Do MacBooks have ‘moisture detectors’ in the charging port like iPhones do?

[Hoppityhiphop]

If the charging cable is a bit wet or if the charging port on the iPhone is a bit wet, iPhones tell you to remove it and plug it later. Does this happen with the MacBooks too?

This is a very good integration that I appreciate it, because with these charging ports/cables sometimes they can get a bit wet even if I don’t throw direct water on it, especially the open ports on the MacBooks.

Now I don’t know how much water is needed to damage something, but it’s often the case that I might have damp hands after washing my hands and I hold the charging cable from its end just before plugging it in,
or perhaps I just wiped the sides of my MacBook with a tissue damped with water and perhaps water finds a way to get deep into the port (we are still talking about a minuscule amount of water, but it’s still water). It’s these scenarios, so I would like to know if the moisture detection is a feature on MacBooks too? As that would be very helpful.

I’m using a MacBook Pro M1.

(I’m coming from a 2017 MacBook Air that had MagSafe, so this was not an issue as there was no way for water to enter through the MagSafe port on the MacBook).

 

[firedept]

To the best of my knowledge there are indicators. It works like pregnancy tests, there are chemicals inside the indicator sticker that changes color after absorbing liquid water.

 

[Apple_Robert]

If the charging cable is a bit wet or if the charging port on the iPhone is a bit wet, iPhones tell you to remove it and plug it later. Does this happen with the MacBooks too?

This is a very good integration that I appreciate it, because with these charging ports/cables sometimes they can get a bit wet even if I don’t throw direct water on it, especially the open ports on the MacBooks.

Now I don’t know how much water is needed to damage something, but it’s often the case that I might have damp hands after washing my hands and I hold the charging cable from its end just before plugging it in,
or perhaps I just wiped the sides of my MacBook with a tissue damped with water and perhaps water finds a way to get deep into the port (we are still talking about a minuscule amount of water, but it’s still water). It’s these scenarios, so I would like to know if the moisture detection is a feature on MacBooks too? As that would be very helpful.

I’m using a MacBook Pro M1.

(I’m coming from a 2017 MacBook Air that had MagSafe, so this was not an issue as there was no way for water to enter through the MagSafe port on the MacBook).

What are you doing with the charging cord, that would make it a bit wet prior to actual charging?

 

[Hoppityhiphop]

What are you doing with the charging cord, that would make it a bit wet prior to actual charging?

Oh no, its not like I’m throwing water at it lol

but I do have damp hands quite often (covid, so a lot of hand washing) and it often happens that after washing and drying my hands, they are still damp. Then say I have to charge my Mac, I just grab the cable carelessly from its end and plug it in. Trust me, the part of the cable that goes in the MacBook can be a bit wet, but nothing too serious, it often evaporates in a few seconds.

Or for example the ports on the macbook can get a bit wet, for instance wiping the sides of the MacBook with a wet (with water) tissue/towel allows some water to enter the ports, but it’s just a little a bit and then a minute after I might plug the MacBook in or connect a dongle.

I asked the original question because I never saw the ’moisture detection’ pop up on the Mac, so I wondered whether that’s a feature only found on iPhones

 

[Hoppityhiphop]

To the best of my knowledge there are indicators. It works like pregnancy tests, there are chemicals inside the indicator sticker that changes color after absorbing liquid water.

So the same indicators that are found on iPhones? The ones that warn you with a pop if the charging port is wet ?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Oh no, its not like I’m throwing water at it lol

but I do have damp hands quite often (covid, so a lot of hand washing) and it often happens that after washing and drying my hands, they are still damp. Then say I have to charge my Mac, I just grab the cable carelessly from its end and plug it in. Trust me, the part of the cable that goes in the MacBook can be a bit wet, but nothing too serious, it often evaporates in a few seconds.

Or for example the ports on the macbook can get a bit wet, for instance wiping the sides of the MacBook with a wet (with water) tissue/towel allows some water to enter the ports, but it’s just a little a bit and then a minute after I might plug the MacBook in or connect a dongle.

I asked the original question because I never saw the ’moisture detection’ pop up on the Mac, so I wondered whether that’s a feature only found on iPhones

Given your reply, you should be fine.

 

[DeltaMac]

Could you keep a small hand towel with your MBPro? Just for those situations when you get too close, with water flying everywhere. Life is so short, of course, and there's little time to waste when taking less than 5 seconds to make sure that things are wiped down first.
Damp/sweaty (not dripping) hands are so unlikely to ever cause a problem.
Of course, if you are wiping down the side of your MBPro, near the ports, you would not be using anything that is so wet that it is dripping (and you, at a minimum, wring that cloth out first to make sure it is only slightly damp)

Slow down. Life is not THAT short. You still need to protect yourself first, THEN protect your investment in that computer...

 

[Macky-Mac]

So the same indicators that are found on iPhones? The ones that warn you with a pop if the charging port is wet ?

What he wrote about is different than what you're asking about. The sensors he's referring to are what Apple puts inside MacBooks so that their repair techs can tell if there's been moisture inside the MacBook. It's what they use to decide if your warranty is void because of potential damage from liquids. These sensors are fairly low tech and simply turn color when exposed to moisture.....they're not there to alert the owner about moisture in the charging port.

The alert message you're referring to seems to be part of Apple's scheme to make iPhones "water resistant".....unlike MacBooks which are definitely not water resistant.