It is easily dehydrated above 140 °C to gold(III) oxide.

Salts of auric acid are termed aurates.

[citation needed] Gold hydroxide is a product of electrochemical corrosion of gold metalization subjected to moisture and positive electric potential; it is one of the corrosion failure modes of microelectronics.

Voluminous gold hydroxide is produced from gold metalization; after the layer grows thick it may spall, and the conductive particles may cause short circuits or leakage paths.

[8] Gold(III) hydroxide is produced by the reaction of chloroauric acid with an alkali, such as sodium hydroxide:[9] Gold(III) hydroxide reacts with ammonia to produce fulminating gold, an explosive compound.