Your Beats Studio Pro just got a soaking. Maybe a drink was knocked over on the table, maybe you were caught in a heavy downpour, or maybe they took a tumble into a sink. The headphones aren't officially rated for water resistance, so what happens next depends on how fast you act.
The most important rule is simple: do NOT plug in the USB-C cable. Don't press the power button. Don't try to play audio. Electricity running through wet circuits causes short circuits and corrosion almost instantly. Water alone rarely kills electronics. Water plus power does the damage. Get the headphones dry before you even think about turning anything on.
You've got roughly 30 to 60 minutes before corrosion starts forming on internal components if the power stays off. That window shrinks fast if the headphones get power during that time. The steps below give the Studio Pro the best shot at surviving, but there's no guarantee once water makes it past the ear cushions.
Shake Out the Visible Water First
Hold the headphones with the ear cups pointing down and gently tilt them to let any pooled water drain out. Focus on the speaker grilles inside each cup and the small vents on the outer surfaces. You'll probably see a few drops escape. Give a few gentle shakes, nothing violent, just enough to move water away from sensitive areas.
The USB-C port on the bottom of the right earcup is the biggest water trap. Hold the headphones so that port faces straight down and let gravity do the work. A light tap against the side of the earcup can help dislodge droplets stuck inside. The power button and the smaller 'b' button on the same earcup are also entry points where water seeps around the edges. Shake gently so those drain too.
Blot the Exterior Dry With a Microfiber Cloth
Grab a dry, lint-free microfiber cloth and start blotting the entire surface of both ear cups, the headband padding, and all the buttons. Don't wipe aggressively, that can push water deeper into the seams. Blot and lift, blot and lift. Pat the speaker grilles gently through the cloth to wick moisture away from the mesh.
The USB-C port needs extra attention. Fold the edge of the cloth into a thin point and carefully wick out any moisture you can see inside. Same for the gaps around the power button and the 'b' button. If you have a can of compressed air (the kind meant for electronics), give those areas a few short bursts at a low angle. Keep the can upright, tilting it releases freezing propellant that can damage internal seals.
Air Dry for at Least 48 Hours
Set the headphones on a dry surface in a room with good airflow. A table near a ceiling fan or an open window works perfectly. Position the ear cups so the USB-C port faces downward to let any remaining moisture drain as it dries. Leave the ear cushions facing up so air can circulate through the speaker grilles.
Do NOT use a hair dryer, space heater, microwave, or oven. Heat warps the plastic housings, damages the lithium battery inside, and can soften the adhesive holding the ear cushions in place. Room temperature air is slow but safe, and safe is what matters here.
Do NOT put the headphones in a bag of rice. Rice doesn't pull moisture out of sealed electronics, and it leaves starch dust behind in the USB-C port and behind the ear cushions. That dust causes problems when it mixes with residual moisture. If you have silica gel packets (the little pouches that come with new shoes or electronics), put the headphones and all the packets inside a sealed container for the full 48 hours. That genuinely helps.
Check the USB-C Port and Ear Cushions Before Charging
After the drying period ends, inspect the USB-C port with a flashlight. Look inside for any green or whitish residue on the pins, that's corrosion starting to form. A dry, soft-bristled toothbrush is the safest tool to brush it away gently. For stubborn spots, a cotton swab barely dampened with 90% or higher isopropyl alcohol can help, but only use it after the headphones are completely dry.
Pop the ear cushions off if they got soaked too. They're held on by magnets on the Studio Pro, so they come off easily. The exposed speaker driver underneath needs air circulation to dry properly. Let the cushions dry separately and snap them back on before use. While they're off, check the driver mesh for any residue or debris.
Try Powering On and Resetting
Press the power button on the right earcup. If the Fuel Gauge LEDs light up, the headphones are alive. Try pairing them through the Bluetooth menu on iOS or the Beats app on Android. If audio plays without crackling or distortion, you're in decent shape.
If the headphones don't turn on, hold that same power button for 10 seconds. This triggers the factory reset. The Fuel Gauge LEDs flash white, then one LED flashes red in a repeating sequence three times. Once the lights stop, the headphones reset and automatically power on. This reset sometimes clears minor electrical issues left behind by moisture exposure.
If nothing happens after drying and the reset, internal components likely suffered corrosion damage. The battery and the logic board inside the right earcup are the most vulnerable since that's where the charging circuit and power button live.
Test Every Feature After They Come Back
If the headphones power up, go feature by feature. Press the 'b' button to toggle between ANC and Transparency mode and listen for the switching sound through the drivers. Put them on and check if noise cancellation feels as strong as before. Any buzz, hum, or weak ANC suggests water affected the microphones inside the ear cups.
Test the capacitive touch controls on the right earcup. Swipe up and down for volume, double-tap for playback. If the touch surface feels unresponsive or registers random inputs, moisture might still be trapped underneath. More drying time or a session with silica gel packets can help.
Test the auto-pause feature too. Put the headphones on, play a song, and take them off. The accelerometer should detect when they're off your head and pause automatically. If it doesn't, that sensor might have water damage.
Watch for battery issues over the next month. Faster drain than usual, audio cutting out intermittently, or the USB-C port giving charging errors are all signs of delayed corrosion working through the circuits. The headphones might work fine today and start acting up weeks later as oxidation spreads.
