If your phone displays the “Liquid Detected in Lightning Connector” alert, you do not need to worry about the moisture causing damage to your phone. In fact, this alert is a part of the waterproof system featured in newer model iPhones (XS/XR and newer). So what do you do if you receive this alert?
The article below will provide a complete guide to removing moisture from your charging port. We will also discuss whether you should use the emergency override option and how to fix it if you see this alert when there is no moisture in the connector.
Why Is My Phone Not Charging?
If moisture gets into the charging port on your phone, you will see the alert that lets you know that liquid has been detected in the lightning connector. Your phone will display this message if you try to connect your charger while the port is wet.
When the phone detects liquid in the port, it will not allow any electrical currents to flow into the device. This prevents corrosion and other damage to the charging port and your charger. If these things are damaged, it could cause your phone to stop charging permanently.
How to Get Liquid Out of the Lightning Connector
If you are in a hurry to charge your phone, you may need to find a way to speed up the drying process. On its own, the process could take hours, depending on the environment.
You should avoid getting the liquid out with any methods that involve sticking a foreign object into your charging port. This could leave pieces of the object in the port or bend the pins that allow the currents to flow into your device when charging.
Partner with Gravity
The moisture in the lightning connector will dry on its own without causing permanent damage to your device. However, it may take longer than you’d hoped to wait to be able to charge your phone.
To help the moisture dry faster, you can prop your phone up with the charging port down. Leaving the phone sitting like this in an area with plenty of airflow will help the port dry out faster.
Use Silica Gel Packs
Silica Gel packs were created to place in containers with food or other items before storing them to prevent moisture. However, they have become one of the most popular methods for pulling water out of electronics. This is likely because they are effective but pose no threat of damage to your device.
To use them to get the moisture out of your lightning connector, place the packet and your phone in an airtight bowl or Ziploc bag. For the best results, place the packet near the charging port on your phone and leave it for 30 minutes to an hour.
When you take your phone out, connect it to the charger. If the alert is gone, it means that it is fixed. If not, you’ll need to repeat the process.
Fill a Bag with Rice
This method is a bit controversial because the dust and grains of rice have been known to cause damage to devices. However, many have successfully removed moisture from their charging port using this method without any damage left behind. It could be a great option in an emergency.
To remove moisture using this method, fill only the bottom of the Ziploc bag with rice, place your phone on top of the rice, then fill the bag the rest of the way. Filling the bag this way will lessen the chance of grains being lodged into the port.
After your phone has been in the bag for at least an hour, you can remove it and try plugging your charger into the phone to see if the moisture is gone.
Can I Use a Hairdryer to Dry My Phone?
Now that you know some ways to dry your lightning connector, you may be wondering if you can use a hairdryer to dry your phone.
You should not use a hairdryer to dry your phone because the heat from the hairdryer will likely cause more severe damage to the device.
Avoid Charging with a Wet Lightning Connector
If you need to charge your phone before the lightning connector is fully dry, it’s best to use a wireless charger. This will allow you to charge your device without damaging it.
Charging your phone while there is moisture in the lightning connector could cause permanent damage to your phone. If electricity flows through the pins while they are wet, it could cause them to corrode.
Know When to Use Emergency Override
If worse comes to worse, use the emergency override.
Since charging while the connector is wet can damage your phone, it’s best to override the alert only if it is an emergency. If your connector gets wet frequently, consider keeping a wireless charger handy.
You can also override the alert if it is an error. If you know for sure that there’s no moisture in the connector, overriding the alert is okay.
Will Using Emergency Override Damage My Phone?
Using the emergency override option to charge your phone while the connector is wet can damage your phone. However, if the alert is an error and there’s no moisture in the connector, overriding the alert will not harm the device.
What If There is No Moisture In Lightning Connector?
If you’re receiving this error and you’re positive there is no liquid in the connector, you can temporarily disable the alert by using the emergency override option. If you receive this alert in error frequently, there are a few things that you can try to correct it.
The simplest way to clear the error is to restart your phone. You can do this by following these steps:
- Hold the lock and volume up button until the toggle appearsSlide the toggle to the right, and your phone will power offLeave your device turned off for 60 secondsHold the lock button to power it back on
If you keep getting the alert after restarting your phone, it could be that your software is out of date on your phone. Outdated software can cause many errors like this one. Updating the most recent update available is likely to remove the error.
In rare cases, this could be happening because of a glitch in the data stored on your phone. If this is the case, you’ll likely have to complete a factory reset on your phone to fix it.
Conclusion
Hopefully these solutions helped your lightning connector to no longer say there is liquid detected so your phone can return to charging. If not, make sure to contact the support for your phone’s company.
