How to get water out of a charging port on iPhone and Android
To get water out of a charging port, unplug the cable, tap the phone gently against your hand with the port facing down, and leave it somewhere dry with airflow. Apple says to retry the cable after at least 30 minutes, and Samsung says the water evaporates in about 1 to 2 hours.
This page follows what Apple, Samsung and Google publish for their own phones: the exact liquid and moisture alerts, how long each maker says to wait, what not to put near the port, and what a warning on a dry phone means. For water in the camera, screen or speaker, start with the guide to drying a wet phone.
How to get water out of a phone charging port
Getting water out of a phone charging port takes gravity, airflow and time — not tools. Apple, Samsung and Google describe the same basic routine for their phones, and they differ mainly on waiting times and on whether to switch the phone off first.
Step 1
Unplug everything
Disconnect the cable from the phone and from the power adapter. Apple says not to plug it back in until both the phone and the cable are completely dry.
Step 2
Rinse if it wasn't plain water
Apple says to rinse the affected area with tap water after any other liquid. Samsung says to rinse the port in fresh water and dry the phone with a dry, soft cloth.
Step 3
Tap it out, port down
Hold the phone with the charging port facing down and tap it gently against your hand. Samsung's version is to shake the phone gently.
Step 4
Leave it in moving air
Apple says to leave the phone in a dry area with some airflow; a fan blowing cool air into the connector might help. Google says to turn a wet Pixel off and dry it on a flat surface at room temperature.
Step 5
Try the cable after the wait
Use the waiting times in the table below. If the alert comes back, Apple says there is still liquid in the connector or under the pins of the cable.
Step 6
Charge wirelessly meanwhile
Samsung says wireless charging is not affected by moisture in the port. Dry the phone itself first: Apple asks for a dry back before placing an iPhone on a Qi-certified charger.
How long a charging port takes to dry
A wet charging port can take from a few minutes to a full day to dry. Apple gives the longest range, up to 24 hours. Samsung expects water to evaporate in about 1 to 2 hours, and Google treats a Pixel alert lasting two hours or more as a reason to contact support.
| Phone | What the phone shows | When to try the cable again | When to get help |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone XS, XR and later | “Liquid Detected” or “Charging not available” | After at least 30 min; at least 5 hours if the iPhone was exposed to liquid; full drying can take up to 24 hours | The alert appears every time with an Apple cable or accessory |
| Samsung Galaxy, water-resistant models | A pop-up message, plus an alarm until the charger is unplugged | Water evaporates from the port in about 1 to 2 hours | The drying steps don’t work: contact Samsung or a walk-in service center |
| Google Pixel | “Liquid or debris in USB port” | If the port looks clean and dry, a few minutes, until “OK to use USB port” appears | The message stays for two hours or more |
Apple’s two numbers come from two pages. The 30-minute retry is on its page about liquid-detection alerts on iPhone, last updated in October 2024. The 5-hour minimum is on its water resistance page for iPhone 7 and later, updated in July 2026, in the section about charging an iPhone that has been exposed to liquid. If the whole phone went under, that second page is the one written for your situation, and the first minutes after a drop come before any charging attempt.
Samsung’s timing is from its US support article on moisture in a Samsung charging port, and Google’s from Pixel Phone Help. Neither page shows a publication date; both were checked on September 17, 2026.
Liquid detected in USB-C connector on iPhone
“Liquid Detected in USB-C Connector” means an iPhone has sensed liquid in the port, on the cable or on the accessory. Charging and accessory connection stay blocked until the connector, the cable ends and the accessory are dry. Apple says the warning works on iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later, with slightly different alert names for Lightning models.
| Alert on iPhone | When Apple says it appears |
|---|---|
| Charging not available | An iPhone with a Lightning connector is connected to a charger and liquid is detected |
| Liquid Detected in USB-C Connector | An accessory or charger is connected with a USB-C to USB-A cable and liquid is detected |
| Liquid detected in Lightning Connector | A Lightning accessory that doesn’t charge the iPhone is connected and liquid is detected |
| Liquid Detected | A USB-C accessory is connected and liquid is detected |
When the USB-C alert appears, Apple asks you to disconnect the charging cable immediately. Charging through a wet connector can corrode the pins on the connector or cable, which can cause permanent damage or connection problems for the iPhone or the accessory.
Emergency override and wireless charging
Apple lets you override liquid detection in an emergency: reconnect the cable or accessory, and you get the option to charge anyway. Apple still says you shouldn’t charge a wet iPhone. A Qi-certified wireless charger remains an option once the back of the iPhone is dry.
Moisture detected in a Samsung or Pixel charging port
A moisture warning on a Samsung Galaxy phone means water is in the charging port, and the phone will not charge through the port until it dries. Samsung describes this as a measure to prevent corrosion. Wireless charging still works on models that support it.
Samsung Galaxy phones
When a charger is plugged into a wet port, a Samsung phone shows a pop-up message and sounds an alarm until the charger is disconnected. Samsung’s steps are to unplug, gently shake the phone and wait about 1 to 2 hours for the water to evaporate. Samsung also warns against charging while the phone is wet or handling the charger with wet hands.
Google Pixel phones
Pixel phones show “Liquid or debris in USB port” when they sense liquid or debris in the USB-C port. Google says to unplug the power adapter from the wall, then the cable, and to check the port and cable without putting anything into them. If they are wet, turn the phone off and let it dry at room temperature.
Other Android brands publish their own instructions, so check the support site for your model.
What not to use on a wet charging port
Rice, heat, compressed air and anything pushed into the port are what phone makers tell you to avoid. Apple names each of them on its liquid-detection page, and Samsung and Google both say not to insert objects into the port.
No bag of rice
Apple says not to put an iPhone in a bag of rice, because small particles of rice could damage it.
No heat or compressed air
Apple says not to dry an iPhone with an external heat source or compressed air. A fan blowing cool air might help instead.
Nothing inside the port
Apple names cotton swabs and paper towels. Samsung says inserting any object can damage the port, and Google says not to put anything into the port or cable.
Wiping the outside of the phone is fine: Apple recommends a soft, lint-free cloth such as a lens cloth. The paper towel warning is about pushing one into the connector.
Sound does not dry a charging port. A water eject tone works on the speaker, where a vibrating membrane can push droplets out of the grille, and the port has nothing that moves. If the speaker also sounds muffled after the same splash, play a water eject tone for the speaker while the port dries on its own.
Why your phone says there’s water in the charging port when there isn’t
A liquid alert on a phone that looks dry points to the cable, an accessory, debris or the port itself, according to Apple and Google. Each maker also gives a point at which to stop waiting and get the phone or the cable checked.
On iPhone, Apple’s test is repetition. If the alert appears every time you connect one particular cable or accessory, that cable or accessory might be damaged, and its manufacturer is the one to contact. If the alert appears with every Apple Lightning or USB-C cable or accessory, the iPhone might need service. If the phone has dried out and simply won’t charge, unplug the cable from the adapter and the adapter from the wall, then connect them again.
On a Pixel, the same message covers debris. With the USB-C port facing down, tap the phone gently against your hand. Google recommends the cable that came in the box and says to stop using a cable that looks damaged. A port that looks burned, melted or corroded is a warranty or repair case, and a message that lasts two hours or more is Google’s cue to contact support.
Samsung’s last step is service too: contact Samsung or visit a walk-in service center. Apple’s warranty does not cover liquid damage, although consumer law may still give you rights.
If the port recovers but calls or music still sound wrong, run through checks for a silent iPhone speaker.