How To Handle A Liquid Spill On Your Macbook

Many times, when someone spills liquid on their Macbook it’s salvageable if certain actions are done immediately after a spill. Just remember, don’t cry over spilled liquid, take immediate action.

1. Unplug the Macbook and remove the power battery and the BIOS or PRAM battery inside the computer. You can find it on the board which keeps the clock and other settings while the Laptop is off. Use a screwdriver to remove all the screws holding the laptop case together. Then, take the case apart and remove the little silver round battery located on the board itself. This must be done to prevent corrosion.

2. Dry your Mac. Place a towel on a table, turn the computer upside down with the keyboard lying flat on the towel and the screen hanging over the edge of the table. The liquid will start to drain onto the towel. DO NOT use a hairdryer; heat can cause more damage to your laptop. DO NOT put the MacBook in a bag with rice; the rice grains will get into vents and other areas causing even more damage. Let the Macbook drain for at least 30 minutes. Please DO NOT turn your MacBook on to see if it survived the spill.

3. Bring your computer to Megabite ASAP! If you are not in our area, make sure you call repair shops and find out if they are knowledgeable in liquid spills. Having your Macbook professionally cleaned within hours of the spill can be saved. Once we evaluate the situation, we will give you a rough estimate of how much the repair will cost.

What to expect?

The news is never good in this situation, but usually, your MacBook can be salvaged. If the damage is limited to the keyboard, top case or the charging board you’re in luck and your Macbook repair will be reasonable. However, if the damage extends to the logic board, main system board, or the screen of your MacBook the repair will be more expensive and sometimes exceeds the value of the laptop.
Warranty DOES NOT cover liquid spills. All Macbook now have liquid spill indicators which change color when they get wet, so a technician will know if your computer has been involved in a spill!

What about Your Data?

In a liquid spill, lost data is usually never a concern; most hard drives have a seal that protects them from liquid damage. Your hard drive can be removed from the damaged Macbook, and the data can be recovered and restored on another Macbook.
Total repair time depends on available parts. Usually, it takes 14-21 days depending on our workload. Megabite offers a one-year warranty on this type of repair. However, if you spill something again on your MacBook after the repairs the warranty is null and void.

A great suggestion before you spill something on your Macbook you might want to consider getting a silicone keyboard cover to limit damage to your MacBook.