iPhones can withstand immersion in up to 20 feet of water for 30 minutes.
For years, drying out a wet phone in a bowl of uncooked rice has been a hack that has seemingly rescued many devices. However, in its recent guidelines, Apple has asked iPhone users to stop using this method to fix waterlogged phones, warning that it could cause more damage. In its latest advisory, Apple addressed what to do when you get the liquid detection alert on your iPhone. "Don't put your iPhone in a bag of rice. Doing so could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone," Apple warned.
The tech giant also suggested avoiding using an external heat source, like hair dryers or compressed air to blow off liquid. Also, don't insert cotton swabs or paper towels into charging ports either, the tech giant said.
In its guidelines, Apple offered a few suggestions on what users can safely do when they get a "liquid detected" on their phones. The company suggested tapping your phone against your hand with the connector pointing down to remove excess water from it. Then, just leave it in an area with good airflow to dry and wait 30 minutes before charging it. If the alert still pops up, leave the phone for another few minutes and just wait. It can take up to 24 hours to really get dry and users may see the liquid detection alert till that time frame, the company said.
"Although you shouldn't charge your iPhone when it's wet, you might need to in an emergency. If you reconnect your iPhone to the cable or accessory, you have the option in an emergency to override the liquid detection and charge your iPhone." Apple wrote in its advisory.
"If you have a wireless charger, you can still use that to charge your iPhone. For best results, make sure that the back of your iPhone is dry before you place it on your Qi-certified charger," it added.
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The tech giant also warned that 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.
However, users may not have much to worry about when it comes to water damage to their latest iPhones as Apple claims that its flagship devices can withstand immersion in up to 20 feet of water for up to 30 minutes.