Water Eject for AirPods
Pair your AirPods, take them out of your ears, hold them mesh-down and press Start.
- Turn the volume all the way up and take the case off.
- Hold the phone with the speaker grille pointing down.
- iPhone: switch off Silent mode (the ring switch or Action button).
Nothing plays until you press Start. Press it again to stop.
AirPods that went through a splash or a sweaty run often sound quiet or crackly until the mesh dries. This water eject for AirPods plays a low tone through them to shake water off the speaker mesh. Pair them first, then press Start below.
If AirPods went through the washing machine or sat in water: don't put them back in the case and don't charge them. Leave them and the case open to dry for a day. The tone only helps with drops on the mesh.
How to use water eject on AirPods
- Shake each AirPod gently with the speaker mesh facing down, then wipe it with a dry, lint-free cloth.
- Connect them to your phone and set the volume to about two thirds. Earbuds sit right next to the mesh, so they don't need full volume.
- Take them out of your ears and hold them mesh-down. Then press Start. The tone is low and loud and isn't meant for listening.
- Run two or three 15–30 second rounds. Use Sweep if one AirPod still sounds quieter than the other.
How to dry AirPods safely
Apple's advice for wet AirPods is to wipe them with a dry, lint-free cloth, let them dry, and keep them out of the charging case until they are dry. Skip heat, hair dryers and compressed air, and don't push anything into the mesh openings. Rice doesn't speed anything up and leaves starch dust behind. Recent AirPods Pro and AirPods 4 are rated for sweat and splashes, which doesn't make them waterproof, and the charging case has no water rating at all.
Other earbuds
The same steps work for Galaxy Buds, Pixel Buds, Beats and most wireless earbuds. Earbuds with silicone tips: pull the tip off first, shake it dry, and run the tone with the tip off so the water has a way out.
FAQ
Is there a water eject shortcut for AirPods?
The iPhone Water Eject shortcut plays its tone through whatever is connected, so it reaches AirPods too. This page does the same without installing anything, and lets you change the frequency.
One AirPod is still quieter.
That is usually earwax or lint in the mesh, not water. Clean it with a dry soft brush. If it also crackles, Apple support can test it.
Clearing a phone instead? Use the water eject tone for phone speakers, or the Android version with vibration.