How to Get Water Out of Your Phone Speaker: iPhone & Android

You dropped your phone in the sink, got caught in the rain, or took one call too many in the bathroom, and now everything sounds like it is coming from under a blanket. In most cases the phone is fine and the water is simply sitting in the speaker grille.

Quick answer: turn the speaker face down and tap the phone gently against your palm, wipe it with a soft, lint-free cloth and leave it somewhere dry with some airflow. Water in the speaker clears as it evaporates; to help droplets out of the grille sooner, play our free water eject sound at full volume. Don't use rice, heat or cotton buds, and don't charge until the port is dry.

Why water makes the sound muffled

A phone speaker is a tiny membrane that has to move freely to push air. When droplets sit in the mesh in front of it, they damp that movement and swallow the high frequencies first. That is why voices sound thick and music loses its sparkle before the speaker goes silent altogether. Apple notes that water in the speaker or microphone can affect sound quality until it evaporates.

Also read: Dropped Your Phone in Water? What to Do Right Now

Step 1: get the loose water out

• Put the phone speaker side down on a soft, lint-free cloth and see whether water drips out.
• Tap the phone gently against your palm with the speaker and charging port facing down, so gravity helps.
• Wipe the outside dry, including around the speaker and port openings.
• Unplug any cable and don't charge until the port is completely dry.

Step 2: let it dry with some airflow

Leave the phone upright in a dry place with some airflow, out of direct sun. Samsung suggests a flow of cool air to speed things up. Apple says a wet connector can take up to 24 hours to dry fully, and recommends waiting at least 5 hours before charging a wet iPhone with a cable.

Step 3: shake the droplets out with sound

Try it now in your browser: free water eject sound (165 Hz)

A low tone moves the speaker membrane in long strokes that can push droplets out of the grille. Samsung itself notes that moisture on the speaker mesh can be removed by speaker vibration during a call, and Apple Watch plays a sound to clear water after swimming. Our free water eject sound plays 165 Hz, or a sweep between 140 and 200 Hz; turn the volume up and keep the speaker facing down. When it works you can often hear it: the tone starts gargled and turns cleaner. Our guide on whether speaker cleaner apps work explains what a tone can and can't do.

165 Hz tone Sweep 140–200 Hz

Play sound

165 Hz

Ready. Turn the volume all the way up.

Speaker Cleaner plays this kind of tone for you, with slow, medium and fast modes, so you can start gently and step up for stubborn water. No cables, no disassembly.

On an iPhone

• Tap the iPhone gently against your hand with the connector facing down, then leave it in a dry area with some airflow.
• If you see a liquid-detection alert, unplug the cable and wait at least 30 minutes before trying to charge again; it can take up to 24 hours to dry.
• If a liquid other than water (a drink, for example) splashed on it, Apple advises rinsing the affected area with tap water, then wiping and drying it.
• Water resistance is not permanent: Apple says it can decrease with normal wear, and liquid damage isn't covered under warranty.

On an Android phone

• Wipe the phone with a dry, soft cloth and let it dry thoroughly before you use it.
• Shake it gently a few times with the speaker facing down, or use a flow of cool air, as Samsung suggests for Galaxy phones.
• Make a call and check the sound over a while: the speaker's own vibration can clear moisture from the mesh.
• If a water-drop icon or “moisture detected” message appears, unplug the cable and let the port dry before charging.

What you should never do

• Rice. Apple says not to put an iPhone in a bag of rice, because small rice particles could damage it, and rice does not pull water out of a sealed speaker.
• Heat or compressed air. Apple warns against both. Hairdryers, radiators and ovens can also warp adhesive and harm the battery.
• Cotton buds or paper corners. Anything pushed into the mesh or port drives the droplets deeper and can tear the membrane.

When it is more than water in the grille

If the sound is still distorted after a day of drying and a few tone sweeps, get it looked at. Be especially careful after salt water or a pool: Samsung warns that water with a high salt or chemical content, such as chlorine, can damage a phone, and water resistance ratings are based on fresh water.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Apple Support: If you see a liquid-detection alert on your iPhone
• Apple Support: About splash, water and dust resistance of iPhone
• Samsung: What to do when your mobile device is exposed to water
• Samsung: Can I get my Samsung Galaxy device wet?
• Samsung: My device displays a water drop icon and will not charge

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