Dropped your iPhone in water? Don't panic. Modern iPhones are tougher than they used to be.

Most recent iPhones come with an IP68 water resistance rating, which basically means they can survive being dunked in water for a short amount of time. Handy if your phone takes an accidental dive into the sink, gets caught in the rain, or launches itself into a puddle while you’re walking the dog.

That said, water resistant doesn’t mean waterproof. Your iPhone isn’t a GoPro, so maybe don’t take it snorkelling on holiday for the Instagram content.

Even if your iPhone survives the splash, you might notice the speaker sounds a bit weird afterwards. Muffled audio, crackling sounds, quiet volume — all classic signs there’s still water trapped inside the speaker grille.

And before you go poking around with a cotton bud, tissue, or anything sharp… don’t. You’ll probably end up pushing the water further in or damaging the speaker completely.

Luckily, there’s a ridiculously easy fix.

Your iPhone has a hidden water eject trick.

If you’ve ever used an Apple Watch, you might already know about the Water Lock feature that blasts water out using sound vibrations.

Well, your iPhone can do something very similar using the Shortcuts app.

No rice. No hairdryer. No weird DIY hacks from TikTok.

How to eject water from your iPhone speaker.

1. Download the Water Eject shortcut

Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone.

If you can’t find the shortcut already installed, you can grab a Water Eject shortcut online and add it in seconds.

2. Run the shortcut

Once added, tap the shortcut and hit Begin Water Ejection.

Your iPhone will play a low vibrating tone for a few seconds. It sounds a bit odd, but that vibration helps force water out of the speaker.

3. Wipe your phone down

Once it finishes, give your iPhone a quick wipe with a dry cloth and leave it somewhere dry for a little while.

That’s it.

A few things you definitely shouldn’t do.

While we’re here, a few myths need retiring:

  • Don’t shove your phone in rice. Apple actually advises against it.
  • Don’t use a hairdryer or blast it with heat.
  • Don’t charge your iPhone if it’s still wet.
  • Don’t poke inside the speaker grille with anything sharp.

Basically: less chaos, more patience.

What if your speaker still sounds bad?

If the audio still sounds muffled after running the shortcut a few times, there’s a chance water has made its way deeper inside the device.

At that point, your best move is to leave the phone somewhere dry with airflow for a few hours. If it’s still struggling after that, it might be time to get it checked professionally.

Honestly, this little trick feels like one of those features Apple forgot to tell everyone about.

One minute your phone sounds like it’s underwater during calls, the next it’s back to normal after a 10-second sound effect. Weirdly satisfying.

And if your current iPhone has been through one too many near-death experiences lately, maybe it’s time for an upgrade. Luckily, there are plenty of brilliant iPhone deals around right now — and yes, free delivery still feels like a win.