Hold the phone with the earpiece facing down, away from your ear, while the tone plays.
What Is an Earpiece Cleaner?
An earpiece cleaner is a tool that plays a gentle low-frequency tone through the small call speaker at the top of a phone to shake water and lint out of its slot.
The earpiece is the speaker you hold against your ear during a call. It sits in a narrow slot above the screen. Because it's smaller than the bottom speaker, it gets a softer tone than the main speaker cleaner.
Why Does the Phone Earpiece Get Blocked?
The phone earpiece gets blocked because its slot touches your face, your pocket and your screen protector. Five things usually cause it:
- Skin oil: it builds up every time the phone touches your cheek.
- Makeup: foundation and powder settle in the mesh.
- Pocket lint: fibres pack into the slot over weeks.
- Water: rain, sweat or a splash can sit in the mesh.
- A screen protector: a badly placed protector can cover part of the slot.
How to Use the Earpiece Cleaner
- Check that the screen protector doesn't cover the earpiece slot.
- Raise the volume.
- Hold the phone with the earpiece facing down.
- Press Start and let one 30-second cycle run.
- Repeat up to 3 times, then make a test call.
Why Does the Earpiece Cleaner Use a Gentler Tone?
The earpiece cleaner uses a gentler tone because the earpiece has a smaller driver than the bottom speaker and sits close to your ear. It plays the same 165 Hz frequency at a lower level. That's enough to move water in the slot without straining the speaker.
What If the Tone Plays From the Bottom Speaker?
If the tone plays from the bottom speaker, your phone routes browser audio away from the earpiece. Many phones send media to the bottom speaker and use the earpiece only for calls. In that case, make a normal call and hold the phone earpiece-down for a minute. Samsung notes that speaker vibration during a call can clear moisture left on the speaker mesh.
Does an Earpiece Cleaner Work?
Yes, an earpiece cleaner works on water and loose lint in the earpiece slot. It doesn't shift grime that has packed hard into the mesh. Packed grime needs gentle cleaning by hand.
How Do You Clean a Phone Earpiece by Hand?
To clean a phone earpiece by hand, brush the slot gently with a soft, dry brush while the phone is off.
- Power off the phone.
- Brush along the slot with a soft, dry brush, such as a new toothbrush.
- Avoid pins, toothpicks and cotton buds, which can push grime deeper or tear the mesh.
- Skip compressed air; Samsung warns it can damage the device.
For the bottom speaker, the steps are the same; see how to clean a phone speaker grille.
Earpiece vs Bottom Speaker
The earpiece plays calls held to your ear, and the bottom speaker plays media and speakerphone.
| Earpiece | Bottom speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Slot above the screen | Holes on the bottom edge |
| Plays | Calls held to your ear; stereo on some phones | Media, alarms, speakerphone |
| Common blockage | Skin oil, makeup, lint | Water, pocket lint |
| Tool mode | Earpiece | Water Eject or Dust Clean on the speaker cleaner |
What If Callers Still Sound Muffled?
If callers still sound muffled after cleaning, the problem may not be the earpiece.
- Switch to speakerphone. If callers sound clear on speaker, the earpiece is the problem.
- Check the connection. A weak signal or a poor network makes every call sound muffled.
- Ask the caller. If they can't hear you, the microphone may be blocked. Run the mic test.
When Should You Replace the Earpiece?
Replace the earpiece when it stays faulty after cleaning and drying.
- No sound from the earpiece at any call volume.
- Buzzing or crackling after the phone has dried for 24 hours.
- Sound cuts in and out when you press near the slot.
These signs point to a hardware fault. See the full list of fixes for a phone speaker not working.