case of spillages and accidents.
However, older smartphones will be in operation for a while yet, especially with second-hand mobile sales growing.
While the rice bag trick is not recommended, scores of customers will continue to search online for potential quick fixes for damaged phones rather than forking out for a new device.