So, what should you do once you see this error message, and what exactly does it mean?
“Liquid has been detected in the Lightning connector. Disconnect to allow the connector to dry. Charging now may damage your iPhone.”
Apple’s liquid detection feature first appeared in 2016. All iOS devices with iOS 10 came with a ‘Disconnect Lightning Accessory’ prompt whenever liquid is detected in the lightning port. Erring on the side of error, Apple strongly suggests that you disconnect the lightning accessory and allow the lightning port to dry before connecting it.
What does emergency override mean?
Water and electricity simply don’t mix, and this is why your iPhone displays a ‘Liquid Detected in Lighting Connector’ or ‘Charging Not Available’ prompt whenever it detects liquid in the lightning port. You are given two choices when this happens: Emergency Override and Dismiss.
The introduction of iOS 14 gave iPhone owners an additional option: Emergency Override. This gives you the option of charging your iPhone to make a call in an emergency.
Water-resistant iPhone – does it matter?
The iPhone 8 and succeeding models are designed to be water-resistant. But even with this feature, it does not guarantee that your iPhone is immune from liquid damage. We must understand that water-resistant isn’t waterproof. And once the water comes in contact with your iPhone’s internal electrical components, it can cause corrosion or a short circuit.
What to do – Liquid has been detected in your lightning connector
Short of a life-threatening emergency, there are three things you should do to prevent water damage.
1. Unplug any lightning accessory, charger, or cables
The iPhone’s lightning port has metal pins that pass electricity through when charging. Simply having water over these metal pins may not be a problem. But once you connect a lightning accessory, any electricity flowing to and from the lightning port can cause severe damage to your iPhone.
2. Use a wireless charger
This is a great option when you’re in an emergency and need to make a call. Since this does not require your lightning port, it is safe. However, this is limited to iPhones that support wireless charging. Charging when using the wireless option would also be slower, so you should also consider this.
3. Wait for the lightning port to dry or dry it manually
We recommend drying your iPhone’s lightning port naturally by letting it face down and allowing gravity to take over. You could also leave your iPhone in an open and ventilated place for around half an hour to let it dry. Using a heat source such as a hairdryer or cotton buds could force the water in or damage the metal pins.
Is emergency override iPhone bad?
There’s a good reason why they call it an ‘Emergency Override,’ this is something that you should do as a last resort or in case of an emergency. Waiting for a few minutes to let your lightning connector or iPhone dry out wouldn’t hurt. But having your iPhone serviced after it shorts out would be a painful and expensive lesson to learn. Hence, we strongly advise connecting anything to your lightning port once the ‘Charging not Available’ or ‘Liquid Detected in Lightning Connector’ pops up.
