If your phone is displaying the error “Liquid Detected in Lightning Connector,” you won’t be able to charge it using a lightning cable until the port is completely dry. Fortunately, this can be a relatively easy problem to fix.
This guide walks you through several troubleshooting steps you can try to fix the “Liquid Detected in Lightning Connector” error message on your iPhone.
What Does “Liquid Detected in Lightning Connector” Mean?
When your phone detects liquid in the Lightning connector, the slot at the bottom of your device where you plug in your charger, you’ll see the message “Liquid detected in Lightning Connector.”
This message will also appear when your phone senses liquid in an accessory that connects to the port, such as a speaker or headphones.
What Causes “Liquid Detected in Lightning Connector” Alert
There are many reasons why you may see the “Liquid Detected in Lightning Connector” alert on your iPhone. We’ve listed below the most common scenarios.
- Using or leaving your iPhone in the bathroom.
- Being outside in the rain and using your iPhone.
- Using your iPhone in the pool to take photos or videos.
- Spilling liquid on your iPhone.
- Using your iPhone with wet hands.
You may say your iPhone and all the devices from iPhone 8 and later devices are water-resistant. It is worth mentioning here that being water-resistant doesn’t mean “Waterproof,” and iPhones can suffer from liquid damage.
If your iPhone is exposed to water or any liquid, the metal components inside can rust and stop working properly.
The same problem may occur for the charging port or the “fancy” lightning connector.
What Not to Do When You See “Liquid Detected in Lightning Connector” Alert
You care about keeping your iPhone safe. So here are the tips to take care of your device and not damage it by avoiding these things when your iPhone or its charging port is wet.
- There is some faulty information about fixing iPhone water damage. You heard that dry rice would be an at-home solution to fix an iPhone drowned in water.
Do Not put your iPhone in rice since it doesn’t absorb moisture, and the rice grain could stick inside iPhone charging port. - Do not use a hairdryer to dry your iPhone’s lightning port; the wind may push the liquid inside the phone, and internal parts may damage.
- Do not use an external object like a cotton swab or paper towel, as it may get stuck in the pins.
What to Do If iPhone Shows “Liquid Detected in Lightning Connector” Error
If you see a liquid-detection alert on your iPhone, you need to tap your iPhone gently against your hand with the Lightning connector facing down to remove excess liquid. Keep your iPhone somewhere dry with plenty of airflow.
If you still see the alert, go through these tips until you get the liquid out of the lightning connector.
1. Remove the Lightning Accessory and Dry out the Moisture
The first and easiest way is to follow the on-screen instructions. Unplug your iPhone and let it dry fully.
If you doubt moisture is trapped inside, put your iPhone upright and let the liquid comes out.
Don’t shake the phone, don’t blow in the lightning port, and have patience. Your hurry or carelessness might worsen the situation.
2. Dismiss the Liquid Detection Alert
When you run into this problem, you have two options: dismiss or use emergency override.
If you’re certain the connector is dry, the error could be caused by a software flaw in your phone. So, in this case, press the dismiss option.
3. Use Emergency Override
Although we don’t recommend this solution, if you are in a hurry and want to charge your iPhone, you have to choose Emergency Override and risk damaging your device and charging your iPhone even though it is wet.
As we said earlier, when you choose Emergency Override, you run the risk of damaging your lightning connector or even internal components.
Water and electricity are toxic, and this combination could kill your phone!
4. Restart Your iPhone
If you’re still having problems with this warning after trying the first two steps, restart your iPhone.
To restart your device, follow the steps below:
For iPhone X and later:
- Press and hold the Volume Up or Volume Down button and the Side/Power button.
- Drag the slider to power off your device and wait at least 10 seconds.
- Press and hold the Side/Power button until the Apple logo appears.
For iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, 6, and 6 Plus
- Press and hold the Side/Power button.
- Drag the slider to power off the device and wait at least 10 seconds.
- Press and hold the Side/Power button until the Apple logo appears.
5. Use a Wireless Charger
You can use a wireless charger if your lightning connector is wet and your iPhone battery is dying.
Wireless charging will charge your battery without a cord, and it doesn’t need a lightning connector.
Note that it is available when your iPhone supports wireless charging. In other words, if you have iPhone 8 and later, you can charge your battery wirelessly.
6. Wait and Try to Dry Your iPhone
If you’re not in a hurry, unplug your lightning cable, turn off your iPhone, and keep your device so that the lightning port faces down.
Tap your iPhone gently so that the liquid comes out of your phone. You can also use a clean napkin to absorb the liquid and make your iPhone dry faster.
7. Contact Apple Support
If your problem remains after doing all the above solutions, you may have a hardware problem, and it seems moisture has damaged your iPhone.
Note that the Apple One-Year Limited Warranty does not cover liquid damage. Apple Support will help you fix the issue, but your iPhone will probably need to be worked on in person for them to do so. Here’s how to make a Genius Bar reservation.
Final Thoughts on “Liquid Detected in Lightning Connector”
Getting liquid stuck in your iPhone or getting the message “Liquid detection in Lightning Connector” without any reason can be concerning. We recommend you use the methods we listed in the article or contact Apple support for help.
Did you manage to solve the problem? Did you find other ways to troubleshoot this issue? Share your ideas in the comments below.
