SoundTowel Editorial

How to clean an iPhone charging port — and what Apple forbids

Apple publishes no method for cleaning a charging port — only prohibitions. Here is what it rules out, what is left that is safe, and when to pay a shop.

One earbud not working? Test it, then reset the pair

One earbud silent? Prove which side is dead with a left and right tone, charge both in the case, then reset the pair — the step that works on every brand.

Phone speaker crackling? Find the cause and clear the grille

Phone speaker crackling? Apple's checklist ends with two tests that tell a dirty grille from a failing speaker — and from a bad call connection. Try them here.

AirPods microphone muffled? Why callers hear you that way

Callers say your AirPods sound muffled? One setting keeps a single AirPod as the microphone even inside the case. Check it, then clean the mic mesh.

Why are my AirPods so quiet? Every volume cap to check

AirPods quiet at full volume? Six settings cap headphone loudness, one of them at a fixed 82 dBA. Check each, then clean both speaker meshes.

AirPods making static noise? Causes and how to stop it

AirPods static or crackling? Apple lists static in Bluetooth audio as an interference symptom. Rule out radio sources first, then clean or reset.

iPhone volume keeps going down? The settings that lower it

iPhone volume keeps going down on its own? Pressing volume down with nothing playing moves the ringer, and the alarm follows it. Four causes, in order.

One AirPod not working? Find the silent side and fix it

One AirPod not working? Test which side is silent, charge both for 30 seconds, isolate the faulty AirPod the way Apple describes, then reset or replace it.

AirPods sound muffled? How to find the cause and fix it

AirPods sound muffled? Test each earbud, clean the meshes the way Apple describes, check the ear tip seal and microphone settings, and know when to get service.

Bass test — subwoofer and low frequency test online

Free bass test: a 200 to 20 Hz sweep and eight fixed tones from 100 Hz down to 20 Hz. Check how low your subwoofer, speakers or headphones go and find rattles.

Call speaker cleaner — clean the ear speaker your calls come through

Clean the ear speaker you hear calls through. A free cleaning tone, Apple's brush method for the receiver, and fixes for a quiet or muffled iPhone ear speaker.

Dropped your phone in water? What to do now and the day after

Dropped your phone in water? Lift it out, turn it off, rinse off salt or chlorine and wait 5 hours before charging. Steps from Apple, Samsung and Google.

How to fix a phone speaker: test it, clean it, test it again

How to fix a phone speaker: run a free left and right test, clear water or dust with sound, then retest. Plus the Apple, Samsung and Google checks to try first.

How to get water out of AirPods — Apple's steps, then a tone

How to get water out of AirPods the way Apple says: wipe them, tap out the ear tips, wait two hours. Plus ratings by model and an optional low tone per earbud.

How to get water out of a charging port on iPhone and Android

Liquid detected or moisture alert? Dry the charging port the way Apple, Samsung and Google advise, how long each says to wait, and what never to put in it.

How to get water out of your phone: port, speaker and camera

How to get water out of your phone the way Apple and Samsung advise: dry the port, speaker and camera, wait 5 hours to charge, skip rice. Plus a free tone.

Water eject — sound to push water out of your phone speaker

Free water eject tool. Play a 165 Hz tone that pushes water out of your iPhone or Android speaker, right in the browser — no shortcut, no app, no sign-up.

iPhone speaker not working? Test it and find the cause

iPhone speaker not working? Test left and right sound in your browser, then follow Apple's checks for Silent mode, Bluetooth, dirt and water to find the cause.

Liquid detected in Lightning Connector: what it means and what to do

Liquid detected in Lightning Connector on iPhone: what Apple's four alerts mean, how long they last, what an override risks and why a dry phone shows one.

Noise meter — measure how loud it is with your phone or laptop

Free online noise meter. Measure dBA with your phone or laptop microphone — live, min, max and average level, Fast or Slow response, no app and no recording.

Why is one AirPod quieter than the other? How to test and fix it

One AirPod quieter than the other? Play a left and right tone test, center the Balance slider, clean the quieter AirPod's mesh, then reset or replace it.

Phone vibration test — check that your phone vibrates

Free phone vibration test. Tap a pattern — a short buzz, pulses, SOS or 5 seconds — to check the vibration motor on Android, plus the check for iPhone.

Online speaker cleaner — clean water and dust from your phone speaker

Free online speaker cleaner with two sounds: a 165 Hz tone for water and a low sweep for loose dust. Runs in your browser on iPhone and Android, no app.

Speaker test — left and right, stereo and frequency sweep

Free online speaker test. Play left and right channels, a 60 Hz bass tone and a 20 Hz to 20 kHz sweep to check phone, laptop or headphone speakers in seconds.

Surround sound test — check every 5.1 speaker online

Free 5.1 surround sound test in your browser. Play front left, center, front right, subwoofer and both surrounds one at a time to check wiring and placement.

Why is my iPhone volume so low? The iOS settings to check

iPhone volume low even at max? Check Volume Limit, Reduce Loud Sounds, the Music app's EQ and Sound Check, and quiet calls, then test the speaker online.

Why is my phone volume so low? Find the cause and fix it

Phone volume low even on max? Check volume limits, Bluetooth and a dirty or wet speaker, then test it in your browser. Steps from Apple, Google and Samsung.