Dropped your iPhone in the sink, got caught in the rain, or took a splash at the pool? Once the panic fades, you will probably notice the speakers sound muffled and buzzy. Water gets trapped in the tiny speaker grilles — and unlike the Apple Watch, which has a built-in water lock that shakes water out with sound vibrations, the iPhone has no such feature. The good news: a free Shortcuts automation does the same job by playing a special low-frequency tone that physically pushes water droplets out of the speakers.
What the Water Eject shortcut does
The shortcut plays a deep, pulsing bass tone at maximum volume for a few seconds. Low-frequency sound waves move a surprising amount of air, and that vibration shakes trapped water loose from the speaker mesh so it drips out. It is the same principle behind the Apple Watch’s water ejection, recreated with the Shortcuts app. The whole process takes under a minute and needs no tools — just the phone itself.
How to eject water from your iPhone speakers
- Install the Shortcuts app. It comes preinstalled on modern iPhones; if you deleted it, download it free from the App Store.
- Allow third-party shortcuts (older iOS only). On iOS 14 and earlier, open Settings > Shortcuts and turn on Allow Untrusted Shortcuts. On iOS 15 and later, this step is no longer needed.
- Get the Water Eject shortcut. Search the web for the widely shared “Water Eject” shortcut for iPhone and add it to your Shortcuts library. Stick to well-known shortcut-sharing sources with plenty of positive feedback — never install a shortcut from a link you do not trust.
- Run the shortcut. Open Shortcuts, tap Water Eject, then tap Begin Water Ejection.
- Hold your iPhone speaker-side down with the volume turned all the way up while the tone plays, so gravity helps the water escape.
- Repeat if needed. Run it two or three times for stubborn droplets, then test your speakers with music or a loud system sound — like the iPhone’s startup chime.
One important check before you start: make sure the muffled audio is actually coming from the iPhone speakers and not being routed to a connected Bluetooth device. Switch the audio output back to iPhone first — otherwise you will be “fixing” the wrong speaker.
If it still doesn’t work
If the speakers still sound dull after several runs, water may be sitting deeper inside. Power the phone off, stand it upright in a dry, ventilated spot, and give it several hours — never use a hair dryer, and never poke anything into the speaker grilles. Apple’s iPhone support pages warn that water resistance fades with normal wear, so if problems persist after the phone is fully dry, book a checkup at an Apple Store. And remember: water resistance is not waterproofing. Do not deliberately submerge your iPhone to “test” it — a point MacRumors and 9to5Mac make regularly.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Water Eject shortcut safe for my speakers?
Yes. It simply plays a loud low-frequency tone — the same kind of sound your speakers already handle during bass-heavy music. It does not push the drivers beyond their normal limits, and it runs for only a few seconds at a time.
Can I use it on other devices, like my AirPods?
The shortcut is designed for the iPhone’s built-in speakers. If your AirPods got wet, dry the earbuds and the case gently with a soft, lint-free cloth instead — and if the charging case sounds strange afterward, let it dry out completely before putting it on the charger.
Conclusion
A dunked iPhone does not have to mean a trip to the repair shop. The Water Eject shortcut gives your iPhone the water-clearing trick the Apple Watch has had for years, using nothing but sound. Add it to your Shortcuts library before you need it — the next splash will not stand a chance.
