Waterproof Apple iPhones: Truth or a myth?

Did you recently pick up an iPhone, or are you looking to buy one? We’re sure that amongst a myriad of considerations, one feature that can make or break buying decisions is whether the iPhone is resistant to the elements – especially water and dust. In other words, is the Apple device you bought or are planning to buy, waterproof? A good starting point would be to understand just what “waterproof” really means, and if it is any different from “water-resistant”.

Water Resistance vs Waterproof: What’s the difference?

While the two are often used interchangeably, they actually mean very different things.

Water resistance refers to a device being built in a manner such that it is difficult for water to penetrate it. It is also able to withstand the occasional splashes while washing one’s hands, from the shower, or even when one accidentally spills water on it.

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Waterproof, on the other hand, refers to when a given device is impervious to water. In other words, it can be submerged for an extended amount of time without any damage to its internal components.

Is my iPhone waterproof or water-resistant?

All iPhones, starting from the iPhone 7, have been made water resistant. Therefore, they are protected from, but not impervious to, water and dust. They can be submerged in water up to a certain depth, for a definite amount of time, depending on whether they have an IP67 or IP68 water and dust resistance rating.

There are four generations of the iPhone currently on sale – the iPhone 11, 12, 13, and 14 series. Following is a brief breakdown of each of these devices’ water resistance capabilities.

iPhone 11

Apple’s iPhone 11 comes with IP68 water and dust resistance rating and can be submerged up to two metres of water for up to 30 minutes. The iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, on the other hand, also come with an IP68 rating. But as per Apple’s website, can be submerged under water up to four metres for up to 30 minutes.

iPhone 12, 13 and 14

All iPhones, including the iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro and Pro Max, and the iPhone 14, 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, all come with an IP68 water and dust resistance rating. This means, they can be submerged in water up to a depth of six metres, for up to 30 minutes.

While the newer crop of iPhones have formidable water resistance capabilities, they are not entirely impervious to water and may get damaged with continuous and prolonged exposure to it. So, we still recommend you keep them away from water as far as possible – whether in the shower or the pool, while eating and drinking during meals, or even when raining.

Are water resistance ratings trustworthy?

It is important to remember that while every manufacturer makes certain claims about their devices’ water resistance capabilities, there are always exceptions. Some of these include the quantity of water, pressure underwater, the temperature of the water, the age of the device, whether it is submerged with a protective cover on or without it. Therefore, one must ensure that their device is well protected, whether by using a cover, plugs to cover the phone’s ports, or something else.

However, despite our best efforts, our smartphones can end up being exposed to water, and way more than they can ideally handle – being our most frequently used gadgets, and perhaps the first to get exposed to water during say, a sudden shower.

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To help protect your iPhone against the same, we highly recommend you consider purchasing an Apple Care+ plan for your iPhone. In addition to manufacturer defects, this plan also covers repairs for your device, which may be required owing to damage caused due to dents, dings, and drops, as well as accidental spillage of liquids on it.