Fix iPhone “liquid detected in Lightning connector”

• "Liquid detected in Lightning Connector" alert appears if you connect a Lightning accessory to your iPhone and liquid is detected.
• The best way to get water out of the lightening port is to just wait and let it dry.
• You can also try to knock the water out by tapping the device against your hand, with the lightening port facing down.
• Don’t insert foreign objects like cotton swabs or paper towels into the lightening port — these can push the water in deeper.

If you’ve seen the "liquid detected in Lightning® connector" warning pop up on your iPhone®, you may be wondering what that means—and whether your phone is broken. Don’t worry, we’ll walk you through what’s going on and explain exactly what to do.

It’s true that iPhones have some degree of water resistance, and the newest iPhone models can even be submerged up to six meters deep. But the internal components are still sensitive to water, and will malfunction if they’re too wet.

When you connect a Lightning cable or a lightening accessory to your iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, or newer, your iPhone can warn you if there’s liquid in the connector.

If you see one of these alerts, your iPhone has detected liquid in the Lightning connector or on the cable or accessory. To protect your iPhone and the accessory, charging and accessory connection are unavailable until the connector, cable ends, and the accessory are dry.

Charging not available: Appears if you connect your iPhone with a Lightning connector to a charger and liquid is detected.

Disconnect the charging cable immediately.

You may instead see an alert that says: ”Liquid detected in Lightning Connector”

What does “liquid detected in Lightning connector" mean?

The “Liquid detected in Lightning Connector" message will appear on your screen if your phone senses liquid in the Lightning port, the slot at the bottom of your device where you plug in your charger. It will also appear if your phone senses excessive liquid in an accessory that connects to the port, such as a speaker or a pair of headphones.

If you charge your iPhone while the Lightning 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.

If you’ve gotten water into the lightening port on your iPhone, you’ll want to get it out quickly.

How to get water out of your iPhone Lightning port

It might sound too simple to be true, but the best way to clear water from your iPhone’s lightning port is to just leave it alone and let it dry. Follow these steps to dry your phone properly:

1. Make sure your iPhone is disconnected from any cables, including its wired charger.
2. Tap your iPhone gently against your hand with the lightening connector facing down to remove excess liquid.
3. Leave your iPhone in a dry area with some airflow. Keep the charging port uncovered, and for the best results, leave it with the charging port pointed down.
4. Let your iPhone dry for at least 30 minutes, then come back and check the port. If you can still see moisture inside, or if the iPhone is still giving you a "Liquid detected in Lightning Connector" error, you need to keep waiting.
5. Leave your iPhone in a dry area with some airflow for up to a day. You can try again to charge or connect an accessory throughout this period. It might take up to 24 hours to fully dry.

What to avoid when getting water out of your iPhone lightening port

There are a few bits of conventional wisdom when it comes to drying out water that you should absolutely not follow.

First, don’t insert any foreign objects into the lightening connector, like a cotton swab or paper towel. Not only can this push the moisture deeper into your iPhone, but if you’re not careful, you can end up scratching or displacing the internal components. At that point, it won’t work even when dry.

Some people suggest using external heat such as a hairdryer to bombard the iPhone with hot circulating air. But this can overheat your device and even deform the metal inside the lightening port.

Don’t dry your iPhone using compressed air.

And no matter how many websites recommend it, don’t put your iPhone in a bag of rice. This doesn’t dry it out any quicker than circulating air, and small particles of rice or starch can get stuck in the lightening port and damage it.

Just be patient and let your iPhone dry. You’ll be thankful when the water is gone and it’s working fine again.

See also: How to clean out your iPhone’s charging port