Wondering how well your AirPods would withstand a cycle in the washing machine, exposure to sweat during a workout, in a rain shower - or even being worn in the shower? You aren’t the only one.
There are lots of Reddit threads on the subject, which suggests a lot of people are wondering if AirPods are waterproof.
So, if you are also wondering if AirPods can survive water, or what would happen if your AirPods were submerged in water, read on. And if the unthinkable has already happened and your AirPods have taken a bath, find out whether AirPods can be tested for water damage and if AirPods have a water damage indicator.
The simple answer is that AirPods aren’t waterproof and Apple makes no claims about them being water resistant either.
There are various holes on the AirPods which could allow water in.
However, those holes are covered in a steel mesh, which should offer some resistance as they would help generate a high water surface tension, so water shouldn’t get in if it is just a trickle, but it might if there was a bit more pressure behind it.
It’s thought that AirPods are resistant to sweat - after all Apple has showed them being worn while people are running (see the opener video for the 2018 Apple Keynote).
However, you might be best advised not to use them in a Hot Yoga class.
Apart from the fact that they would probably fall out of your ears in the deep end we wouldn’t recommend it.
One Redditor tells his story: “I had one fall out of my pocket getting out of the car. I didn’t put it in the case for some reason (being absent-minded, I suppose). They were in my driveway overnight and got pretty wet from rain. I can tell you they don’t work when wet, but still work fine for me after they dried out. Wouldn’t try my luck with the shower though.” So it looks like it’s possible that once dried out the AirPods might work.
Another Redditor writes: “I accidentally stepped into the shower with them in. After a couple of minutes I started to wonder why I could hear music in my ears… After taking them off and towel drying them they've been fine in the year since that happened.”
It’s happened to far too many iPhones, how will AirPods deal with a swim in the toilet bowl? According to one Redditor who dropped their AirPods in a toilet in Debenhams “Once I had dried them they were still working perfectly.” For those of you who are concerned, he claims he disinfected them when he got home.
Another Redditor tells the story of how his AirPods got caught up in the laundry. Luckily they worked following their time in the machine.
However, another person reported that when his AirPods and case ended up in the washing machine the case was “killed” but “the AirPods still work”.
If you aren't even sure where your AirPods are find out how to use Find My AirPods.
This question isn’t surprising given that Apple includes an indicator inside the iPhone that shows if the device might have experienced water damage. As Apple explains on this page, "iPhone and most iPod devices that were built after 2006 have built-in Liquid Contact Indicators that will show whether the device has been in contact with water or a liquid containing water."
Some Apple customers are hoping that Apple will replace their AirPods because they have “stopped charging” or something similar rather than admitting that they had a bath.
Apparently some people have got a free replacement after saying their AirPods “stopped charging”, so it’s feasible that this line could work for you too.
You could try wearing a shower cap or a swimming hat that covers your ears, but we doubt that you’d want to be seen in public - and see above for why you wouldn’t want to risk taking them into the swimming pool.
If you really want to have waterproof - or at least water resistant AirPods - then our advice is to wait until later in 2019 when Apple is expected to launch new AirPods which many or may not offer a water resistance rating.
If you want to buy a pair of AirPods you can buy AirPods from Apple here. We also have a deals article that includes cut-price AirPods from time to time here.
If you have AirPods, and are experiencing the random disconnecting problem, read this: How to fix AirPods disconnecting from iPhone.