Water resistance ratings explained: IP67, IP68 and IPX8
What those IP numbers promise, and what they don't.
By Let’s Compare · 1 min read · Updated September 24, 2026
Phones, earbuds, watches and e-readers all advertise water resistance with codes like IP67 or IPX8. Each digit comes from an international standard and means something specific. Even so, 'water resistant' is not the same as 'waterproof'.
IP ratings decoded
| Rating | Protection | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| IP67 | Dust-tight; ~1 m for 30 min | Rain, spills, a quick dunk |
| IP68 | Dust-tight; deeper/longer (maker-set) | Pool, beach, bath |
| IPX8 | Water immersion; dust not rated | E-readers, some earbuds |
Reading the IP code
IP stands for Ingress Protection, defined by the international standard IEC 60529. The two digits after 'IP' rate protection against solids and liquids. The first digit (0–6) covers dust, and 6 means fully dust-tight. The second (0–9) covers water: 7 means protected against temporary immersion (roughly 1 m for 30 minutes), and 8 means continuous immersion at a depth the manufacturer specifies. An 'X', as in IPX8, means that property wasn't tested. So IPX8 tells you about water but not dust.
IP67 vs IP68 vs IPX8
IP67 covers a brief encounter: rain, a spill, a drop in the sink. IP68 goes deeper and longer, with the exact depth set by the maker (often 1.5–2 m for 30–60 minutes), so it's the one you want for the pool or beach. IPX8, common on e-readers and some earbuds, is the same water-immersion rating with no dust rating. A higher rating isn't automatically 'better' for you. It depends on what you'll do with the device.
What the rating doesn't cover
Two big caveats. IP tests use fresh, still water, so salt water, hot water, soap and pressure (a shower jet, a crashing wave) aren't covered and can defeat the seal. Ratings also degrade. Seals age and drops crack them, so an old, dropped phone's IP68 is not the guarantee it was on day one. Think of water resistance as insurance against accidents, not a licence to go swimming with your phone.
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Sources & further reading
The facts and figures in this article come from the references below (some of them not in English), so you can check them yourself.
- IP Code — Wikipedia
- IP-Schutzart — Wikipedia (DE)