Is My iPhone Waterproof?

You probably won’t take your phone with you when deep sea diving, but there are some cases in which you want your precious buddy to be waterproof. Yes, you might want to watch the last episode of that Netflix series in the shower but we’re a bit more serious here. Like when you and your team members are working with fluids or when hygiene and washing your hands are kind of a big deal. In those cases, you want to know whether your iPhone is waterproof.

And this is how to find out.

Is my iPhone waterproof?

From the iPhone 7 and onwards, Apple made their phones water resistant. At least a little. However, being water resistant is not the same as being waterproof. Your iPhone can probably take a quick dunk or some spilling of wine, but it still isn’t a good idea to take out your phone for a swim. So, the question is not whether your iPhone is waterproof but more like how resistant it is to water damage. And for that we take a look at their IP ratings.

iPhone IP ratings

Each electronic device comes with an Ingress Protection (IP) rating. The last digit of this number refers to the water resistance. iPhones rated as IP67 are tested to withstand water damage at a depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes. Models rated with IP68 are expected to suffer greater depths of water (and for longer), but tests for this rating aren’t specifically defined.

These are the IP ratings of the latest iPhone models:

• IP67: iPhone 8 (Plus), iPhoneX, iPhone XR, iPhone SE
• IP68: iPhone XS (Max), iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13

Note that these ratings don’t mean a phone is waterproof or even water resistant. It means that water still may enter the device at certain levels, but the phone isn’t damaged by it. So to get a better understanding of how water resistant your iPhone actually is, you might want to take a look at the tests taken to determine the IP rating in the first place:

• iPhone 8 (Plus): 1 meter up to 30 minutes
• iPhone X: 1 meter up to 30 minutes
• iPhone XR: 1 meter up to 30 minutes
• iPhone XS: 2 meters up to 30 minutes
• iPhone 11: 2 meters up to 30 minutes
• iPhone 11 Pro (Max): 4 meters up to 30 minutes
• iPhone 12: 6 meters up to 30 minutes
• iPhone 13: 6 meters up to 30 minutes

What to do when your iPhone gets wet?

In the case of a wet iPhone, do the following:

1. Turn of your phone
2. Wipe with a soft, lint-free cloth
3. Tap it gently against your hand with the Lightning Connector facing down to remove excess liquid
4. Let it dry naturally in a dry area with some airflow

Need help?

Do you want to know more about an iPhone’s water resistance or some advice on what model to purchase for your organization? Feel free to contact us. We’re happy to help!