Phone Water Resistance Explained: What IP68 Really Means

2026-10-08 · Marion Phone Repair

Your phone says IP68 water resistant on the box. The commercial showed it submerged in a swimming pool. So it is waterproof, right? No. IP68 is a specific lab rating with narrow test conditions that do not match how most water damage actually happens. Understanding what the rating means and what it does not mean can prevent expensive damage and help you make informed decisions about how you use and protect your phone.

What the IP68 rating actually measures

IP stands for Ingress Protection. The two digits after IP rate protection against two different things:

• First digit (6): Dust protection on a scale of 0 to 6. A rating of 6 is the maximum and means completely dust-tight. No dust particles can enter the enclosure under any conditions. Every modern phone with an IP rating achieves this
• Second digit (8): Water protection on a scale of 0 to 9. A rating of 8 means the device is protected against the effects of continuous immersion in water under conditions specified by the manufacturer

For most phones with IP68, the manufacturer-specified conditions are submersion in 1 to 1.5 meters of fresh, still, room-temperature water for up to 30 minutes. Some manufacturers test at greater depths. The testing uses pure fresh water at controlled temperature with no movement, pressure, or chemical additives.

What IP68 testing does not cover

The gap between lab test conditions and real-world water exposure is enormous. The following scenarios are more damaging than the conditions IP68 is tested against, and none of them are covered by the rating:

• Salt water: Ocean water and sweat are corrosive. Salt accelerates corrosion on internal components and connectors far faster than fresh water. A phone that survives 30 minutes in fresh water can suffer significant corrosion damage from 5 minutes in ocean water
• Chlorinated water: Pool and hot tub water contains chemicals designed to kill organisms. Those same chemicals attack adhesive seals and rubber gaskets, and chlorine residue continues corroding internal components after the water exposure ends
• Hot water and steam: Shower steam and hot bath water cause problems that cold fresh water does not. Heat causes phone materials to expand, creating gaps in seals. Steam is water vapor that penetrates openings too small for liquid water to enter. Taking your phone into a steamy bathroom regularly is one of the most common hidden causes of water damage
• Pressurized water: Water from a faucet, garden hose, water slide, or pressure washer exerts force that pushes water through seals designed to resist static submersion only. The IP68 test involves no water pressure or movement
• Soap and detergent: Soapy water has lower surface tension than pure water, which means it penetrates smaller gaps more easily. Washing your phone under a soapy faucet creates more ingress risk than submerging it in clean water

Water resistance degrades over time

Your phone's water resistance is not a permanent property. It comes from physical components that degrade with normal use:

Adhesive seals

The primary water barrier in most phones is a band of adhesive between the screen assembly and the phone frame. This adhesive is applied under controlled factory conditions with precise temperature and pressure. Over time, the adhesive weakens from:

• Age: The adhesive loses bonding strength over 12 to 18 months of normal use regardless of how the phone is treated
• Temperature cycling: Going from cold outdoor air to warm indoor environments repeatedly causes the phone frame and screen glass to expand and contract at slightly different rates, stressing the adhesive bond
• Drops and impacts: Even drops that cause no visible damage can create micro-gaps in the adhesive seal. The phone looks fine but the water resistance is compromised

Rubber gaskets

Buttons, SIM trays, and speaker openings use small rubber gaskets to prevent water entry. These gaskets compress over time, especially around frequently used buttons, reducing their sealing effectiveness.

Previous repairs

Any repair that opens the phone, including screen replacement and battery replacement, breaks the original factory seal. Resealing requires new adhesive applied under proper conditions. Not all repair shops reseal phones after repair, and even a proper reseal may not match the original factory water resistance level. If your phone has been repaired, assume its water resistance is reduced unless the technician specifically confirmed they resealed the device.

A phone that was IP68 when new at 2 years old with a few drops in its history may have significantly reduced water resistance. And no manufacturer covers water damage under warranty, even on IP68-rated phones. The fine print on every manufacturer's warranty explicitly excludes water and liquid damage.

What to do when your phone gets wet

If your phone has been exposed to water beyond what you are comfortable with given its age and condition, follow these steps immediately:

1. Power it off immediately: Do not try to use it, check if it works, or plug it in to charge. Electricity flowing through wet circuits causes short circuits that convert survivable water exposure into permanent component damage
2. Remove the SIM tray: This opens an additional vent for moisture to escape from the interior
3. Shake gently with the charging port facing down: This helps drain any liquid water sitting in the charging port, speaker grilles, or SIM tray cavity
4. Place it in a dry, ventilated area: Set the phone on a lint-free cloth in a room with good air circulation. Positioning a fan to blow air across the phone accelerates evaporation. Keep it at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours
5. Do not use heat: Hair dryers, ovens, radiators, and direct sunlight can damage the battery, screen adhesive, and internal components. Room temperature air movement is the safest drying method

Why rice does not work

Putting a wet phone in rice is the most widespread and least effective piece of tech advice on the internet. Multiple controlled studies including Apple's official guidance confirm that rice is no more effective at removing moisture from inside a sealed phone than open air. Rice cannot absorb moisture from inside a phone because the moisture is trapped behind sealed panels that rice grains cannot reach. What rice does is introduce starch dust and small particles into the charging port and speaker openings, potentially causing additional problems. Rice also creates a false sense that the situation is handled, which delays getting professional treatment during the critical first 24 hours when internal corrosion can still be cleaned.

Professional water damage treatment

A repair technician can open the phone, displace remaining moisture, clean early corrosion with isopropyl alcohol, and assess individual component damage. The success rate for phones professionally treated within 24 hours of water exposure is dramatically higher than phones left to dry on their own for days because corrosion begins immediately and spreads over time. The longer water sits inside the phone, the more components it damages.

How to actually protect your phone from water

• Use a waterproof pouch for water activities: IP68 is a safety net for accidental exposure, not a feature designed for intentional submersion. A waterproof pouch provides reliable protection for pools, beaches, boats, and any activity where water exposure is expected
• Never charge a wet phone: Wait until the charging port is completely dry before connecting a cable. Modern phones display a moisture detection warning when liquid is detected in the port. Do not override this warning
• Avoid steam exposure: Bathroom steam during showers is the sneakiest source of water damage because it penetrates seals that block liquid water. Leave your phone outside the bathroom or in a sealed bag if you must bring it in
• Ask about resealing after repairs: If your phone has been opened for any repair, ask the technician whether they resealed the device with new adhesive. Resealing is not automatic at all repair shops

Local water damage repair

Marion Phone Repair in Marion, OH provides professional water damage treatment including ultrasonic cleaning, corrosion removal, and component-level diagnosis. We reseal phones with fresh adhesive after every repair that opens the device.