The eject sound is loud, low and unpleasant, and it is reasonable to wonder whether it is doing harm. Used the normal way, it is not. Here is why, and where the real limits are.
Why it does not damage the speaker
A web page or app cannot send a speaker more power than the phone allows. The phone's audio chip sits between any sound and the speaker, and it limits volume and protects against overheating. Modern phones use "smart amplifiers" that watch the speaker's temperature and movement and turn the level down before damage can occur. The eject tone is, as far as the phone is concerned, just a bass note at full volume, similar to what the speaker handles during music or a game.
Apple uses the same method on the Apple Watch, and Samsung uses it on the Galaxy Watch. Neither company would ship a feature that wears out its own speakers.
The limits that do matter
- Time. A continuous tone warms the speaker's coil more than music does, because music has gaps. One or two minutes at a time is plenty. Give the speaker a minute to rest between runs. The tool on this site stops by itself after 60 seconds for this reason.
- Repetition. Three to five runs will clear nearly any trapped water. If it has not worked by then, more of the same will not help, and the cause is probably something else.
- An already damaged speaker. If the speaker was rattling or distorting before it got wet, a loud tone can make a torn diaphragm worse. Skip the tone and have it repaired.
Protect your ears
The speaker is not the part at risk. Your hearing is. A sustained tone at full volume a few centimetres from your ear is far louder than it seems at arm's length.
- Hold the phone away from your head, speaker pointing at the floor.
- Never run an eject tone through earbuds or headphones while wearing them.
- Keep the phone away from children and pets while it plays. Dogs and cats hear the buzz as louder than you do.
What about the very high tones?
The Ultra mode plays a 16 kHz tone for the earpiece. Many adults can barely hear it, which makes it easy to forget it is playing at full volume. It is still sound energy. Treat it the same way: short runs, away from your ears.
When not to use sound at all
Dry the phone first if
- It was fully underwater for more than a few seconds.
- The screen is flickering or the phone feels warm.
- It fell into salt water, a pool, or a sugary drink.
In those cases switch it off and follow the water damage steps. The speaker can wait until the phone is safe.
The short version
Run the tone for a minute, rest, repeat a few times, and keep it away from your ears. Within those limits the water eject sound is as safe as playing loud music.