AirPods and Earbuds Cleaner
Take the buds out of your ears, lay them mesh-side down and press Start.
Set volume to max, speaker facing down.
Volume: media volume to max, silent mode off, Bluetooth disconnected.
Not a repair; stop if the phone feels hot or sound gets worse.
Run complete
This tool can't measure if water came out. Your ears can.
How does your speaker sound now?
Great. Let it dry 5 minutes.
Run Deep mode again (flip the phone), or try Both speakers. Raise intensity in settings.
Stop now. Power off the phone, let it dry 30+ minutes face down. See a repair shop if it persists.
- Play music or a voice note
- Compare call volume
- Listen for crackle or buzz
- Wait 5 min and test again
How to clean AirPods and earbuds safely
1
Wet? Dry first
Wipe them with a soft, lint-free cloth, shake gently with the mesh facing down, and leave them out of the case to dry for at least two hours, as Apple advises.
2
Brush the mesh
Earwax is the usual cause of muffled earbuds. Brush the speaker mesh with a soft, dry, clean toothbrush. Do not use sharp objects or push wax into the mesh.
3
Short, quiet pulses
With the buds connected and lying mesh-side down on a table, press Start. Earbuds mode plays 15 seconds of 220 Hz pulses with intensity capped at 40%.
4
Clean the tips and case
Rinse silicone tips (removed from the buds) with water, dry them fully, and brush lint out of the charging case. Keep liquid out of the openings.
What a tone can and cannot do for earbuds
It may help with a drop of water sitting on the outer mesh.
It cannot remove earwax, clean a wax guard or dry the inside of a sealed earbud.
Never play it in your ears
Earbuds mode is only for buds lying on a table.
Hearing aids and in-ear monitors
Use the maker's cleaning tools only.
Still muffled after cleaning? Check the balance setting on your phone and the ear tip fit, then contact the maker.
AirPods cleaner FAQ
Can you eject water from AirPods with sound?
Not reliably. Apple's guidance is to wipe them, gently shake out water and let them dry. Short, quiet pulses may help with drops on the outer mesh, but drying is what matters.
Why do my AirPods sound muffled?
Earwax on the mesh is the most common cause. Brush it off gently with a soft, dry brush. Also check that both buds are clean, that the ear tips fit, and that the audio balance is centered.
Is it safe to play cleaning sounds through earbuds?
Only with the buds out of your ears, at low volume, for a short time. Earbuds mode limits intensity to 40% and runs for 15 seconds.
More phone speakers to clean? The phone speaker cleaner handles the bottom speaker, the earpiece or both in one guided run.