iPhone water eject: does the speaker cleaner shortcut work?

You dropped your iPhone in a sink or got caught in the rain, and now calls sound muffled. Apple Watch can eject water with a built in feature, and many people expect the iPhone to do the same. It cannot. What you will find instead are free Shortcuts and paid apps that play a sound for a few seconds. They are a simple thing to try, as long as you know what they can and cannot do.

How the Water Eject shortcut works

The shortcut plays a steady low frequency tone through the speaker. The vibration is meant to shake water droplets out of the speaker grill. The makers say the tone is around 165 Hz, but that claim has not been proven by independent tests. In practice it often helps with water sitting right behind the grill, which is the cause of most muffled speaker sound after a splash.

Free shortcut or paid app?

Several App Store apps with Water Eject or Speaker Cleaner in the name do the same thing as the free shortcut. Many ask for a subscription. Start with the free shortcut. If the speaker clears, you do not need an app. Be careful of apps that promise to repair the phone, because a tone cannot fix hardware.

What the shortcut cannot do

• It cannot dry the inside of the iPhone or protect the circuit board from corrosion.
• It cannot fix a charging port that is wet. Do not charge until the Liquid Detected warning clears.
• It cannot repair a speaker that was damaged by water or a drop.

If your iPhone shows a warning when you plug it in, see the Liquid Detected warning. For wider water damage, read what to do after water damage.

What to do (and not do) with a wet iPhone

Speaker still muffled after a day?

If the sound is still dull or crackly after the phone has dried, the cause may not be water. Dust and lint in the grill, a screen protector or case covering the speaker, or damage from the water can all do it. Check why your speaker is not working. If it is still bad, a repair shop or an Apple Store can open the phone and check for corrosion. The sooner the better, because water damage gets worse with time.

USB-C iPhones and a wet port

The Water Eject shortcut plays a low tone that can push water out of the speaker. It does not dry a charging port, and it does not fix liquid inside the phone. If your iPhone with a USB-C port shows a warning that liquid was detected, unplug it and let it dry before you charge. Our guide to the Liquid Detected message explains when you can override the alert and when you should wait.

When water damage means a repair

If the sound stays muffled after a day, the phone shows odd colors, or it will not charge, water may have reached the inside. Apple states that liquid damage is not covered by the standard warranty, though AppleCare plans can cover accidents for a fee. Read what to do if your phone gets wet for the full steps, and AppleCare+ plans if you often use your phone near water.

Common mistakes after a splash

People often make a wet iPhone worse. Do not use a hair dryer, because heat can damage seals and the battery. Do not insert cotton swabs, pins or paper into the speaker or port. Do not shake the phone hard or keep it in a hot car. Wipe the outside, keep the phone face down at room temperature with the speaker grille pointing down, and give it at least a day before you charge it.