Rice has long been considered the best solution for a wet phone (Picture: Getty)
A long-trusted remedy for phones accidentally submerged in water has been made obsolete thanks to a new tip from Apple.
It was long believed putting a wet phone in a bag of rice would absorb the water and help a phone get back to normal – but the popular hack could damage your mobile.
If your iPhone gets wet, a new feature sends an alert warning you that your phone is wet and you should wait to charge it.
You may be tempted to pop your mobile in a bag of rice, but Apple has warned users: ‘Don’t put your iPhone in a bag of rice.’
They added: ‘Doing so could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone. Don’t dry your iPhone using an external heat source or compressed air.
‘Don’t insert a foreign object, such as a cotton swab or a paper towel, into the connector.’
And don’t try to charge your iPhone – if you plug your device in while it’s wet, it could corrode and cause further issues, Apple warned.
The popular solution isn’t recommended (Picture: Getty)
How do you dry your phone?
Apple recommends gently tapping your iPhone against your hand to knock out excess water, then make sure your connector is facing down.
After that, leave your iPhone in a dry area with airflow, wait half an hour and then repeat the process.
If the alert re-appears, leave your iPhone in a dry area for up to a day to help it dry out completely.
Are there other methods?
BBC Focus suggests using pure alcohol might be better to dry out your mobile.
They said: ‘Rice will draw out the moisture, but that doesn’t necessarily mean your phone will work properly afterwards.
‘The water may already have fused the phone’s circuits or left behind traces of minerals that corrode the electronics. Also, rice may get stuck in the headphone socket.
‘Soaking the phone in pure alcohol may be a better bet. The alcohol drives water out and removes any mineral deposits. But pure alcohol is highly flammable and must be treated with the utmost care.’
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