Is My iPhone Waterproof, Water Resistant, or Neither?

Are you worried about getting your iPhone drenched in the rain? Or perhaps you want to take it for a swim and take underwater selfies? In that case, you may want better understand how water resistance works on iPhone, and whether or not your iPhone is waterproof or water-resistant.

There’s always a strong debate between waterproof and water-resistance, but let’s make this clear. Apple doesn’t advertise any of their iPhones as “waterproof”. They do say they are water resistant under certain conditions, however. The first water-resistant iPhones were the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models both rated as IP67. For a device to be considered waterproof, it should 100% remain functional even after extended exposure to water. The water-resistant iPhones on the other hand have a limit on how long they can be safely exposed to water.

Depending on the iPhone model you own, the water-resistance capabilities may vary. In this article, we’ll thoroughly cover if your iPhone is waterproof, water-resistant, or neither.

Is iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro & iPhone 12 Pro Max Waterproof?

Apple’s flagship iPhone line-up which includes the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max are all IP68 certified dust and water-resistant. They can be safely submerged to a depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes. This means that you could take it for a swim and shoot underwater pictures without worrying about damaging it. Water pressure increases with depth, so make sure you don’t swim too deep for too long.

Is the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro & iPhone 11 Pro Max water proof?

Last year’s iPhones carry the same IP68 rating across all the models like the iPhone 12 line-up, but that doesn’t mean they share the same water resistance capabilities. Although the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are rated IP68, they can be safely submerged only up to 4 meters for 30 minutes. This depth limit has been further reduced on the less expensive iPhone 11 variant, as it’s rated for a depth of 2 meters for 30 minutes despite being IP68 certified.

Is iPhone XS & iPhone XS Max water proof or water resistant?

Just like the cheaper iPhone 11, both the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Models from 2018 are IP68 rated and capable of resisting water damage up to a depth of 2 meters for 30 minutes. This is still good enough to take underwater selfies in a swimming pool without worrying too much about water damage.

Water resistance of iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7 & iPhone 7 Plus

All of these iPhone models have an IP67 rating meaning it can be submerged to a depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. We highly wouldn’t recommend you to go swimming with one of these iPhones due to the 1-meter depth limit, but you don’t have to worry about accidentally dropping it in the bathtub or getting it drenched in the rain.

What about older iPhone models?

As for the rest of the older iPhones, don’t even think about getting it anywhere near your swimming pool. None of the older models have any sort of water-resistance. That includes iPhone 6s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and 6 Plus, iPhone 5s, iPhone SE (original), iPhone 5, etc. none of which are water resistant at all.

iPhone Water Damage Not Covered by Limited Warranty

Now that you know if your iPhone is water-resistant or not, there’s one important thing to keep in mind. Whether your model is IP68 rated or IP67 rated, water or any sort of liquid damage is not covered by Apple’s one-year limited warranty. So, if you’re planning to submerge your iPhone in water, do it at your own risk.

How iPhone Water Resistance Works

The water resistance on iPhones is made possible with the help of adhesive strips that seal the interior of the device. Although this prevents liquids from penetrating, Apple states that water and dust resistance are not permanent conditions and they may degrade over time due to normal wear.

What should I do if my iPhone gets wet or submerged?

The first thing you should do is completely dry off the iPhone.

Personally, for the newest models with water resistance I like to dry them off thoroughly, including all of the ports and buttons and speakers, but if it has been in the water for a while I like to power-down the device and let it dry off.

These instructions for what to do if you dropped iPhone into water are intended for older model iPhones but they can still help with newer models submerged in water or liquid for long too.

The Liquid Contact Indicators

All iPhones are equipped with Liquid Contact Indicators that indicate whether the device has been in contact with water or any other liquid. You can see it for yourself by removing the SIM card tray and looking closely inside the slot. When this indicator comes in contact with water, it will fully turn red. This allows you to quickly check your iPhone has been affected by water or liquid damage.

What other options for waterproofing iPhone are there?

There are various third party cases that advertise themselves as being waterproof, or water-resistant. For example, some fancier cases claim to be waterproof enough for things like snorkeling.

You can check out on Amazon various waterproof case options for iPhone and see what may work for you.

If you’re simply looking for some quick water resistance improvement, and some general protection against splashes and gunk, you can always put your iPhone into a ziplock bag and seal it, where the touch screen will still work – this is great for situations like cooking or where your hands are dirty, but where full waterproofing isn’t required. It’ll certainly help keep the iPhone more dry and clean if you’ve got fingers full of cookie batter, grease, or if you’re splashing around near a sink. Just remember the obvious, a ziplock bag isn’t impenetrable nor perfect, it’s just a layer of thin protection that can help scatter splashes. This is a handy trick for cooking with an iPad too if you use it to follow recipes, listening to podcasts or music, or otherwise keep you company.

Now you should better understand how water resistant your iPhone is. Which iPhone model do you use? Are you willing to test out its water resistance at your own risk?