As wireless earbuds designed for active lifestyles, Apple‘s AirPods seem destined for occasional encounters with water. Maybe an unexpected rainstorm catches you on your morning run. Perhaps your earbuds tumble into a sink (or toilet!) while you’re cleaning. Or that epic pool party gets a bit too wild. Hey, it happens to all of us.
While AirPods offer reasonable protections against moisture, they remain vulnerable in wet situations given their IPX4 rating. Once liquid seeps inside, internal corrosion can quickly take hold, threatening your earbuds with permanent damage.
When accidents happen, quick action offers the best chance to:
- Remove trapped water before it reaches sensitive electronics
- Trigger built-in water resistance protections
- Dry out any residual moisture before corrosion sets in
Follow along as we detail robust, lab-tested techniques to extract water from your AirPods after unexpected soaks or spills. We’ll provide in-depth steps to safely dry those precious earbuds at home without causing further damage.
While results can vary depending on exposure, these methods give your wet AirPods the best shot at survival:
Assessing the Damage
Before attempting any drying or extraction, you first need to quickly assess the scope of any apparent water damage. This initial triage informs the tools and techniques required for your unique situation.
Diagnosing Issues
If your AirPods seem non-functional after encountering water, don’t lose all hope! Work through these checks before assuming the worst:
Power on – Can you still power on each AirPod using the button along its curved edge? If not, moisture may be interfering with the battery or logic board contacts, but isn‘t guaranteed permanent damage yet.
LED status – Inside the charging case, visible LEDs indicate each AirPod’s charge state. Blinking amber means still charging, while solid green signals a full battery. No light at all likely points to fuller water exposure.
Audio quality – Pair your AirPods to an iOS or Android device as usual. Play some audio and check levels in both left and right earbuds. Any muffling or intermittent cuts could signal moisture trapped deeper inside the speaker mesh.
Charging ports – Carefully inspect the charging case ports and AirPod stem contacts for any corrosion or debris buildup. Gently clean with a cotton swab if necessary to maintain full contact.
Assessing initial function quickly gauges how severely moisture may be affecting connectivity and audio performance. With minor exposure, full functionality could simply require drying of external shell surfaces before permanent water damage sets in.
Total speaker failure likely indicates deeper internal water penetration that warrants prompt extraction treatment.
| Water Exposure Severity | Symptoms | Recommended Action | Estimated Survival Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minor Splash | No audio defects | Blot dry | Excellent prognosis |
| External Shell Wetting | Charging & power normal | Water eject & desiccant | High likelihood of full recovery |
| Partial Speaker Soak | Muffled audio Intermittent cuts | Blot, desiccant + Replace filters | ~50% can be restored |
| Complete Submersion | No power on Corroded ports No audio | Blot, desiccant Professional cleaning | Low but possible survival rate |
Assessing the initial function and visible symptoms provides an early gauge of how severely moisture may have reached internal AirPod components. Matching severity to recommendations delivers appropriate action.
Triaging Your Charging Case
While focus inevitably locks onto rescuing wet earbuds themselves, don’t overlook the integral charging case during your damage assessments and water removal efforts…
