Reviewed 19 September 2026Quick answer: open Control Centre, tap the Water Lock button, then press and hold the Digital Crown until the display says the Watch is unlocked. Apple Watch plays tones to clear water from its speaker. On watchOS 8 or earlier, rotate the Digital Crown instead.
Turn on Water Lock
- Open Control Centre. On current watchOS versions, press the side button.
- Tap the Water Lock button, shown as a water droplet.
- When Water Lock is active, the water icon appears at the top of the watch face and the display does not respond to taps.
Water Lock turns on automatically when you start a water-based workout such as swimming or surfing. Apple says it also turns on automatically during a scuba dive with Apple Watch Ultra.
Eject water from the speaker
- Make sure the Watch is out of the water.
- Press and hold the Digital Crown until the display says the Watch is unlocked.
- Listen for a series of tones. Apple says these tones clear water that remains in the speaker.
For watchOS 8 or earlier, rotate the Digital Crown instead of pressing and holding it. The browser player on SpeakerEject cannot activate this native Watch function, so use the Watch controls above.
If the speaker still sounds muffled
- Place the Watch speaker-side down on a non-abrasive, lint-free cloth and see whether water drips out.
- Let it dry in a ventilated place. Apple says charging overnight may speed evaporation.
- Do not insert objects into the openings, shake the Watch, or use heat, compressed air, or cleaning sprays.
- If sound remains unclear after the Watch dries, follow Apple's speaker troubleshooting and service guidance.
What about Apple Watch Series 1?
Apple's Water Lock instructions apply to Apple Watch Series 2 and later. For Apple Watch Series 1 or earlier, Apple recommends placing the device speaker-side down on a lint-free cloth and letting accumulated water evaporate.