Your Mac Laptop Can Now Inform Apple If You Have Spilled Water On It: What It Means – News18

Apple iPhones have offered the ability to detect liquids for a while now, aiding in preventing charging when there is moisture in the charging port, thereby safeguarding the iPhone from potential damage due to a wet port.

However, this functionality has been absent in Macs. This could be because Mac laptops are not as prone to exposure to liquids or submersion, like the water-resistant iPhones. But now, with the introduction of macOS Sonona, Macs now possess the ability to detect the presence of liquids in the USB-C ports of the device.

As noted by 9to5Mac, macOS Sonoma 14.1 includes a daemon named “liquiddetectiond,” which runs in the background to check the status of the USB-C ports. This daemon, also known as the “Liquid Detection and Corrosion Mitigation Daemon,” resembles a functionality present in iPhones and iPads for liquid detection. Its primary purpose is to alert users to disconnect chargers swiftly when liquid is detected within the charging ports, thereby preventing potential damage to the device. However, with Macs, there is a specific use case.

This feature might not serve to notify users about potential liquid damage. Instead, it is designed to inform Apple technicians if a device has been exposed to liquid and qualifies for free repair under warranty. Notably, if liquid is found in the ports, the laptop would be disqualified for free repairs, as water damage is not covered under warranty.

It remains unclear whether this feature will be extended to Macs as a user-alerting function or if the “liquiddetectiond” daemon will solely remain for technicians to use.