My phone got wet. Water dripping from the tap got in the speakers and charging port. I dried it with a towel and everything was fine, except for the fact there is a small crackling sound when the volume is at its max. No more water comes out, I’ve opened the sims tray and used a water ejector quite a few times. But the audio is still crackly. Is it water damage or is it dust/dirt/rusting of internal parts causing the audio to scratch?
......except for the fact there is a small crackling sound when the volume is at its max
Do you normally listen to the volume at max? If not, is the sound distorted at normal listening levels?
Is it water damage or is it dust/dirt/rusting of internal parts causing the audio to scratch?
Connect a pair of earbuds to the iPhone using either a wired or wireless connection.
Is the audio distorted when you check this way? If yes, the electronics inside the phone have been damaged by water.
Does the audio sound OK when you check this way? If yes, then you know that the electronics inside the phone are likely OK.....at least for now......but the iPhone speaker itself was damaged by water.
Unfortunately, Apple will not repair a phone that has been damaged by water. So, depending on your checks and tests, you will need to decide whether to start shopping for a new phone.
Water may also cause delayed problems.....overheating, screen issues, etc. No way to know in advance whether problems might occur at a later time.
For example, my wife dropped her phone into the swimming pool by accident. The phone was retrieved quickly and seemed to be OK after a day of drying. But, after 3-4 days, the phone began to overheat, causing it to shut down.
......except for the fact there is a small crackling sound when the volume is at its max
Do you normally listen to the volume at max? If not, is the sound distorted at normal listening levels?
Is it water damage or is it dust/dirt/rusting of internal parts causing the audio to scratch?
Connect a pair of earbuds to the iPhone using either a wired or wireless connection.
Is the audio distorted when you check this way? If yes, the electronics inside the phone have been damaged by water.
Does the audio sound OK when you check this way? If yes, then you know that the electronics inside the phone are likely OK.....at least for now......but the iPhone speaker itself was damaged by water.
Unfortunately, Apple will not repair a phone that has been damaged by water. So, depending on your checks and tests, you will need to decide whether to start shopping for a new phone.
Water may also cause delayed problems.....overheating, screen issues, etc. No way to know in advance whether problems might occur at a later time.
For example, my wife dropped her phone into the swimming pool by accident. The phone was retrieved quickly and seemed to be OK after a day of drying. But, after 3-4 days, the phone began to overheat, causing it to shut down.
That crackling can happen when moisture is still in or around the speaker. I wouldn’t assume there’s permanent damage yet.
Apple recommends placing the iPhone speaker side down on a lint-free cloth and letting it dry in an area with good airflow. Moisture can affect speaker performance until it has completely evaporated.
I’d stop using the water-eject sounds for now and just give it time to dry naturally. Also, don’t charge it by cable until it’s fully dry, and don’t put anything into the charging port.
If the crackling is still there after the phone has had plenty of time to dry, then the speaker may need to be checked for damage.
Check with the Apple Store / Genius Bar or an Authorized Apple Service Shop (AASP) to ask about a speaker replacement.
You can find a list of authorized shops in you area using this link:
So when I use my airpods, the sound is perfect, even at max so I assume it is just the iPhone speaker. Hopefully, it can just be fixed!
Water damage or something else?
