9 Ways to Get Water Out of AirPods

Dry your AirPods with a lint-free cloth, leave them overnight in a bag with desiccant packs, and then play a water-eject YouTube video

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Water damage can be a significant issue for AirPods as, while some are labeled as water-resistant, they’re not fully water-proof. This page will walk you through all the best ways to eject water from AirPods and what to do when water gets on AirPods and their charging case.

The tips on this page can be used with all Apple AirPod and AirPod Pro models.

If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to wipe off the water and continue using your Apple AirPods as usual. However, there are several signs that your AirPods have received some water damage.

Here are the best solutions for how to eject water from AirPods and their charging case. It’s recommended to work through these water-eject tips in the order listed as it’s important to ensure that your AirPods are as dry as possible by following the first few tips before proceeding to the latter advice requiring your Apple earphones to be turned on.

Do not use compressed air or heat to get rid of the water in your AirPods. It can damage the electronics.

Remove your AirPods’ ear tips. If you’re using an AirPod model, such as AirPods Pro, that uses removable tips, carefully remove these before proceeding, as water may be trapped inside the plastic.

Dry your AirPods with a lint-free cloth. Gently wipe and dab the Apple AirPods with a lint-free cloth to remove as much water as possible.

Don’t use a Microfiber cloth, as this will push the water around instead of absorbing it.

Use a paper towel to dry the AirPod charging case. If the inside of the charging case is also wet, roll some high-quality paper towel into the shape of a pencil and use this to slowly dab the inside of the case until the paper absorbs no more water.

Avoid using a brand of paper towel that flakes or leaves particles, as these can affect the function of the charging case.

Let the AirPods and charging case dry overnight. Place the charging case, and AirPods face down in indirect sunlight for 24 hours to dry. Avoid direct sunlight, especially in hot climates, as this can damage the electronics.

Don’t forget to open the charging case lid to let any trapped water evaporate.

Surround your wet AirPods with desiccant packs. Those little silica gel desiccant packs found in vitamin bottles are great at absorbing excess moisture. If you have some handy, place them in a small bag with your wet AirPods for 24 hours.

Only use desiccant packs after you've removed as much moisture as possible from your AirPods. Desiccant packs are not meant to be used as sponges. Don't use rice, either, as this can deposit particles.

Play an AirPods water removal YouTube video. Once you’ve removed as much water as possible from your AirPods, connect them to your smartphone or computer, turn the volume up, and play one of the many YouTube videos designed to expel water from AirPods.

Use a Water Eject shortcut on your iPhone. On your iPhone, open Settings and select Shortcuts > Private Sharing. Then open the Water Eject shortcut page on your iPhone and select Get Shortcut > Add Shortcut to install it. Finally, open My Shortcuts and select Water Eject > Begin Water Ejection.

Charge your AirPods and charging case. Don’t panic if your AirPods aren’t working after you’ve performed the above drying techniques. Their batteries have likely run out of power, which is entirely normal.

If you can't charge your AirPods, there are several solutions you may want to try.

Contact Apple Support. If nothing else works, you may be able to get a replacement by filing a report on the official Apple Support web page.

Apple's AirPods have been known to survive a load in the washing machine, but don't get overly confident about them working after the trip 'round and 'round. If you accidentally put your AirPods through a load in the washing machine, dry them using the above steps.

AirPods should not be immersed in water, although they have the rating of IPSX4 (so no dust protection, but there is some water protection, like sweat). Cleaning your AirPods involves a cloth, something like a Q-Tip, and some time.

IP (Ingress Protection) ratings define how well an item keeps out dust and water. It's a common standard, so you are able to compare items to items to get an idea of which is better for you and your situation. The higher the number, the better protection that's offered. An item with a rating of IP67 shows a best rating of 6 for dust (dust-tight, no dust will get in) and a good rating of 7 for water (1 meter for 30 minutes will not harm the device). If an item has a 0, it means it does not protect against that material (so IP07 means dust can get in, but not water). Sometimes companies will use X if it hasn't been tested (although sometimes a company may not want to admit that the seal isn't great, so they use X).

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