Spilled liquid on a MacBook: first steps

What to do in the first hour after a spill, what not to try, and why diagnostics matter before charging again.

Power the MacBook off immediately and disconnect the charger. Do not try to turn it back on to check whether it survived, because power can make corrosion and short circuits worse.

Avoid rice, heat guns and repeated charging attempts. The useful work is controlled drying, disassembly, inspection and board-level cleaning where needed.

A diagnostic is the right first booking for liquid damage. It confirms whether the issue is keyboard, trackpad, display, charging, storage or logic board related before you commit to a larger repair.