Has your iPhone been displaying an odd pop-up message alerting you that liquid has been detected in the lightning connector? Well, you’re not by yourself.
Apple keeps enhancing the user experience with its iPhones and incredibly user-friendly operating system. Better, more practical features are added to iPhones with every update and new model. One that stands out is the ability to unlock your iPhone while wearing a mask.
Another important feature of a recent update is one that alerts users if water or other liquid is found in the lightning connector. Any activity involving the lightning connector, like charging, is immediately stopped by the notification.
Unfortunately, not every update or model refresh meets expectations. The user experience is usually made frustrating by bugs that come along with these improvements.
The liquid detected in the notification for the lightning connector is another annoying bug that many users are affected by. iOS 15 users on iPhones are still irritated by this bug, which first appeared in the iOS 14 update.
If you see this message, you’ll want to know what to do whether you’re dealing with water damage or a bug. You can learn all there is to know about the liquid that a lightning connector detected by reading on.
Table of Contents
‘Liquid Detected In Lightning Connector’ – What Does That Mean?
First off, your iPhone’s charging port is also called a Lightning connector or Lightning port, since it’s only compatible with a Lightning cable. Besides getting your phone submerged in water, the Lightning port is the only entry for liquids and moisture.
Important: You’ll see an Emergency Override option on the error message—this prompts your phone to continue charging even if it detects moisture inside the port. It’s recommended to avoid doing this as this might cause hardware damage and corrosion inside the connector.
The following error message will appear on the screen if your Lightning connector is wet:
“Availability of Charging: The Lightning connector has a leak of liquid. To let the connector dry, unplug. Charging now may damage your iPhone.”
This error is particularly seen in iPhone models XS or higher. Contrarily, the following are typical causes of this error that manifests after you connect your Lightning cable:
- Humidity – Once your phone is left in a humid environment, it’s bound to get moisture from the wet air compared to the normal room temperature. Lightning connectors are one point of entry for moisture.
- Rain – If your phone gets left out in the rain, there’s a high chance that the Lightning connector is going to be wet, besides the screen and the Home button.
- Spilled Drinks or Water – If your phone’s near a split liquid or drink, the In particular, if the lightning connector is facing the liquid’s container, it is susceptible to getting wet.
The most likely cause of the alert “Liquid has been detected in the Lightning connector” appearing on your phone’s screen after it has experienced one of these circumstances is that it has. A straightforward way to solve this is to dry your iPhone’s charging port.
Is My Water-Resistant iPhone Safe From Lightning Connector Wetness?
No, your water-resistant iPhone isn’t safe from lightning connector wetness. Water resistance is present in all iPhone models up to and including the iPhone 8.
But that still doesn’t make your device waterproof. As a result, liquids have the potential to harm your iPhone.
Because the internal parts of your iPhone can corrode if exposed to any liquid, you must exercise caution.
It might result in transient or even long-term multifunctionality. Lightning connectors are also susceptible to that.
Thankfully, Apple has installed a feature in their iPhones that disables the lightning connector automatically when it detects liquid.
This stops current from flowing through the metal pins of the port, which could seriously harm them.
The connector could permanently stop working if the pins corrode.
How Do I Fix “liquid Detected In Lightning Connector”?
“What should one do if liquid is discovered in a lightning connector?” You don’t need to worry, though, because we have some fantastic fixes that can assist in resolving your “Liquid detected in lightning connector” issue.
Dry The Connector Of Your Device
After receiving the “Liquid detected in lightning connector” warning, try drying the connector as your initial course of action. Put that where the charging ports point downward after unplugging it from the charger. In any case, avoid shaking the iPhone since this could cause the water inside to spread.
Dismiss The Alert
The warning could simply be the result of a bug if you are certain that you dried the iPhone completely. You can then choose to ignore the alert in this situation. When the warning appears, you will have the option to dismiss it. Simply tap or click that. Be aware that it might prevent the device from charging.
Wait For Your Iphone To Dry
If you’re not in a rush, you should always wait for your iPhone to dry naturally. To do this, you must first turn off your iPhone and then maintain the charging port’s downward position to allow gravity to act on the water droplets. You can also lightly tap the iPhone to move the water inside. Wipe away the dripping water with a piece of cloth.
Use The Emergency Override
If you’re willing to risk your iPhone getting damaged while charging, use this option only in an emergency. As you are aware, combining water and electricity can be fatal. Use of this option to charge the iPhone while it contains water is therefore dangerous. Still, you can try using Emergency override and see if your iPhone works.
What Happens If The Emergency Override Button Isn’t Functioning?
If you press the override button and your iPhone won’t charge. You’ve three ways to fix the matter. These include:
- Restart your device by forcing it to restart, reconnecting the lightning cable, and selecting “Dismiss.” Long-press the side button while pressing the volume up and down buttons until the Apple logo flashes.
- Use an authentic Apple charger, not an aftermarket one, to recharge your iPhone. The latter results in the alert “liquid detected in lightning connector.”
- Use a MagSafe cordless charger if you have access to one.
Restart Your Device
Last but not least, you need to restart your device and try charging again if the iOS liquid-detection notice is still stopping your iPhone from charging even after selecting the Alternative for Emergency Override. Long press the side power button and volume up button to restart your iPhone.
Wait patiently for the iPhone to restart after unplugging the charger and using the force restart method. Make sure the charger is reconnected and good luck.
Use An Apple Charger
The Liquid Detected in Lightning Connector error is most frequently reported by users who use third-party chargers to charge their iPhones or iPads.
This could be an effort by Apple to convince users to use only Apple products. So, try using the original apple charger to dismiss this error.
Use Wireless Charging
Another option is to attempt wirelessly charging your iPhone. But you can only do this if you have an iPhone 8 or later model because only those models support wireless charging. This is a safe option because you can charge wirelessly.
Reset Every Setting
Finally, you can attempt to reset the iPhone’s settings. These steps should be followed if you want to reset your network settings.
- Go to Settings and select General.
- Then select Transfer Or Reset iPhone, followed by Reset.
The Home Screen layout, location settings, Keyboard dictionary, and Apple Pay cards are all reset to their default values when you choose Reset All Settings on your iPhone. But no information or media are deleted!
Everything is deleted or reset to default, including Apple Pay cards, location settings, the keyboard dictionary, the Home Screen layout, and network settings. There is no removal of any data or media.
Why Does My Iphone Suggest Liquid When The Lightning Connector And Cable Are Dry?
Your iPhone is detecting liquid yet the lightning connector and cable are dry due to debris and dust sticking in the charging port.
Dust and debris can become lodged inside connectors, especially if you have a new device or have allowed your connector to dry for an excessively long time.
Your iPhone’s liquid sensor can identify these obstructions as liquids.
Therefore, you ought to check the port with a flashing light. To protect its metal pins, use compressed air to blow any particles away.
If the port is empty of debris, the problem is with the lightning connector or cable.
It is advised to seek guidance from the Apple Support Team in such a scenario.
How Can The Lightning Connector Be Safeguarded?
Protecting and maintaining the cleanliness of the lightning port on your iPhone is the best way to prevent any potential problems.
Remember to turn off your phone and only use safe products when cleaning. Use plastic or wooden toothpicks to remove dust debris instead of using metal cleaning tools.
When cleaning dust and debris from the port, compressed air is another option. Use of compressed air is not advised, though, if you are worried about water damage.
It’s best to stay away from unnecessary water bodies in order to keep the lightning port dry. Keep your phone away from swimming pools, unstable glasses, and bottles of liquid.
Accidents are still a possibility, though. The most recent iPhone models, including the iPhone 7 and newer, are water-resistant, but extra security is always a good idea.
The best way to give your iPhone and its lightning port more protection is with a fantastic all-around cover. The award-winning UB Pro is one of the best covers there is. It has endured numerous drop tests and evolved into a legendary case.
A built-in port cover is also included with the UB Pro to shield it from unintentional water, dust, and debris.
Conclusion
To charge the battery in your phone, charging ports are necessary. The Lightning connector on your iPhone, however, can also unintentionally get wet in some circumstances. The “Liquid has been detected in the Lightning connector” problem should now be fixed with the help of these tips, hopefully. We have other iPhone guides, including on how to fix when the iphone screen is moving on its own (ghost touch)
Try contacting Apple Support for additional help if your phone still encounters the same error with a dry Lightning port.
