Liquid detected in Lightning or USB-C connector

What to do right now (4 steps)

1. Unplug everything. Remove the cable and any accessory from the port. Don't keep retrying the cable.
2. Tap it out. Hold the phone port-down and tap it gently against your palm a few times so loose drops fall out.
3. Air-dry. Put it somewhere dry with some airflow. A desk near a fan works. Wait at least 30 minutes, then try the cable again.
4. Charge wirelessly if you need power. A Qi or MagSafe charger doesn't use the port. Wipe the back dry first.

If the alert returns, there's still moisture. Repeat the air-dry step; it can take several hours, sometimes up to a day.

Why a water eject tone can't dry a charging port

Our water eject tool plays a low tone through the speaker so its thin mesh vibrates and shakes droplets off. The charging port has no speaker behind it. Just pins in a small cavity. So sound from the phone doesn't move that water. Plenty of sites suggest otherwise; we'd rather tell you what actually helps. If your speaker also sounds muffled, that's a separate problem: run the water eject pulse for the speaker, and let the port dry on its own.

iPhone vs Android: what the alert looks like

Using an Android phone with a wet speaker too? The Android water eject page covers the speaker side. iPhone owners can use the iPhone water eject page.

Five mistakes that cause real damage

• Rice. Apple specifically says not to: small particles can get into the port.
• Compressed air or blowing into it. It can push water deeper, and breath adds moisture.
• Hair dryers and heaters. Heat is hard on the battery and seals, and doesn't fix the pins.
• Cotton swabs, pins or paper. Fibres stay behind and metal can bend or short the pins.
• Forcing a charge. Charging with liquid on the pins can corrode them. Keep Emergency Override for real emergencies.

When the warning won't go away

If the phone has had a full day to dry and the alert still appears, the cause is often not water any more:

• Lint or pocket dust packed at the back of the port can hold moisture or bridge pins. Look inside with a torch.
• Residue from sea water, pool water or a drink can stay after the water evaporates.
• A damaged or damp cable. Try a different, dry cable before blaming the phone.
• A cached alert. Restart the phone and try again.

If none of that clears it, have the port cleaned or checked by the manufacturer or an authorised repair provider. Don't dig into it yourself.

Liquid detected but the phone isn't wet

Short answer: the sensor reacts to any moisture or conductive debris on the pins, not only spills. Common triggers:

• Condensation after carrying the phone from a cold car or air-conditioned room into warm, humid air.
• A bathroom or gym: steam and sweat can reach the port.
• A damp or damaged cable rather than the phone itself.
• Pocket lint holding moisture at the back of the port.

Treat it the same way: unplug, wait in a dry room for 30 minutes, try another cable, restart. Samsung owners can follow the dedicated moisture detected on Samsung guide.

How long until I can charge again?

Source: Apple Support, "If you see a liquid-detection alert on your iPhone".

Check the rest of the phone

Water that reached the port often reached the speaker and microphone too. Once things are dry, run the speaker test at low volume and the microphone test. Not sure what you're hearing? The speaker diagnostic asks two questions and points you to the right fix. Our methodology explains what these browser tools can and can't do.