Accidentally dropped AirPods in water? Don’t worry; they are not dead yet. We’ve got ways to bring them back to life.
We know how devastating it can be when you end up dropping your AirPods, AirPods Pro, or the AirPods charging case in water. But, what if they can survive? What if they are waterproof or water resistant? What if they are only water resistant but you can fix them when they’re completely wet?
You’ll get the answers to all these questions right here. Read further to know what you should do if you’ve dropped your AirPods in the water.
Are AirPods Waterproof or Water Resistant?
Here’s a list to show which Apple devices are waterproof or water resistant:
Waterproof
None
Water Resistant
- Apple AirPods Third Generation
- Apple AirPods Pro
- MagSafe Charging Case for AirPods Third Generation
Not Waterproof or Water Resistant
- Apple AirPods
- Apple AirPods Second Generation
- Apple AirPods Max
Are AirPods Pro Sweatproof?
No. As you can see above, the AirPods Pro are not sweatproof or waterproof. However, they’re water resistant.
Now, it’s extremely important to understand the difference between waterproof and water resistance.
A water resistant device can resist the intrusion of water; however, it does guarantee protection against the same.
On the other hand, a waterproof device comes with the highest level of protection from water and can be completely submerged in it.
Therefore, avoid wearing them during heavy workouts. They can manage some amount of sweat since they are sweat resistant and water resistant Airpods Pro; however, it’s best to be careful when using them if you sweat profusely. Also, avoid using them in water sports!
According to Apple’s official website:
If you’re a fitness freak or gym enthusiast, you can check these best wireless earbuds for working out.
Is the AirPods Charging Case Waterproof?
No. The AirPods Charging Case is not waterproof. Only the Magsafe Charging Case for AirPods Third Generation is water resistant.
Therefore, ensure you keep your precious AirPods wireless charging case away from wet surfaces, with or without the AirPods inside.
Can AirPods Survive Water Damage?
Only the Third Generation AirPods and AirPods Pro may survive water damage as they come with water resistance. However, focus on the “may” in our previous sentence. There’s no guarantee that they “will” survive water damage.
Sweat resistance and water resistance are not permanent features of the Third Generation AirPods and AirPods Pro. The water resistant seals degrade over time.
Therefore, preventing water damage is the best solution here. Avoid showering or swimming with your AirPods. Also, ensure they do not end up getting washed in the washing machine.
Can You Wear AirPods in the Shower?
No, you should not wear AirPods or AirPods Pro in the shower. They’re not waterproof.
As we’ve mentioned in the previous section, the water resistant seals wear out with time. Therefore, avoid wearing your AirPods or AirPods Pro in the shower. Also, ensure you do not leave them anywhere “near” water in the washroom.
The water resistance offered by some Apple AirPods models may not protect them from water 100%. If you spot your AirPods lying near the sink or forget to remove them before entering a steam room, act immediately.
If you like to listen to music in the shower, you can check our list of the best shower headphones on the market.
Can You Wear AirPods in the Rain?
No, you should avoid wearing AirPods or other Apple devices in the rain. However, if you suddenly find yourself caught in a storm or get drenched by unexpected rains, don’t panic (only if you’re wearing the AirPods Third Generation or AirPods Pro).
The water resistant seal in the AirPods Third Generation and AirPods Pro may not be able to protect them completely in the rain. However, you can try to remove the water inside them to prevent damage.
We’ll discuss how to get water out of wet AirPods later in this post.
Lastly, remember, the standard AirPods and AirPods Max are not waterproof. They may not be able to survive in the rain!
Can AirPods Survive the Washing Machine?
No, AirPods cannot survive the washing machine. You can try to get the water out if you end up washing your AirPods in the machine; however, the chances are negligible.
Can You Swim With AirPods?
No, you cannot swim with the AirPods or AirPods Pro since they are not waterproof. However, you can wear them if you’re chilling by the pool or beach. Nevertheless, ensure you don’t get them wet by any chance.
Don’t take the water resistance for granted. It’s not a certificate protecting your AirPods or AirPods Pro from water damage.
If you’re really looking for swimming earbuds or headphones, we suggest checking our list of the best swimming headphones on the market.
How to Get Water Out of Wet AirPods?
Coming to the most important section of the post, what to do if you end up dropping AirPods in water?
Follow these four steps to remove water from your AirPods or AirPods Pro
Dry Them With a Soft, Lint Free Cloth
The first thing you should try as soon as you find water on your AirPods or AirPods Pro is to wipe them with a soft, lint free, dry cloth, such as a microfiber cloth.
Wipe them gently to remove excess moisture on their surface. You may not be able to remove the water lodged inside using the cloth. Therefore, to remove the moisture inside the AirPods, move to the next step.
Follow the same step if you drop your AirPods charging case or AirPods Pro charging case in water.
Leave Them to Dry
Yes, that’s right. After wiping the AirPods or AirPods Pro with a clean and dry cloth, keep them in a dry place and allow them to dry overnight to remove the remaining moisture inside. Avoid using a blow dryer immediately. It can do more harm to the AirPods than good.
If leaving them to dry doesn’t work, we suggest using the air dry option. However, ensure you use the blow dryer for 10-20 seconds only. All they need is gentle airflow to dry. Excess heat can be harmful to the already harmed AirPods or AirPods Pro.
Follow the same instructions if you drop your AirPods charging case or AirPods Pro charging case in water.
Use Desiccant Packets or Uncooked Rice
One of our team members used the rice method to remove excess water trapped in their Apple iPhone 4. However, they couldn’t really determine if the uncooked rice helped or not.
Similarly, we placed the wet AirPods in separate containers comprising desiccant packets and uncooked rice for a day or two and to our surprise, the AirPods placed in desiccant packets dried. Even the ones placed in the rice container dried; however, the rice method took about two to three daysto completely try the wet AirPods.
Please note that the AirPods placed in both the containers were not completely drenched in water. They had minor moisture content lodged inside as one pair was accidentally dropped on wet surface and removed immediately and we sprinkled some water on the other for experimentation.
Therefore, this method may not work if you dropped your AirPods or AirPods Pro in a bucket full of water or pool or shower.
This step is not applicable if you’ve dropped your AirPods charging case or AirPods Pro charging case in water.
Eject Water Using Our Water-Ejection Button
Lastly, you can make the most of your water-ejection solution to fix your headphones or AirPods.
All you need to do is tap the button on this page to eliminate excess moisture or water from your headphones or earbuds (in this case, your AirPods).
Here’s a glimpse of the Water-Ejection Button:
It’s worked for many of our readers. You can try it too!
This step is not applicable if you’ve dropped your AirPods charging case or AirPods Pro charging case in water.
Does Apple Cover AirPods for Water Damage?
No. Apple does not cover water damage for the AirPods or AirPods Pro or AirPods’ charging case under the normal one year warranty.
However, if your AirPods are protected by AppleCare+ for headphones, you only need to pay a small AppleCare+ customer service fee (about $29) for each incident.
Without AppleCare+, you may have to pay different out-of-warranty fees for the AirPods and wireless charging case depending on their model to replace them.
You can check the AirPods Replacement, Service and Repair page for more information.
Water Is Injurious to Your AirPods’ Health
While we’ve provided you with some quick solutions on how to dry AirPods and remove water from them, it’s best to be careful when handling your AirPods or AirPods Pro or their wireless charging case around water.
Even though the AirPods Third Generation, AirPods Pro, and the MagSafe Charging Case for AirPods Third Generation are water resistant, they may end up with permanent damage from water as they are not waterproof. They may be able to survive a certain degree of water; however, it’s best to be careful. Don’t drop, soak or wash them in water.
We hope you found this post helpful. If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to post them in the comment section below.
