Key Takeaways
- AirPods are not waterproof, but most models have a water-resistance rating of IPX4, so they can withstand splashes of water.
- If your AirPods get wet, remove them from water, dry them with a lint-free cloth, and let them air dry for 24 to 48 hours. Then turn them on and check for any signs of water damage.
- Do not put wet AirPods in rice; instead, consider using silica gel packs to draw out moisture if you really need to make the process faster.
With every new generation, tech products tend to get faster, more feature-rich, and to top it off, manufacturers come up with better, more interesting designs. However, if there is one thing that remains consistent, it’s that your electronics, whether the newest or the ones from the bottom of your “might be useful” drawer, all absolutely hate water.
1:02
Water and dust IP ratings: What does IP68 really mean?
Your phones and devices come with a code to tell you how waterproof it is – but what do these codes mean?
Of course, over the years manufacturers gradually made the tech we use every day more resistant to water thanks to various seals and other methods of keeping moisture away from the electrical circuitry.
That being said, no electronics are safe from water, but your AirPods or any other Bluetooth headphones are one of the things most prone to get damaged if they get wet. They are small, their case is quite slippery, and you take them everywhere with you. This means they are always just a slip out of the pocket away from getting dunked in a puddle, a lake, or the ocean.
7 reasons why I bought refurbished AirPods instead of new ones
New and shiny is alluring, but the thrill finding premium for less, is everything.
Even if your AirPods get submerged in water, all is not yet lost, and it might be possible to save them, but you do need to be careful when doing so. Here’s what to do if your AirPods get wet:
Are AirPods waterproof?
No, AirPods (or really any kind of electronics) are waterproof. Some of them, though, are water-resistant, meaning they can withstand certain conditions with water involved. Even this, unfortunately, is reserved for specific models of Apple’s wireless earbuds.
The level of water resistance is usually described by their IP rating which signifies what kind of dust and water protection they have. It’s a short code that you’ll find in the specs sheet of your device, which usually consists of four signs: letters IP at the front, followed by two numbers. These numbers signify the dust and water resistance of the device, in that order. If you see a letter X instead of one of the numbers, it means the device has not been certified for protection against either dust or water.
So, going back to AirPods: the first of them have not been IP-certified at all, making them not (officially) resistant to either dust or water. It’s only one model, the first AirPods to hit the market:
However, later models (including all the current ones) do have some kind of water protection, certified as the IPX4 rating. This means they are not protected from dust, but they can withstand being splashed by unpressurized water. That said, AirPods are simply splash proof, and not protected from water submerges, or even being splashed at higher pressures. The models with IPX4 rating include:
- AirPods 2nd gen
- AirPods 3rd gen
- AirPods Pro 1st gen
- AirPods Pro 2nd gen
- AirPods Max
What should you do if your AirPods get wet?
Unfortunately, water is the enemy of electronics, so it might be tough to bring them back, but there are some best practices you should follow in order to ensure they have the best chance of survival after meeting one of the elements:
1. Get your AirPods out of the water as soon as possible
If your headphones get dunked in the water, it’s crucial to act quickly. Fish them out of the pond or get them out of your wet pocket as soon as possible and start working on getting them dry immediately.
2. Take the AirPods out of the case
The first thing to do is to get the headphones out of the case. If only the case or headphones get exposed to water, remember not to insert them into a case before completing all the drying steps as it might cause them to short out and damage them further.
3. Dry the headphones and case with a lint-free cloth
After separating the headphones and the case, you need to dry all of them with a soft lint-free cloth. Try to be as thorough as possible and get every possible drop of water out of the device. Of course, without forcibly inserting it into all the small holes on the AirPods. Do not use cotton swabs or paper towels — they can leave pieces of paper or cotton on your device, which will then get lodged in various openings, making it harder for moisture to escape, or even damaging the device further.
How to clean and disinfect your AirPods and AirPods Max
Based on our own experience and Apple’s official steps, here’s how to properly spring clean your in or over ear Apple headset.
Once they are dry on the outside, you can also take each headphone, turn them upside-down and shake gently, getting rid of the water.
There are also water-eject sounds that you can play, but we’d advise against it as it requires you to turn the device on, making it much more prone to damage.
Shaking the headphones gently should be enough to get rid of excess water from their insides.
4. Leave the headphones and the case to dry
After drying the device with a lint-free cloth, the only thing you have left to do is to let the headphones and case dry out. It’s important to clean separately — do not store the headphones in a case, and do not charge the device when it’s drying.
You should dry your electronics at room temperature, without the help of radiators or, even worse, hair dryers — just leave them out on the table for at least a day.
It’s best if you leave the case open and, preferably, set it upside down — if a lot of water gets inside, it’ll have a better chance of leaving the case.
Desiccants by Romeda
5. Make use of Silica gel packs
One thing you might do to help speed up the process is to use silica gel packs, found in many packages. These small packs help draw out moisture without dust or debris, so they can speed up the drying process. However, it’s not necessary, and the device will dry out on its own eventually.
FAQ
Q: How long after getting wet will you know your AirPods are ruined?
After at least 24 hours of drying them out (or 48 if you live in a cooler or moist environment), try connecting the headphones to your device. If the headphones connect, you might have gotten lucky, but you still need to check if they connect properly, if they sound right, and if there are any charging or battery problems.
Q: Should you put wet AirPods in rice?
While putting your AirPods in rice is a well-known way to draw out moisture, it might also further damage your electronics. Rice does draw out moisture, but it also releases lots of small particles like dust and debris which can wreak havoc on an already vulnerable device.
If you really want to use something to draw out moisture, try the silica gel method. It’s even better at absorbing moisture than rice, plus it does not leave behind any particles that might get into your device, so you’re not risking any damage when using it. However, air-drying is also completely fine and should get the job done just as easily.
Q: How do you know if your AirPods have water damage?
If you got your AirPods in water and followed through with these steps, you might still experience the aftermath of this trip into the water. Unfortunately, the water damage indicators are not accessible on AirPods, as they are inside the device, but you’ll notice other problems. Here are the most common ones:
- Your AirPods (one or both) stopped working altogether
- The sound on your AirPods is distorted
- Your AirPods have trouble connecting to your phone
- The AirPods do not charge inside the case
- The AirPods case does not charge
- The AirPods or the case get worryingly hot when charging
If you encounter any of these problems, immediately stop using your device and preferably go to an authorized Apple service center to get them checked out. Also, keep in mind that water damage might not be apparent instantly, and the device might work fine for a while before exhibiting any of these symptoms.
Q: Should you use isopropyl alcohol on wet AirPods?
One additional note to keep in mind. If larger electronics get wet, it’s best practice to disassemble them and clean their insides using lint-free cloth and, most importantly, 99% isopropyl alcohol.
The latter might be a bit counter-intuitive, but as it evaporates quickly and is non-conductive, it’s completely safe for electrical circuitry and doesn’t cause shorts the same way water does. Unfortunately, disassembling your AirPods is not really something you can do at home without significant skill and experience, but a non-intrusive alternative is often to just dunk your electronics into water. However, you should really use it only as a last resort.
Isopropyl alcohol won’t cause any electrical issues, but it might have other unwanted results. Some plastics tend to react badly when they’re in contact with isopropyl alcohol, which results in hardening and cracking.This will not happen to the outside of your AirPods, but isopropyl alcohol might react with the plastic driver inside your headphones, making them sound much worse.
Trending Products
