How Long To Dry Iphone In Rice

GOT a wet iPhone? You've probably heard that it should go straight in a bowl of rice – but that's not true.

Putting your iPhone in rice isn't very effective, can damage your mobile, and means you'll miss out on much better drying methods.

A wet iPhone can be annoying – and rice could make matters worse Credit: Alamy

Dry iPhone in rice – does it really work?

There are loads of ways people try drying off their phones.

These include terrible and frankly dangerous solutions involving ovens and hair dryers.

One of the more popular solutions is to stick it in a bowl of rice – but sadly, its effectiveness is a myth.

Rice simply can't absorb water from the air effectively enough to cleanse your device's internals.

Don't put your iPhone in rice – there are better ways to de-moisten your mobile Credit: Getty - Contributor

You may have had success with this method, but the phone likely would've worked fine without any interaction with rice.

But dumping your mobile in rice is largely useless.

In fact, you could end doing some serious damage to your blower.

Getting a small grain of rice stuck in a port, or dust in some of the holes, could prove very annoying.

And trying to dislodge any jammed objects could result in scratching or breakages to your handset.

Fortunately, there is a better way.

Dry a wet iPhone – the best way to do it

First, turn your iPhone off immediately. You want to prevent moisture from affecting active circuitry.

Dry it off with paper towels or a microfibre cloth.

Then remove any parts, like the SIM tray or even the battery if you're using an Android handset (where battery removal is possible).

Next, put the device in a zip-loc bag to keep it airtight.

But before you close it, slip in a handful of silica gel sachets.

Silica gel packets are a great solution for drying smartphones out Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Daniel Clemente

These are the little desiccant packets that you'll often find boxed with shoes.

They draw in moisture very effectively, and work better than plain old rice.

You can buy them cheaply online – or you may already have some lying around the house.

Once the silica packets are in the bag, lock it and leave it.

You'll want to wait at least three days before opening the bag and removing your phone.

It won't be easy but playing the waiting game gives you the best chance of switching on a working phone.

So in brief, here's how to dry a wet iPhone:

Turn off your phone immediately
Dry it with paper towels, and try to get into ports too
Take out any loose parts, including the battery (if you're using an Android handset where this is possible) and SIM card
Put the device in a sealable bag
Bag it up with silica gel sachets
Lock the bag and leave it for 72 hours
Power your phone up and pray to the smartphone gods

Sadly, no method is truly guaranteed to save your phone – so brace yourself for the worst.

Does drying your iPhone guarantee it'll be fine?

No, it might still be broken – and even if it works, it might not forever.

The bad news is that your phone may still be knackered in the long run, even if it works immediately.

Water drying on internal components can kick-start a corrosion process that could irreparably damage components down the line.

So you might find that a soaked phone stops working many months after the incident.

Most modern iPhones are waterproof, but it's always a good idea not to put this to the test in the first place Credit: Getty - Contributor

iPhone waterproof models – you might not need to bag your mobile

Apple has been making the iPhone waterproof for years now.

So there's a good chance that you've already got a waterproof iPhone.

If you have an iPhone 7 or later, they're rated as water-resistant to depths of three metres of water for up to 30 minutes.

Older iPhone models aren't rated to the same standard, so be very careful when handling them near water.

iPhone tricks to try today

Here are some of the best...

Typing cursor – When typing, hold down the space bar to turn your keyboard into a trackpad, letting you move around words and sentences more easily
Close all Safari tabs – To do this in one go, simply hold the overlapped squares in the bottom right-hand corner, and press close all tabs
Delete lots of photos quickly – Hold down on a photo and then drag your finger diagonally in Photos to select lots of images at once, then hit delete
Convert currency quickly – Swipe down from the top of your Home screen (or swipe left to right on an iPhone X), then tap in the bar and type a currency (like $200) and it will automatically covert to your local currency
Check if you're due a battery upgrade – Batteries inside smartphones degrade over time. Just go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health, and check out the Maximum Capacity reading. Generally a battery is considered worn when you're down to 80% capacity. If you're below, you can buy a battery swap from Apple
Move apps around faster – Hold an app until it starts wiggling, then (while still holding) tap other apps, causing them to stack so you can move them around easier

In any case, water-resistance is simply a guideline – and not a benchmark for you to try to hit personally.

Don't start chucking your iPhone in the sink or swimming pool, because it might not end well.

Small cracks, high pressure water, changes in temperature and many other factors can reduce water-resistance.

iPhone 11 enthusiasts queue all night at London's flagship Apple store for new release

In other news, this genius iPhone trick loved by mums lets you "lock" the touchscreen.

Apple is reportedly planning to launch a cheap new iPhoneon March 31.

Alleged footage of the rumoured iPhone has turned up online, but fans are convinced it's fake.

And read about all the Samsung Galaxy S20 features your iPhone doesn't have.

Do you know any clever iPhone tips or tricks? Let us know in the comments!

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