Are Apple Watches Waterproof? Explained

Wondering if your Apple Watch is waterproof? Or, are you planning to buy a waterproof Apple Watch that can survive your scuba diving adventures? Don’t arrive at any conclusions before you know all the basics. In this article, we’ll figure out are Apple Watches waterproof and what to do if your Apple Watch gets wet. Also, we’ve wrapped up the article with some tips to avoid any water damage on your smartwatch. No more waiting, let’s get started right away!

Are Apple Watches Waterproof?

To simply answer this question, Apple Watches aren’t waterproof, rather they are water-resistant. Although most Apple Watches won’t get damaged when exposed to water, the level of water resistance varies from model to model. Therefore, before you take your Apple Watch to swimming, pool parties, or scuba diving, you should know if your Apple Watch has enough water resistance to survive such activities. Also, Apple’s one-year warranty doesn’t cover water damage, so you need to understand the water-resistance ratings on your Apple Watch clearly.

How Apple calculates dust and water resistance

Before we delve into Apple Watch IP ratings, it is important to understand what IP ratings are. To keep things simple, IP ratings denote the level of protection offered by an electrical device. IP ratings contain two different components – the word IP followed by two digits. The first digit denotes protection against solid foreign objects, whereas the second digit stands for protection against liquids. It is noteworthy that Apple only offers IP ratings for dust resistance and all Apple Watch models from Series 8 onwards have an IP6X dust resistance rating (here, X stands that there’s no data available for liquid particles).

Unlike most devices, Apple doesn’t use the IP water resistance rating for Apple Watch and iPhone. Rather, it uses the standard rating method based on depth. For example, starting from Apple Watch Series 2 until Series 8 is rated for 50 meters of water depth.

Apple Watch Models & IP Ratings

Note:Water resistance is not a permanent condition and it diminishes with time.

We’ve compared all the models based on their sweat & water resistance levels. Let’s check it out.Apple WatchModelWater-resistanceIP6X(Dust-resistance)Supported ActivitiesApple Watch Series 1Splash resistant only. Submerging not recommended.NoWashing hands, cleaning car, light rain, etc.Apple Watch Series 2Up to 50 metersNoShower, swim, other shallow-water activitiesApple Watch Series 3Up to 50 metersNoSwim, shower, pool, beach, light rainApple Watch Series 4Up to 50 metersNoSwim, shower, pool, beach, light rainApple Watch Series 5Up to 50 metersNoSwimming, beach, light rain, shower, poolApple Watch Series 6Up to 50 metersNoSwimming, beach, light rain, shower, poolApple Watch SE (2020)Up to 50 metersNoSwimming, beach, light rain, shower, poolApple Watch Series 7Up to 50 metersYesSwimming, beach, light rain, shower, poolApple Watch Series 8Up to 50 metersYesSwimming, shower, pool, beach, rainApple Watch SE (2022)Up to 50 metersYesSwimming, shower, pool, beach, rainApple Watch Series UltraUp to 100 metersYesWater skiing, scuba diving, & other water sportsApple Watch Models & their water-resistance

Are Apple Watch Bands Waterproof?

Now that you know whether Apple Watches are waterproof or not, you must be wondering what about Apple Watch bands. Not all Apple Watch bands are waterproof or even water-resistant. Here, are different types of Apple Watch bands and the permissible water activities you can perform while wearing them.Sweat and water-resistant.Water-resistance capabilitiesOcean BandWaterproof. Best for high-speed water sportsSports BandWaterproof. Great for heavy workouts and water activitiesSolo LoopSwimproof and sweatproofBraided Solo LoopAllows the moisture to escape to some extent.Sport LoopAllows the moisture to escape at some extent.Leather LoopNo water-resistanceClassic BuckleNo water-resistanceModern BuckleNo water-resistanceMilanese LoopNo water-resistanceLink Bracelet BandsNo water-resistanceApple Watch Bands and their Water-Resistance

What to do if Apple Watch gets wet?

After you’ve come from a heavy workout, shower, swimming session, or other activity, you should clean & dry your Apple Watch. Here’s how to do it the right way:

How to get Water Out of My Apple Watch?

When you go for swimming, your Apple Watch automatically enables the Water Lock feature that locks the screen to avoid any accidental taps. On the Apple Watch Ultra, this feature is turned on when it’s submerged to a depth of 10 meters or lower.

Tips to Maintain Apple Watch Water-Resistance

Since water-resistance isn’t a permanent condition, it can reduce or even diminish with time. Also, there’s no way to check or reseal your Apple Watch for water resistance. To prolong water resistance on your Apple Watch, you should do the following:

Kanika Gogia

Kanika has been a loyal iPhone user since 2014 and loves everything Apple. With a Master’s in Computer Applications, passion for technology, and over five years of experience in writing, she landed at Beebom as an Apple Ecosystem Writer. She specializes in writing How To’s, troubleshooting guides, App features, and roundups for Apple users to help them make the best use of their gadgets. When not writing, she loves to try out new recipes and enjoy some family time.

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