Are Smartwatches Really Waterproof?
These days, it’s generally accepted that any smartwatch or fitness tracker can be taken into the shower, rinsed while washing hands, or worn in the pool. Many have swimming modes or water-resistant features designed for use when wet. Yet, people continue to discover that watches they thought were waterproof aren’t.
For example, one Reddit user’s Galaxy Watch 5 Pro (released in 2022) broke this year while swimming in the ocean, revealing signs of salt corrosion inside. Another Reddit user recently lost functionality on their first-generation Apple Watch SE (2020) after swimming. Older watches tend to lose water resistance over time, and many aren’t even designed for use in salt water, according to the instructions. Smartwatches are much less water-resistant than we often think.
How companies measure water resistance
No smartwatch manufacturer explicitly calls their devices “waterproof”; instead, we see IP ratings (such as IP68 or IPX7) or a water resistance rating (usually 5 ATM or 10 ATM).
An IP rating stands for “ingress protection.” The first number represents the device’s protection against dust on a scale of 0 to 6, and the second number represents its protection against water on a scale of 0 to 9. ( You can learn more about how IP ratings work here.) Here’s what Samsung writes in the user manual for the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which has an IP68 rating: “The device has been tested by immersion in fresh water to a depth of 1.5 meters for 30 minutes while the device remains motionless, in accordance with IEC 60529. Water resistance is not guaranteed when the device is used in conditions that deviate from the standard.”
ATM water resistance testing requires testing the device at greater depths; Samsung, in the same manual, states that 5ATM water resistance testing was conducted by submerging the watch at a depth of 50 meters for 10 minutes. The details of IP and ATM testing may vary slightly between manufacturers, but they appear to be typical. Presumably, gently submerging a watch underwater is a simpler test than regularly wearing it while swimming at the beach.
Water resistance decreases over time.
Please note that the factory tests described above were conducted in fresh water on a supposedly new device. There is no guarantee that the device will maintain its water resistance after several years of use; seals may wear out over time.
Manufacturers also typically warn against contact with substances other than fresh water. For example, the instructions for a Samsung device state that it should be cleaned and dried immediately if it comes into contact with “salt water, coffee, beverages, pool water, soapy water, oil, perfume, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, or chemical products such as cosmetics.”
Other device manufacturers agree. “Water resistance is not a permanent feature and may decrease over time,” statesApple’s support page on water resistance , which lists the IP ratings for each Apple Watch model. Apple notes that water resistance may be reduced by dropping the watch, getting soap in the shower, or using a non-Ultra-rated watch in a sauna. Non-Ultra-rated models should not be exposed to “high-velocity water (such as during water skiing).”
Similarly, Google states about the Pixel Watch 4: “Water resistance and dust resistance are not permanent features and will diminish or disappear over time due to normal wear and tear, device repair, disassembly, or damage.” It also states: “The Google Pixel Watch is intended for use in shallow water and should not be used for activities involving high-velocity or high-temperature water.”
Similar warnings can be found for other watches, so check your device’s manual for more details. For example, the Garmin Forerunner 265 manual states to avoid pressing buttons while the device is underwater and to rinse it immediately after exposure to salt water or chlorine.
How to Avoid Water Damage
Despite all these caveats, companies still often claim their devices are safe to use in showers and other areas with low freshwater pressure; all the devices mentioned above are designed for swimming. I wouldn’t be paranoid about the occasional water drop, but after reading the fine print, you might want to take a slightly different approach to caring for your device.
After exposure to salt water or chlorinated pool water, rinse and dry your devices, and try to avoid sunscreen and other substances. If you swim frequently, especially in salt water, consider upgrading to a watch with better water resistance (for example, an Ultra instead of a regular Apple Watch). And if you don’t swim often but are on vacation with an older watch that always performed well in the shower, it might be worth taking it out at least once.