Don't Use Water If you don't want to take the risk, you can use a CPAP machine without the humidifier element, and therefore, without water. The machine will continue to work and will simply use dry air. Just remember to turn off the humidifier unit.

Yes, you can use your CPAP machine without water in the humidifier chamber, but you must take specific steps to protect the device. Most modern CPAP machines have a "Humidifier" or "Humidity Level" setting; if you aren't using water, you should navigate to the settings menu and turn the humidity to "Off" or "0." This prevents the heating plate from warming up, which can cause a burning smell or damage the empty plastic water tub. Using a CPAP "dry" is often more convenient for travel as it eliminates the need to carry distilled water. However, many users find that breathing dry air leads to a very dry mouth, throat irritation, or "rainout" (condensation) issues if the room is cold. If you plan to go waterless frequently, you might consider a "Humidification Bypass" or a "side cover" that replaces the water tub entirely, making the machine smaller and more streamlined. For short trips, using the machine without water is a safe and common practice.