Most phones today carry an IP67 or IP68 rating. Many people read that as “waterproof”. It is not. The rating tells you how the phone performed in a lab test with fresh water, at a set depth, for a set time, when it was new.
How to read an IP rating
An IP code has two numbers. The first is protection against dust and solids. The second is protection against water.
| Code | Dust | Water |
|---|---|---|
| IP67 | 6: dust-tight | 7: immersion up to 1 m for 30 minutes |
| IP68 | 6: dust-tight | 8: deeper than 1 m, depth and time set by the maker |
For IP68, each maker chooses the test. Many recent phones are tested at about 1.5 m, and some flagships at up to 6 m, usually for 30 minutes. Check your exact model.
What the rating does not cover
- Salt water, pool water, soap and drinks. Tests use fresh water. Salt, chlorine and sugar can damage seals and ports.
- Water pressure. Jumping into a pool, jets, waves and showers push water harder than still water.
- Heat. Saunas, hot tubs and hot showers soften the seals.
- Age and drops. Seals wear out and drops can crack them. A two-year-old phone is less protected than a new one.
Why your speaker still sounds muffled
Water resistance keeps water out of the inside of the phone. The speaker grille is open to the outside, so drops can sit on the mesh. That makes sound quiet or muffled even when the phone is fine. Hold the phone speaker-down and run our Water Eject tone. On iPhone use the iPhone Water Eject, and on Samsung or other Android phones the Android Water Eject.
Is water damage covered by warranty?
Usually not. Even with an IP68 rating, most makers treat liquid damage as accidental damage. Check your warranty or insurance before you need it.
Safe habits
| Do | Avoid |
|---|---|
| Rinse with fresh water after the sea or a pool | Charging while the port is wet |
| Dry it with a cloth and let the port air dry | Hot tubs, saunas and hot showers |
| Use a waterproof pouch at the beach | Pressing buttons underwater |
| Replace a cracked phone quickly | Assuming an old phone is still sealed |
Common questions
Can I take photos underwater with an IP68 phone?
Short, shallow use in fresh water is usually fine, but makers do not recommend it. Use a pouch.
My phone got wet. What now?
Follow our guide on how to dry a phone without rice and see phone fell in water.
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