Will this damage my speaker?

Not at a sane volume. The tone is loud and low, which can stress tiny drivers if you run it for several minutes straight. Keep each cycle short and stop if the sound rattles.

Does it work on iPhone and Android?

Yes. Any phone or laptop with a browser can run it. Use the Left and Right buttons to clear each speaker on a stereo device.

How long should I play the sound?

One 20-second cycle is usually enough. Wipe the grille, test the sound, and repeat two or three times if water is still trapped. There's no need to run it for minutes on end.

Can it fix a water-damaged phone?

No. It only pushes out water sitting in the speaker cavity. Liquid that reached the logic board needs a real repair, and a tone won't undo corrosion.

Is the sound better than putting the phone in rice?

For the speaker, yes. A tone cycle clears trapped water in seconds. Rice barely helps and just adds dust. Air-dry the rest of the phone and avoid heat.

Speaker Cleaner

Speaker sounds muffled after a splash? Speaker Cleaner plays a low 165 Hz tone to shake trapped water out of the grille on a phone, laptop, or soundbar.

Turn your volume up, hold the device speaker-down, then press Eject. The low tone vibrates trapped water out. Wipe the grille and run it again if it still sounds muffled.

Warbles around 165 Hz to shake water loose. Best for most phones.

Ready

Speaker:

Volume 90%

Loud low tones strain tiny speakers. Keep cycles short, wipe between runs, and stop if the sound rattles or distorts.

Max your volume, hold the phone speaker-down, and press Eject. The low tone shakes trapped water out of the grille in about 20 seconds. Run it again if your speaker still sounds muffled.

How to use

Turn the volume up. Set your phone to full volume and pick a mode. Sweep works best for most phones. The steady 165 Hz tone matches the Apple Watch Water Lock eject.
Hold it speaker-down and press Eject. Point the speaker at the floor or a cloth and press Eject. The 20-second cycle vibrates droplets out through the grille.
Wipe and repeat. Dry the grille on a soft cloth, then test the sound. Run another cycle or two if it still sounds muffled.

Why test this

Your phone fell in the pool or sat out in the rain, and now calls and music sound muffled and crackly. Water sitting in the speaker cavity damps the tiny diaphragm so it can't push air. A low tone fixes that. Play a strong note near 165 Hz, the same pitch the Apple Watch uses for its Water Lock eject, and the diaphragm vibrates hard enough to fling the droplets back out through the grille. Sweep mode warbles around that pitch to catch water a single steady tone misses. This only clears water sitting in the speaker port. That's typically the first place water enters. It won't pull liquid off the logic board. And it does nothing for corrosion that's already started. If the phone was in salt water, rinse it with fresh water first, then take it to a repair shop. Salt speeds up corrosion.

What the results mean

You'll often hear a sputter and see fine droplets bead up on the grille within the first few seconds. That's the water leaving. Run a full cycle, wipe the speaker on a soft cloth, then play a song or make a test call. Clear, full-volume sound means the cavity is dry. If it still sounds muffled, run two or three more cycles, since deeper water needs a few passes. Sound that stays muffled or buzzes after several rounds means the water reached past the speaker, or the driver took damage. At that point a browser tone has done all it can. iFixit's liquid-damage guides take it from there: open the phone, soak the corroded board in high-purity isopropyl alcohol, and brush the connectors clean. Skip the rice and the hair dryer. Rice does almost nothing for water inside the speaker, and heat can damage seals and adhesive.

FAQ

Will this damage my speaker?: Not at a sane volume. The tone is loud and low, which can stress tiny drivers if you run it for several minutes straight. Keep each cycle short and stop if the sound rattles.
Does it work on iPhone and Android?: Yes. Any phone or laptop with a browser can run it. Use the Left and Right buttons to clear each speaker on a stereo device.
How long should I play the sound?: One 20-second cycle is usually enough. Wipe the grille, test the sound, and repeat two or three times if water is still trapped. There's no need to run it for minutes on end.
Can it fix a water-damaged phone?: No. It only pushes out water sitting in the speaker cavity. Liquid that reached the logic board needs a real repair, and a tone won't undo corrosion.
Is the sound better than putting the phone in rice?: For the speaker, yes. A tone cycle clears trapped water in seconds. Rice barely helps and just adds dust. Air-dry the rest of the phone and avoid heat.

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