The iPhone Liquid Damage Indicator Explained
The iPhone Liquid Damage Indicator Explained
If you suspect your iPhone has been exposed to liquid, there's a quick way to check if water has breached the internal casing: the Liquid Contact Indicator (LCI).
What is the LCI?
The LCI is a small sticker inside the iPhone that changes color when it comes into contact with water or a liquid containing water. Normally, it is white or silver, but it turns completely red when activated by liquid.
Where to Find It
Depending on your iPhone model, the LCI is usually located inside the SIM card tray slot. Simply pop out your SIM tray and shine a light inside to check.
What It Means for You
If your LCI is red, standard warranties usually do not cover the damage. If you're dealing with a recent spill, be sure to check our Step-by-Step Water Damage Guide and discover why you should avoid the rice trick.
We Can Help
Even if your LCI is tripped, all is not lost. Check out our Water Damage Repair Services to see how our expert technicians can clean and repair your iPhone.
Android phones have one too
This is not only an iPhone feature. Most Android phones — Vivo, Samsung, OPPO, Redmi, Realme — carry a Liquid Damage Indicator (LDI) sticker as well, usually inside the SIM tray slot or near the battery. Pop the SIM tray, shine a light in, and look for a dot or strip that has turned pink or red instead of white. If you cannot see it in the tray, the only other location is under the back, which means opening the phone.
A red LDI is not a death sentence
A tripped LDI tells you two things: liquid got inside, and the manufacturer warranty will likely refuse the claim. It does not mean the phone is dead. Many water-exposed phones recover fully after a proper board clean — the LDI just records that water was present, not how much damage it did.
What matters more in Patna's monsoon
What decides recovery is time and whether the phone was powered off, not the colour of a sticker. Dirty rain or floodwater corrodes fast, so same-day cleaning is critical — see the Patna monsoon first-aid guide. Our water damage repair service starts at Rs 1,999 for diagnosis and ultrasonic board cleaning; full costs are in the Patna mobile repair price list.