YouTube videos that play a low sound to vibrate water out of the speakers do, in fact, work, according to a deep dive done by The Verge‘s David Pierce and iFixit.
There are a number of YouTube videos that promise to be able to remove water from an iPhone using sound, and Pierce wanted to find out if they do what they claimed, so he asked iFixit for some help. iFixit dunked an iPhone 13 into water with UV dye, played the video, and then left it overnight to dry out.
Playing one of the YouTube videos during this process clearly expelled water from the iPhone’s speaker, and the speakers of other smartphones that were tested from Google and Nokia. The water came out in an initial burst from the sound, but it is worth noting that the video was only able to remove water from the speaker area.
UV dye stained other areas of the iPhone when it was opened up, so the water wasn’t draining from the entire phone. The oscillating tone in the YouTube videos is able to push water out of the speaker grille, but it is not a complete fix for a water-saturated device.
On the Apple Watch, Apple has a built-in feature that uses sound to expel water from the device, but that is more effective because it is a smaller object with fewer nooks and crannies than an iPhone.
Apple’s modern iPhones have IP68 water and dust resistance, with the 8 representing water resistance. IPx8 means that the iPhone 15 can withstand splashes, rain, and accidental dunks up to six meters in depth for 30 minutes. iPhone waterproofing does deteriorate over time with wear and tear, and Apple does not cover water damage, so it is best to avoid water exposure when possible.
The Verge‘s full look at how these YouTube videos work is well worth checking out.