Did you accidentally wash your AirPods in the washing machine? Or did your AirPods fall into a basin of water? Then you should act quickly! Here we show you exactly what you should do now and what you shouldn't do. With a bit of luck, your AirPods will survive.
Step 1: How to save your AirPods
Is your washing machine still running? If so, stop the cycle. Open the drum and quickly remove the AirPods.
If you washed the AirPods in the charging case, first remove the AirPods from the case.
Pat the charging case and AirPods dry with a soft cloth. You can also use kitchen paper.
Next, carefully shake the water out of the AirPods and charging case.
Danger : Do not blow into the AirPods. This could force the water further into the device.
Now check the connections and check for dirt. If necessary, you can carefully clean the charging contacts with a cotton swab clean and then carefully pat them dry with new cotton swabs.
Step 2: Dry your AirPods
Now place your AirPods with the opening facing down on a dry cloth or kitchen paper. This will help the liquid drain away more easily. If you have AirPods Pro, also remove the silicone ear pads.
If your charging case was also washed, leave it open and turned over to dry on a dry cloth or kitchen paper.
You should let the AirPods dry for at least 24 hours. However, we recommend 2-3 days. 3 days is best.
Important: Under no circumstances should they be charged while drying. Otherwise, short circuits may occur.
Step 3: Check your dried AirPods
First, try charging your AirPods. To do this, put them in the charging case. Does the LED light light up? Then they are charging. This is a good sign.
Next, pair the AirPods with your iPhone and test individual functions:
- Can you play music?
- Can you make phone calls?
- Does the noise cancellation work?
Do the headphones sound normal when using these functions? Congratulations, everything went well!
Danger: It's really important to test multiple functions. Some users report that the AirPods worked fine again for some functions, but not for others.
What you shouldn't do if you've washed your AirPods in the washing machine
You should not use a hairdryer to dry your AirPods, nor should you put them on the heater or in the oven!
You should also not try to open the case yourself to drain the liquid. The AirPods are not designed to be opened by yourself. If you try, there is a high probability that you will break them.
There is a rumor going around in some forums and posts that you should put the AirPods in dry rice because the rice supposedly removes the moisture. We advise against this.
What can you do if your AirPods sound weird now?
Are your AirPods making noise, scratching, or sounding like the sound is coming from far away? You may be able to fix the problem by letting them dry for a little longer.
If that doesn't help, they have water damage and are defective. Even if you still have a warranty on your device, water damage caused by yourself (improper handling) is not covered by the warranty.
This means that in this case you should get new AirPods. However, if only one of your AirPods is not working, you do not have to buy a complete AirPods bundle.
We buy original Airpod bundles and disassemble them into their individual parts, which we then sell again. This means that whether you need a single new left or right AirPod, you can find it here. You can also be sure: Our AirPods are originals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are AirPods waterproof?
AirPods Pro, Pro 2, AirPods 3rd generation and the MagSafe charging cable are, according to
How to dry AirPods after washing them?
Pat the AirPods dry with a soft cloth or some kitchen paper. Try to gently shake out the water. Then place the AirPods with the opening facing down and place them on a kitchen paper so that the remaining liquid can drain away. For AirPods Pro: Also remove the silicone ear pad.
How long do AirPods need to dry
You should let your AirPods dry for at least 24 hours before trying them out again or putting them in the charging case. We recommend that you let your AirPods dry for 2-3 days.
Can you buy just one AirPod?
The manufacturer only sells AirPods in a bundle. In our online shop you can also buy individual AirPods and save money. We buy original AirPods from the manufacturer and disassemble these bundles into their individual parts. So you can be sure: With us you will only find original AirPods. Even if you only buy a single left or right AirPod.