iPads get wet more often than you’d think — kitchen splashes, bathroom steam, a knocked-over glass, or a swim-bag leak. And because iPads have multiple speaker grilles along their edges, water has plenty of places to hide. The good news: the same sound-based water ejection technique that works on phones works perfectly on iPads, since it’s the exact same principle.

First: act fast, and do these things first

  1. Power off the iPad if it got seriously wet. Electricity + water is what causes most damage, not the water itself.
  2. Remove any case or cover. Cases trap water against the device and block the speaker grilles.
  3. Wipe the outside dry with a soft, absorbent cloth. Get the charging port, camera lenses, and edges.
  4. Hold the iPad so the wet speaker grilles face down — gravity is your ally. Gently shake it once or twice, speaker-side down, to get the easy droplets out.

Don’t use a hairdryer, don’t put it in rice, and don’t plug in a charger until everything is completely dry. (Rice dust can clog the speaker grilles — the rice myth applies to tablets too.)

Why iPad speakers hold on to water

iPads have between two and four speaker grilles depending on the model, and each grille is a row of tiny holes — perfect capillary traps. Water sits in those holes and in the mesh behind them, muffling the speaker cone’s movement. That’s why your iPad sounds tinny, quiet, or distorted after getting wet even though “it looks dry.”

The water-eject tone method (step by step)

A low-frequency tone (around 165 Hz) played at high volume makes the speaker cones vibrate hard enough to push trapped water out. This is the same method we describe for phones, adapted for an iPad’s multiple grilles:

  1. Turn the volume to maximum. Open Settings → Sounds and drag the slider all the way up, or use the volume buttons.
  2. Disconnect any Bluetooth audio devices — AirPods, Bluetooth speakers, headphones. The tone must come from the iPad’s own speakers.
  3. Lay the iPad on a table with the wet edge facing down, or prop it upright so the affected grilles point at the floor.
  4. Play the water-eject tone for 30–60 seconds. You can run ours free at FixMyPhoneSpeaker right in the browser — no app needed.
  5. Repeat 2–3 times, rotating the iPad so each affected edge gets its turn facing down. Shake gently between rounds.
  6. Wipe away any water that comes out with a soft cloth.
  7. Let it air-dry speaker-side down for a few hours. Place it near a fan for faster drying — moving air helps a lot.

After the tone: the drying checklist

  • Test the sound with a song you know well. Listen for clarity on each side — play in stereo and check left and right balance.
  • If sound is still muffled, repeat the tone and drying cycle. Deep-seated water can take a couple of rounds.
  • Wait at least 5 hours after any serious soak before charging — and if you ever see a moisture alert, wait until it’s gone.

iPad water damage: know the limits

The water-eject tone handles trapped water in the speaker grilles. It can’t fix:

  • Salt water exposure — salt leaves conductive residue that corrodes internals. If your iPad went in the sea, rinse the outside with clean fresh water immediately (yes, really), then get it to a repair shop. See our salt water guide for the full explanation.
  • A screen that won’t turn on — if the iPad is dead, no sound-based fix applies. Keep it powered off and seek professional repair.
  • Long-term corrosion — if it got wet days ago and is now acting up, the damage may be internal.

Preventing the next scare

  • Know your model’s water resistance: most iPads have no official IP water-resistance rating — treat them as far more vulnerable than your iPhone.
  • Keep the iPad away from open drinks, sinks, and bathtubs. A cheap waterproof pouch is a few pounds well spent.
  • In steamy rooms (bathroom showers, saunas), remember our warning about steam damage to phone speakers — tablets are affected the same way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the Apple Watch water eject feature on an iPad?
The Apple Watch has a built-in water-eject function, but the iPad doesn’t. The good news is that web-based water-eject tones do exactly the same thing through the browser — play one at max volume with the speaker facing down.

How long does it take for water to come out of an iPad speaker?
With a water-eject tone, usually 2–3 minutes of active treatment. Without it, droplets trapped in the grilles can take many hours or even a day to evaporate on their own.

Is it safe to play the water-eject tone at maximum volume on an iPad?
Yes, in short bursts of 30–60 seconds. iPad speakers are built to handle full-volume playback; the tone is just low-frequency sound, not anything exotic.

My iPad speaker crackles after getting wet — is it ruined?
Not necessarily. Crackling right after water exposure is often just water interfering with the cone. Run the water-eject tone, dry it thoroughly, and give it 24 hours. If the crackling persists after full drying, check whether the speaker is blown.

Should I put my wet iPad in rice?
No. Rice is ineffective at drawing water out of sealed devices and its dust can clog the speaker grilles. Airflow (a fan) plus a water-eject tone is far more effective.

Get the water out now

Don’t wait for trapped water to dry on its own — run the free water-eject tone at FixMyPhoneSpeaker on your iPad right now, rotate through each speaker edge, and get your sound back in minutes.

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