Why is my MacBook Air not charging after spilling water?

Madhuri Kumari
3 min readApr 30, 2024

Do you know that around 90,000 laptops are damaged due to water spilling each year?

Let’s explore why your MacBook Air is not charging after spilling water. We know how important it is to protect your device from such incidents. There are some steps you can take to save your device.

Why won’t it charge?

Water mishaps can damage delicate internal components of your MacBook Air. Here are the main causes of charging inability:

  1. Drowned inside — Corrosion can be caused by water in parts such as the charging port, logic board, or even the battery. The electrical pathways required for charging may be disturbed because of corrosion.
  2. Magsafe connector — The magnetic connection of the MagSafe connector could be affected by water damage if you have an older MacBook Air.

Taking action right away

Here are some immediate actions you can take to protect your device from liquid:

  1. Unplug and turn off everything — Unplug and shut down your MacBook Air completely and cut off any connections, such as headphones and external drives.
  2. Dry it up — Take a clean, lint-free cloth and gently wipe away any visible liquid on the surface. Don’t scrub the cloth; this action might put water further inside.
  3. Patience is the key — Leave your MacBook Air exposed to air completely for at least 24–48 hours. Don’t use a hair dryer or place it near a heater; this can worsen the situation.

Still not charging?

If, after doing the steps mentioned above, you are still unable to resolve the problem, here are some additional things to try:

  1. Change the charger — Sometimes your MacBook Air is not the problem, but your charger. Try to use different power adaptors or cords to see if the problem is with the charger.
  2. Reset the SMC and PRAM (for some models) — These are technical terms, and you can find instructions online on how to reset SMC (system management controller) and PRAM (parameter RAM). These resets can sometimes resolve the issue.
  3. Seek professional help — If none of the above solutions work, take your MacBook Air to an authorized Apple store. If you don’t want to take a risk with your data, you should seek professional assistance. Techchef provides data recovery services for consultation, call us at 1800–313–1737.

Points to remember

There are some important points to remember when you are trying to solve the damage problem on your own.

  1. Using rice is not an option — There is a common misconception that burying your device in rice can absorb moisture. Sadly, rice can trap tiny particles that can harm your device further.
  2. Back-up regularly — Your data is not only at risk from spills. Having a recent backup ensures you won’t lose your vital data.

Conclusion

By following the instructions above properly and taking quick action, you might be able to save your water-clogged MacBook Air and your precious data on your own. But don’t hesitate to seek expert assistance if necessary it’s better to be safe than sorry.

If you like this article, please share it on your social media handle. For MacBook Data Recovery Services, contact us, and we will provide the best services to you.

--

--

Madhuri Kumari

Head of Corporate Communications @ Techchef Data Recovery. ( https://www.techchef.in/ ) India’s Leading Data Recovery and Data Sanitization Company.