How to fix “Liquid Detected in Lightning Connector” Error on iPhone (2023)

Apple creates water-resistant smartphones built optimally. iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, and all the later versions of the iPhone come with a built-in Liquid Contact Indicator (LCI). This indicator is present under the SIM tray and changes its color to RED from White/Silver when in contact with water. If while putting your device to charge, you see an alert called “Liquid detected in Lightning Connector” or “Charging Not Available” then most possibly your iPhone has come in contact with water recently. This is Apple’s failsafe feature to prevent your device from further damage or voltage surges due to liquid conductivity. It is best for you to find the cause of this first, whether the lightning charging cable is wet or your charging port on the iPhone. To recognize the causes and fix them we have curated a guide for you to resolve the “Liquid detected in lightning connector” error on your iPhone, once and for all.

iPhone: How to Fix the “Liquid detected in Lightning Connector” Error (2023)

To assess the “Liquid detected in Lightning Connector” alert on your iPhone pay attention to the Liquid Detection Alert you receive. The type of charging alert message you get tells you the source of this error. If you get an error that says, “Charging Not Available” then most likely liquid is present in your lightning port of the device. Otherwise, you will get a message about, liquid detection in the lightning connector where your lightning accessory or charging cable is in question. No matter what, here are step-by-step methods to help you restore your iPhone back to its charging condition.

Before trying out the methods, make sure you do not try the following fixes under any condition, as stated on Apple’s Official website to fix the ‘Liquid detected in Lightning Connector’ error on iPhone:

• Do not Use External Heat or compressed air to dry your device out.
• Do not insert any liquid absorption material (such as a cotton swab) into the charging port of your iPhone.
• Strictly Do Not put your iPhone in a bag of rice, as it risks smaller rice particles getting into your device’s hardware.

Dehumidifying your iPhone’s Charging/Lightning Port

• Tap your iPhone gently against your hand with the charging port facing downward to remove any excess liquid/water droplets.
• Wait for approximately 30 mins and then reconnect your lightning cable to the device.
• At this stage, your iPhone will start charging at lightning speed again.

If water is still detected inside your device then the ultimate collateral is to store your iPhone in a moisture-free area with efficient cross-ventilation of air. Wait for at least 24 hours for your iPhone to completely dry out in this area.

Drying your Lightning Cable

The most probable reason behind the ‘Liquid detected in Lightning Connector’ error is a wet lightning cable. Water can get stuck in between the metal pins of your lightning connector wire/cable and can harm the device.

• Use a delicate absorbent like a paper towel to absorb any moisture trapped on the cable.
• Wait for a few hours and try charging your iPhone again with this cable.
• If the liquid detection alert pops up again then try a completely different lightning cable.

Using a different lightning cable will help confirm if the lightning cable in use is faulty.

Use a Wireless Charging Accessory

Suppose this error comes up at the time of an emergency and you have to get your device charged anyhow then it is recommended to use an Apple Certified Wireless charger. You can even use “Emergency Override” to bypass the “Liquid detected in Lightning Connector” alert and get your phone back to charging up. However, this is not advisable as it further puts your device at extreme risk of water/liquid damage.

Cleaning iPhone’s Charging Port to fix the “Liquid Detected in Lightning Connector” Error

Your last measure is to check for any debris, junk, or moisture particles stuck inside your Lighting/Charging port. Use the Sim-eject toolkit to clean your iPhone’s charging port and power your device back up.

Use only Apple-certified charging accessories to power your iPhone as it will maintain the integrity of your device constantly. These products are MFi certified in the market which stands for “Made for iPhone”. Considering these solutions did not work out, even when the device is completely dry, then contacting Apple Support for your device’s issue is the last resort.

That’s all with fixing “Liquid Detected in Lightning Connector” error on iPhone. Hoping these methods and measures help you get your device charging again. To know more, you can start by solving similar problems on the iPhone like learning how to fix a frozen iPhone 14.