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Is anyone else having speaker issues after showering with the watch?

I have had my apple watch replaced once already for muffled sound/speaker issues. I have had my replacement watch back for a few days. I have worn it in the shower 2 times. After I shower my speaker does not work. It takes hours to be able to hear it again. I am considering returning it and getting my money back. It is so expensive and according to the marketing we should be able to wear it in the shower. I can't decide if it is worth the money if I can't wear it in the shower without worrying.

Watch Sport 42mm

Posted on May 14, 2015 5:15 PM

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35 replies

Jun 2, 2015 5:19 PM in response to KTMBL

After more than a month with the watch and having it in wet situations and not, the speaker will muffle with water trapped between the slits. Simply blow into the top slit with your mouth and you'll see a droplet come out of the bottom one. I've done this 30 times now and every time I check my watch speaker volume to make sure the water is cleared out.


Easy peasy.

May 14, 2015 5:25 PM in response to KTMBL

You should not wear the watch in the shower. This is why your sound is damaged - your mis-use.


Important handling information

Exposure to liquid Apple Watch is water resistant but not waterproof. You may, for example, wear and use Apple Watch during exercise (exposure to sweat is OK), in the rain, and while washing your hands. If water splashes on to the watch, wipe it off with a nonabrasive, lint-free cloth. Try to minimize exposing Apple Watch to these substances and follow the instructions below in the “Cleaning and care” section if Apple Watch comes into contact with them:

Soap, detergent, acids or acidic foods, and any liquids other than fresh water, such as salt water, soapy water, pool water, perfume, insect repellent, lotions, sunscreen, oil, adhesive remover, hair dye, or solvents.

Submerging Apple Watch is not recommended. Apple Watch has a water resistance rating of IPX7 under IEC standard 60529. The leather bands are not water resistant. Water resistance is not a permanent condition and Apple Watch cannot be rechecked or resealed for water resistance. The following may affect the water resistance of Apple Watch and should be avoided:

  • Dropping Apple Watch or subjecting it to other impacts.
  • Submerging Apple Watch in water for long periods of time.
  • Swimming or bathing with Apple Watch.
  • Exposing Apple Watch to pressurized water or high velocity water, for example, showering, water skiing, wake boarding, surfing, jet skiing, and so on.
  • Wearing Apple Watch in the sauna or steam room.


May 14, 2015 5:35 PM in response to KTMBL

Well, Apple doesn't agree with these marketing people. You make your own decision, but eventually your form of water damage will void your warranty. I've provided you with the information from the Watch's user manual. I think that trump's several Apple representatives. It's your warranty.

May 15, 2015 7:33 AM in response to KTMBL

I've noticed the same problem for two days now, the first time it got all better after leaving it on the charger for the night but this last time, it got better at first but then got worse again. it's already been 5 hours and I've tried sticking a paper towel in the hole for the speaker and microphone. how long did your speakers remain muffled before you decided to have the watch replaced? I think I'll just wait a bit longer and maybe wait a night before jumping to any conclusions. but I guess showering isn't safe after all, although Tim Cook did say he showered with it. I guess the speaker thing isn't really damage but just a side effect of showering which lasts for a few hours at the end it's just not worth the risk.


42 MM SS /W Sport band

May 15, 2015 7:43 AM in response to nick101

I found my speaker wasn't working this morning as my alarms were not coming on, luckily my phone alarm was still set to come on as well. I did get accidentally submerge the watch doing dishes by hand yesterday so this was concerning to me. I tried rebooting, repairing and other software fixes and what worked in the end was blowing air into the upper speaker slit and seeing some some water come out of the lower slit. After doing this and removing the water, my speaker was working just fine again.

May 16, 2015 12:25 AM in response to SebaSaint

SebaSaint wrote:


I found my speaker wasn't working this morning as my alarms were not coming on, luckily my phone alarm was still set to come on as well. I did get accidentally submerge the watch doing dishes by hand yesterday so this was concerning to me. I tried rebooting, repairing and other software fixes and what worked in the end was blowing air into the upper speaker slit and seeing some some water come out of the lower slit. After doing this and removing the water, my speaker was working just fine again.

Doesn't sound good. if you submerged the watch, you may well be in big trouble. is everything else working fine? Water muffling the speakers doesn't seem to be a big deal but you should NEVER blow air, especially hot air into your watch as it is not dust proof and this can ruin the waterproof seal. next time just wait for the water to evaporate.

May 16, 2015 6:03 AM in response to SebaSaint

SebaSaint wrote:


I found my speaker wasn't working this morning as my alarms were not coming on, luckily my phone alarm was still set to come on as well. I did get accidentally submerge the watch doing dishes by hand yesterday so this was concerning to me. I tried rebooting, repairing and other software fixes and what worked in the end was blowing air into the upper speaker slit and seeing some some water come out of the lower slit. After doing this and removing the water, my speaker was working just fine again.

The water resistance should protect against that type of brief submergence. However, if water got into the speakers, it could take it a while to dry out. You should be fine.

May 16, 2015 6:19 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

Submerging the watch isn't the issue as Apple has demonstrated by the IPX7 rating (though still not recommended). The issue I think with my watch, although only temporary, was that fact that soap was involved. Soap or surfactants by design have hydrophobic and hydrophilic ends chemically speaking. This breaks surface tension and allows water droplets to adhere to surfaces they normally wouldn't and it would have allowed the water easier access to the speaker holes/slits keeping the water there to muffle/silence the Apple Watch speaker.


I don't think any water seals are at issue here. Just the prolonged presence of the water due to the soap. This would also explain any speaker issues after using the watch in the shower... That is unless some of you don't use soap, lol.

May 17, 2015 5:07 AM in response to SebaSaint

SebaSaint wrote:


Submerging the watch isn't the issue as Apple has demonstrated by the IPX7 rating (though still not recommended). The issue I think with my watch, although only temporary, was that fact that soap was involved. Soap or surfactants by design have hydrophobic and hydrophilic ends chemically speaking. This breaks surface tension and allows water droplets to adhere to surfaces they normally wouldn't and it would have allowed the water easier access to the speaker holes/slits keeping the water there to muffle/silence the Apple Watch speaker.


I don't think any water seals are at issue here. Just the prolonged presence of the water due to the soap. This would also explain any speaker issues after using the watch in the shower... That is unless some of you don't use soap, lol.

well thanks for proving you know your high school chemistry. but I think you may be right as apple explicitly advises against letting the watch come into contact with soaps. and speaking from personal experience, the only time my speakers got muffled was when I kept the watch on while washing (as opposed to taking it off before using soaps which I did the first few days). although, chemically speaking, soap's waterphobic side would have no reason for sticking to metal surfaces. they are designed primarily to stick to fats and long carbon acids (because of their non-polar build). stainless steel contains mostly Iron, Chromium and Carbon. my chemistry isn't that good but I don't think any of these elements can cause the alloy to become non-polar and so attractive to soap's waterphobic side.

Is anyone else having speaker issues after showering with the watch?

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