Remove water from your phone speaker
Turn on the water ejection sound below so that any water droplets stuck in your speaker are ejected, just like the water eject feature on a smartwatch works.
Do these three things first
Get the outside dry. Wipe the entire phone with a clean cloth and also clean the charging point and speaker with a soft cloth. Do not shake the phone too much as this can cause water to enter.
Do not charge it. Do not charge the mobile phone immediately after water gets into the charging pins as this can cause a short circuit. Keep the phone in a dry place for a few hours.
Take the case off. If the cover of your mobile phone gets wet, remove it immediately as there is a possibility that a small amount of water will get into your speaker. Also, if water gets into the screen protector, remove it immediately.
How the water eject sound works
The speaker pushes a small diaphragm back and forth to produce sound. When a frequency tone is played on the mobile, that small diaphragm pushes air out faster, which helps to push out any water droplets that have accumulated on the mobile’s grill.
The same technology is used in the Apple Watch, so if a mobile phone or smartwatch gets water, you can use this method to fix the speaker for free.
Step by step
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Dry the outside and remove the case
Wipe the phone clean with a soft cloth. Remove the cover from the phone so that any moisture on the phone can drain.
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Turn off Bluetooth and unplug headphones
The tone is played through the mobile speaker. If headphones are plugged in, there will be no sound from the speaker, so remove the headphones.
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Turn the volume up
Set media volume to 90% or higher. Water needs more force to shift than dust does, so this is one case where you want it loud.
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Hold the speaker facing down and start
Hold the speaker grille towards the ground and turn on the tone so the water is pushed out as quickly as possible.
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Wipe, then repeat
After the water comes out, wipe the speaker clean again with a cloth and turn the tone back on. Repeat this process 2 to 3 times.
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Let it air dry
Leave the phone somewhere dry with air moving around it for a few hours before charging. Do not use heat.
What not to do
Rice
Don’t make the mistake of putting your mobile phone in rice. If you think that rice helps to remove water from your mobile phone, then there is no such thing. On the contrary, there is a possibility that the fine particles in the rice will get into the speaker and damage it further.
Hairdryers and heat
Never use a hair dryer because there is a possibility that water droplets or other small particles inside the speaker will still get inside, which will damage your speaker instead of making it better. Therefore, never use these things.
Compressed air
The pressure forces water inwards through the grille instead of drawing it out, and it can damage a small speaker driver.
Charging while damp
Water entering the charging port can cause a short circuit, so do not use the phone immediately even after drying it thoroughly. Wait for a few more hours.
When it is more than trapped water
This tool helps to remove water trapped in the phone’s grill. If too much water has entered the phone, then this tool cannot help you in such a situation.
Take the phone to a service centre rather than keeping on using it if you notice any of these:
- The sound is still crackly or distorted a full day later
- You may see color spots on the screen or moisture under the glass
- The phone gets unusually warm, or the battery drains much faster than normal
- Mobile phone buttons or touch screen not working properly
- If you keep getting a moisture message on your mobile phone even after cleaning the charging port, you should take it to a service center.
If you don’t remove the water from your phone immediately after it gets into your phone, it will start to rust. That’s why if you have too much water, you should take it to a mobile service center immediately.
Water eject on iPhone
People look for the water eject button in the iPhone because this feature is built into the Apple Watch, but this feature is not provided in the iPhone, so if you want to remove water from the iPhone, you have to play the above tone.
The liquid detected warning
If iOS shows Liquid detected in Lightning connector or in USB-C connector, this message is displayed on your screen, then understand that there is water in the charging pin of the iPhone. In such a situation, do not try to insert a new charger pin, leave the iPhone in the air for a while and wait a few hours. Sometimes it can even take a whole night. This warning is about the charging port and not about the speaker, so you can set the tone of the above frequency.
Make a water eject shortcut
Most iPhone users don’t know this. Open Shortcuts, create a shortcut, and add Play Sound with a low-tone sound. Add it to your Home Screen, and you can play it with one tap whenever needed.
What IP68 actually means
iPhone 7 and later models have an IP rating, and iPhone 11 and later models have an IP68 rating. This test is performed on iPhones in still fresh water.
This rating does not last the life of the phone because the phone gets old. The seals get old as the phone gets old. The seals also get damaged when the phone is dropped. The seals also get damaged when the mobile battery or screen is changed. If any substance gets into the phone, Apple does not repair it under warranty. Therefore, consider this rating as resistance that decreases over time, not waterproofing.
Salt water and chlorinated swimming pool water are more harmful to phones than tap water because even after the water has drained, its residue can cause corrosion to the mobile. Therefore, if the mobile falls into the swimming pool, first wash it with clean water, clean its charging port, and then use the above frequency sound to remove the water from the speaker.
Apple’s own guide, Cleaning your iPhone, gives the same warnings: keep moisture out of every opening, and never use compressed air.
Other cleaners
Common questions
How long does it take to get water out?
Sometimes the water in the mobile speaker comes out in one or two cycles, so play a frequency sound for thirty seconds or one minute.
Does the water eject sound really work?
This will remove a small amount of water that has accumulated in the speaker grill, but it won’t work if a lot of water has gotten into the speaker.
What frequency removes water from a speaker?
Low frequencies around 165 Hz are the usual choice, and that is what the Water mode plays. Smartwatches use a similar low tone for their water eject feature. Higher pitches move the diaphragm less and are better suited to loosening dust.
Should I put my phone in rice?
Do not accidentally put your phone in rice because it will not drain the water from the speaker, but rather the tiny particles in the rice will go deep inside the speaker, which could further damage your speaker.
Can I use a hairdryer?
No. Heat can warp adhesive and damage the battery, and forced air pushes moisture deeper inside instead of out. Let the phone dry at room temperature.
My speaker still sounds crackly the next day. What now?
If your speaker is not working properly even after playing the sound, you will have to go to the service center and get the speaker changed.
Does the iPhone have a built in water eject?
No. The Apple Watch has one, controlled by the Digital Crown, but there is no equivalent setting anywhere in iOS. Playing a low tone through the speaker, as this page does, is the usual substitute.
My iPhone says liquid detected. What do I do?
If you receive such a message, immediately remove the mobile from charging, leave the mobile in the open air, and wait for 8 to 9 hours.
Is it safe to charge a wet phone?
No. Water in the charging port can short the pins and cause permanent damage. Wait until the port is completely dry, which can take several hours. Most phones will warn you and refuse to charge if moisture is detected.