Water Eject Sound for AirPods and Earbuds
Small earbuds can trap water near the mesh after rain, sweat, or washing accidents. Short sound bursts may help, but volume should stay moderate because the drivers are tiny.
Use Short Sessions
Remove the earbuds from your ears before playing any cleaner tone.
Use quick mode for 20 to 30 seconds at medium volume.
Wipe the exterior and leave the earbuds outside the case until dry.
Charging Case Warning
Never put wet earbuds into the charging case.
Dry the stem and charging contacts before testing charging.
If liquid entered the case, stop using it until it has dried completely.
Best Test After Drying
Play a short voice clip in both earbuds and compare clarity at low volume.
If one side is still dull, clean the mesh again with dry brushing before trying another tone session.
Does Apple Have a Built-In Water Eject Feature
The Apple Watch has a built-in Water Lock feature that plays a series of tones to expel water from the speaker after a swim or shower. When you turn the Digital Crown to unlock after Water Lock mode, the watch plays sounds at specific frequencies that physically push water droplets out of the speaker port. This feature has been available since watchOS 3 and works reliably on all Apple Watch models from Series 2 onward.
AirPods and AirPods Pro do not have an equivalent built-in water eject feature. There is no software toggle, Shortcut, or menu option within iOS that triggers a water-clearing tone through the earbuds. Any social media posts or videos claiming that a hidden Siri command or Settings toggle activates water eject on AirPods are incorrect.
The Shortcuts app on iPhone can play specific audio frequencies through AirPods, and some user-created Shortcuts attempt to replicate the Apple Watch water eject behavior. These shortcuts typically play a tone between 150 and 200 Hz for several seconds. While this can generate vibration in the earbud driver, AirPods drivers are much smaller than phone speakers and the physical displacement is minimal. Use these shortcuts cautiously and at moderate volume to avoid driver damage.
Third-party apps and web-based tools like Fix My Speaker fill this gap by generating calibrated low-frequency tones designed for small drivers. These tools are not Apple products and are not endorsed by Apple, but they use the same physical principle as the Apple Watch feature—moving the speaker diaphragm at low frequencies to push water away from the mesh. Keep sessions short, around 15 to 30 seconds, and never exceed 70 percent volume on earbuds.
How Water Resistance Ratings Work for Earbuds
Earbud water resistance is rated using the IPX system, where the X means no dust ingress rating was tested and the number indicates water protection level. AirPods Pro first and second generation carry an IPX4 rating, which protects against splashing water from any direction. This covers sweat and light rain but does not cover submersion, jets of water, or shower use. Standard AirPods second and third generation also have IPX4.
The IPX4 test involves spraying water at the device from all angles at a rate of 10 liters per minute for at least five minutes. This simulates heavy sweat during a workout or running in rain. It does not simulate dropping an earbud into a sink, toilet, or pool—those scenarios require IPX7 or IPX8 ratings, which neither AirPods nor most consumer earbuds carry.
Some competing earbuds offer higher ratings. The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro carry IPX7, meaning they can survive submersion in up to one meter of fresh water for 30 minutes. The Sony WF-1000XM5 is rated IPX4, similar to AirPods Pro. Jaybird Vista 2 earbuds have an IP68 rating covering both dust and deep water. However, even IP68-rated earbuds can have water trapped in the speaker mesh after submersion, requiring drying and cleaning.
Water resistance degrades over time. The nano-coating and gaskets that provide the IPX rating wear down from repeated exposure to sweat, the mechanical stress of inserting and removing ear tips, and the oils from skin contact. After 12 to 18 months of regular workout use, treat your earbuds as if their water resistance has dropped by at least one level. An 18-month-old IPX4 earbud should not be trusted to survive the same splash exposure it handled when new.