A POPULAR YouTube video claims to push water out of your iPhone’s speakers – and fans testify that it works.
Titled “Sound To Remove Water From Phone Speaker (GUARANTEED),” the two-minute-long clip has racked up an impressive 45 million views.
The mechanism behind the seemingly magical trick is quite simple.
Speakers generate sound by pushing air around. If this is done with enough force, it can dislodge droplets of liquid that have seeped into the phone.
The lowest tone the speaker can reproduce at the loudest volume possible will generate the most motion. The video itself features a low, droning hum.
It is worth noting this method only works on speakers. Other parts of the phone like the USB port will remain waterlogged.
More than 140,000 comments on the video claim it works, with many users returning after repeated accidents.
“At least once or twice a year for the past three years I’ve been coming back here,” one user wrote.
“This sound has been with me through drink spills, bath times, washing dishes, my dog’s water bowl, rain, sleet, and snow, and my newest visit – a flower vase,” another user quipped.
Using vibrations to push out water is no new strategy. In fact, the Apple Watch comes with a built-in tool that does the same thing.
Navigate to Control Center and tap the Water Lock button, which displays as a droplet icon at the top of the watch face.
This will trigger the speaker to emit a loud sound and expel moisture.
To turn it off, press and hold the Digital Crown on the side of your watch until the display says Unlocked.
The speakers will emit a series of tones to clear any remaining water before you can return to using your display.
Water Lock turns on automatically when the wearer begins a “water-based workout” like swimming, surfing, or scuba diving.
The “vibrating” method is preferable to leaving your phone in rice -which experts agree is not just ineffective but dangerous.
This so-called “hack” has been around for years and was seemingly unchallenged before Apple published an advisory earlier this year.
“Don’t put your iPhone in a bag of rice. Doing so could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone,” the company wrote in January.
Contrary to popular belief, rice is not particularly conducive to water-sucking. It is only absorbent when cooked.
Moreover, it can harm your phone by introducing starch particles.
Instead, try the speaker trick or take the device to an expert if the damage is more extensive.
You could also try turning your phone upside down and tapping it against your hand to rid the water particles.
Apple‘s warranty does not cover water damage, nor does the higher-end AppleCare+.
When you connect a Lightning or USB-C cable or an accessory to your iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, or later, your iPhone can warn you if there’s liquid in the connector.
To protect your iPhone and the accessory, charging and accessory connection are unavailable until the connector, cable ends, and the accessory are dry.
Try tapping your iPhone against your hand with the connector facing down to remove excess liquid. Leave your iPhone in a dry area with some airflow.
After at least 30 minutes, try charging with a Lightning or USB-C cable or connecting an accessory.
If you see the alert again, there is still liquid in the connector or under the pins of your cable.
Leave your iPhone in a dry area for up to a day. You can try to charge or connect an accessory throughout this period, though it might take 24 hours to dry fully.
If your phone has dried out but still isn’t charging, unplug the cable from the adapter and unplug the adapter from the wall, if possible, before reconnecting them.
