IP68 water resistance: can you swim with your phone?

"It's IP68, it'll be fine" is one of the most common things we hear when a phone comes in after the sea or the pool. Here's what those numbers mean and where they stop.

What IP68 means

IP is an international standard for enclosure protection. The first digit is dust protection (6 means fully dust-tight), the second is water. A 7 means the device survives immersion to about 1 metre for 30 minutes; an 8 means deeper and longer, under conditions set by the manufacturer.

The key words are under conditions set by the manufacturer. Tests are done:

• in fresh water, without salt or chlorine;
• in still water, without waves or jets;
• on a new phone with intact seals;
• at room temperature.

Why real life is different

• Protection weakens over time. Adhesives and seals age from heat, drops and normal wear. Apple states that water resistance is not permanent and may decrease as a result of normal wear.
• After any repair that involves opening the phone, protection is no longer factory-grade, even with new adhesive.
• Sea water, chlorine, soap and shampoo break down seals and leave salt and residue inside.
• Jets and impacts: a jump into the pool, a wave or a shower create more pressure than the test.
• Hot water and steam (showers, saunas) are outside the test conditions too.

Warranty and water

Almost all manufacturers, including Apple and Samsung, don't cover liquid damage under warranty, even on IP68 phones. There are liquid indicators inside that show it immediately.

Using your phone near water

• For shooting in the sea, use a waterproof case or pouch.
• Don't keep the phone in the pocket of wet shorts.
• After splashes, wipe it and don't charge right away if there's water in the port (an iPhone will warn you).
• Sand and water are bad for the port: keep the phone in a bag.

If your phone did go swimming, read what to do in the first 10 minutes and message us on Telegram. More: water damage repair.

Read also

• Phone fell in water: what to do in the first 10 minutes (and why not rice)
• Phone dropped in the sea: why salt water is worse than fresh water
• Cracked glass but the screen works: can you replace just the glass?
• Which replacement screen to choose: TFT, OLED, FOG or original