Your phone can get water damage even though the box says it can go underwater because that label was never a promise it would stay waterproof forever. It’s a lab result from a brand-new phone sitting perfectly still in clean water for a short test, not a guarantee for pools, salt water, or a phone you’ve already dropped.
That gap matters because three numbers hiding in the fine print decide whether your swim was ever covered. Apple, Samsung and Google all print IP68 but they pick different depths and they all add a line saying protection is not permanent. Once you know those three numbers and the four water types that always break coverage, you can tell in seconds if your exposure was ever rated — and how to check seal integrity before the next splash. The IP rating definition is where that split starts.
Why ip68 is not the same as waterproof
IP68 looks like two simple digits, but each one is a separate promise. The IP code is defined by IEC 60529, and the first digit rates dust protection from 0 to 6, while the second rates water from 0 to 9. An X means that side wasn’t tested, so IPX8 means water tested but dust not rated.
IP68 specifically means dust-tight for the 6 and protection against continuous immersion beyond 1 meter for the 8, under conditions the manufacturer chooses and documents. That’s not waterproof in the everyday sense. Waterproof would need a hermetic seal that never leaks, which phones don’t use.
Phones use pressure-sensitive adhesive around the display and compressible rubber gaskets around the SIM tray, buttons and charging port. Those are designed to block accidental splashes, not to hold pressure for hours. If water finds a tiny gap where adhesive lifted or a gasket compressed, it can wick inside even though the lab unit passed once at the factory.
No dust ingress that harms operation, tested in dust chamber
Ingress Protection code per IEC 60529
Manufacturer-chosen depth and time, not indefinite waterproof
Does not cover salt, chlorine, soap or pressure jets
Labeled diagram showing IP68 broken into dust digit 6 and water digit 8 with brief capability notes
This distinction is why asking is ip68 the same as waterproof leads to confusion. One is a narrow lab test, the other would imply permanent sealing under any water.
What IEC 60529 actually tests and what it never tested
The test behind your phone’s badge happens once, on a fresh unit, in still fresh water, at room temperature. IEC 60529 defines IPX7 as a fixed 1 meter for 30 minutes, while IPX8 is deliberately left as manufacturer-defined beyond 1 meter, with its own time. The IEC 60529 lab conditions are typically 15 to 35°C and standard pressure, with no movement of the device during immersion.
That scope leaves out almost everything that damages real phones. The IPX8 manufacturer-defined explainer notes the test uses still fresh water, not salty, muddy, chlorinated, soapy, hot or moving water, and the phone is brand-new and not operating under load. Soap lowers surface tension so water can wick past a gasket that would stop pure water, salt leaves conductive residue that corrodes the charging port, and pushing a phone down creates pressure far above a gentle 1.5-meter static soak.
Samsung’s own reliability note makes this explicit. The company states test conditions are fresh water up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes and the device is not advised for beach or pool use, per its Samsung test conditions. That language is how manufacturers signal the lab-to-real gap without changing the badge on the box.
If seals are tested once at factory, any later wear is outside IEC 60529. The standard does not require aging, drop preconditioning, or chemical exposure, so real use diverges immediately after unboxing.
At the charging port, look for green corrosion residue or a lifted adhesive edge around the SIM tray, which can indicate prior seal stress that would make the next immersion riskier even if the rating still prints on the spec sheet.
How deep can an ip68 phone go? Apple vs Samsung vs Google
All three brands print IP68, but they disclose very different depths. That difference is legal under IEC 60529 because IPX8 depth and time are manufacturer-chosen.
Apple’s iPhone 15 series support page lists maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes under IEC 60529, per Apple 6 meters depth. Samsung Galaxy S series lists up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes in fresh water, per the same Samsung 1.5 meters community reliability page. Google Pixel 8 is also 1.5 meters for 30 minutes in fresh water with a clear note that resistance is not permanent, per Pixel 8 depth.
Each also carries its own “not permanent” disclaimer, which is the key to does phone water resistance get worse over time. Apple warns liquid damage is not covered and resistance may decrease over time, Samsung warns water or dust damage is not covered, and Google states on its water page that liquid damage voids warranty and to see its water page for detail, summarized as g.co/pixel/water.
The mechanism here is simple. Same badge hides a 4x depth difference because IEC lets the maker set IPX8 parameters. A buyer who only checks the badge will think 6 meters and 1.5 meters mean the same protection.
Table comparing Apple, Samsung and Google IP68 depth, duration and disclaimer language
In Android Central Forums, a user who filmed underwater video in a pool found moisture inside despite IP68 and was told by others that chlorine and salt are not covered. As one poster in that thread described it, “IP68 is not waterproof and is most definitely not saltwater proof” in that Android Central Forums thread. The community fix that came up repeatedly was rinse immediately with fresh water and dry the port, and do not charge until fully dry, which matches Samsung’s note that beach and pool use is not advised because fresh-water lab testing does not cover chemical attack.
Does phone water resistance get worse over time and after a drop?
Yes, it does. Every manufacturer says so in its own fine print.
Google’s page states water and dust resistance is not permanent and may diminish or be lost over time due to normal wear and tear, device repair, disassembly or damage, per Google not permanent disclaimer. Apple uses similar language, noting the phone is not drop or tumble proof and dropping may result in loss of resistance.
The mechanism is mechanical. Adhesive gaskets dry and lose tack, rubber experiences compression set and stays slightly flattened, and a small frame deformation after a drop can break seal continuity even if glass looks intact. A repair that replaces a display rarely restores the factory bead of adhesive with the same uniform pressure, so resistance after service is typically lower than new.
If sustained drops in protection after several months of pocket carry show up as mist under a camera lens after a light splash, that’s the adhesive and gasket aging allowing capillary ingress once the device reaches its configured operating limit for seal pressure, so short-term lab protection falls even though the headline IP68 badge remains unchanged.
Three stages showing seal condition from factory fresh to after normal wear and after a drop, with expected water protection level
Try this before you buy a used phone: inspect frame seams under bright light for uneven gaps and run a finger along the display edge to feel adhesive lift, then check whether the listing still claims IP68 despite visible corner dent — the resistance not permanent note means that claim is no longer factory-equivalent.
Water types and forces that break ip68 protection
Even a new phone can fail if the water itself is out of scope. IEC 60529 tests with still fresh water only, so several common exposures are never covered.
- Salt water is corrosive and leaves conductive residue in the charging port that can short pins after drying.
- Chlorine attacks adhesive and accelerates corrosion.
- Soapy water reduces surface tension, letting liquid slip past a gasket that would stop pure water.
- Hot water or shower steam expands air inside the phone, creating pressure differential that pulls moisture in as it cools.
- Moving water, like a jet or pushing the phone underwater, raises effective pressure well beyond static 1.5 meters.
The fresh still water only explainer and fresh water only note both emphasize IP68 is fresh water only, with no protection against salt, chlorine, chemicals or minerals. That’s why asking can you take an ip68 phone swimming usually gets a no from manufacturers.
A common argument in phone forums is that actively pushing a phone underwater to 1.5 meters — rather than just resting it there — generates pressure that likely exceeds the static pressure the lab test uses. The mechanism is hydrostatic pressure rising with velocity, not just depth, so a quick dunk can be harsher than a gentle lab lowering.
Ip67 vs ip68 difference and what that means for buying
IP67 means tested to 1 meter for 30 minutes, fixed. IP68 means the maker tested beyond 1 meter and must publish its own depth and time, which can be 1.5 meters or 6 meters.
So IP68 is not automatically tougher against chemicals, drops or jets, only deeper in still fresh water under lab conditions. Without a published depth, IP68 at minimum offers the same as IP67, so always check the model page for the actual number.
If you are deciding between two budget phones where one says IP67 and the other IP68 at 1.5 meters, the practical difference is half a meter in clean water, not pool or beach safety. Which is worth paying for depends on whether you need accidental sink protection versus intentional swimming, which neither badge actually covers.
Does water damage void your phone warranty? How to verify before you claim
Yes. All three brands exclude liquid damage even though they print IP68 on the box.
Apple, Samsung and Google each warn water resistance is not permanent and warranties exclude liquid damage even for IP-rated phones, since warranties exclude liquid damage. Samsung specifically says the device is not advised for beach or pool use and water or dust damage is not covered, per Samsung warranty exclusion. Google says liquid damage voids warranty and points to g.co/pixel/water, per Google warranty void.
Service centers check two things the user can’t reset: the Liquid Contact Indicator inside the SIM tray that turns from white to red after exposure, and corrosion or mineral deposits on the board. Even if your exposure was within the rated depth, a red LCI plus chlorine or salt residue is typically enough for a denied claim regardless of the badge, because the manufacturer states the test never included those chemistries.
Before committing, check the SIM tray LCI: eject the tray, shine a light inside and look for a small white sticker. White typically means no liquid trigger, red or pink means exposure has been recorded per manufacturer guide, which service will use to deny coverage.
Practical deliverable: verification rubric to check if your exposure was ever covered
This rubric is a practical evaluation tool created for this guide based on disclosed depth and duration, water type and pressure, and seal age and damage described above, not a published industry standard. Use it as a quick-check before you contact support.
Table showing 5 verification steps with what to check and pass fail criteria
If you pass all five — fresh still water, within disclosed depth and time, gentle immersion, new undropped phone, white LCI — you have a narrow case where accidental splash was within test scope. If you fail any, especially water type, treat the damage as out-of-scope and focus on drying and repair rather than a warranty claim, which will likely be denied.
Where most buyers go wrong
The IP68 badge is a factory fresh-water still test on a new sealed phone, not a lifetime waterproof promise. Check the exact depth and the “not permanent” disclaimer on your own model’s support page before you decide to swim, and treat any pool, ocean, soapy sink or hot shower as out-of-scope by design. That 30-second check avoids a denied warranty and a costly board corrosion that the rating never promised to prevent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ip68 the same as waterproof?
No. Waterproof implies indefinite hermetic sealing, while IP68 is water-resistant under narrow lab conditions. Manufacturers test new phones in still fresh water only and add a disclaimer that protection is not permanent, so “not waterproof” is the accurate term.
Does water damage void my phone warranty even if it is ip68?
Yes, typically. Apple, Samsung and Google all exclude liquid damage, and service uses LCI color and corrosion to decide. Samsung states warranty is not covered for water or dust damage despite IP68.
Can you take an ip68 phone swimming in a pool or ocean?
Not recommended. Chlorine and salt are explicitly excluded from IEC testing and attack seals and ports. Samsung says devices are not intended for pool use, so use a waterproof pouch if you need photos.
Is my phone still waterproof after a drop or repair?
Likely not at factory level. Drops can deform the frame and break adhesive continuity, and repairs rarely restore the original seal pressure. Google notes a drop can lose resistance and that repair or disassembly diminishes resistance.
