Smartphone IP ratings explained: What are IP68 and IP69, and are they waterproof?

Wondering what terms like IP68 mean for your smartphone? Here's what you need to know.

Many smartphones, be it mid-rangers, flagships, or sometimes even entry-level ones, sport an IP rating, or Ingress Protection Rating for durability. We have seen smartphones support dual IP ratings or single IP ratings, and each time the number could be different. A smartphone might support IP68, while another may support a dual IP rating of IP68 + IP69.

IP68 and IP69, and more explained (Unsplash)

By Shaurya Sharma

Shaurya Sharma is the Technology Editor at Hindustan Times Digital Streams, where he oversees technology coverage across digital and social platforms. With over eight years of experience across editorial, video production, and digital media, his work focuses on smartphones, AI, consumer gadgets, and shaping audience-first content strategies for modern tech consumers.

He began his career in 2018 as a fashion cinematographer before turning his lifelong passion for technology into a profession. From spending his childhood immersed in tech magazines, video games, and the latest gadgets to covering the global consumer tech industry today, technology has remained a constant throughout his journey.

Over the years, Shaurya has worked with some of India’s leading media organisations, including CNN-News18, Sportskeeda, and Guiding Tech, where he led video initiatives that combined strong editorial storytelling with engaging visual and social-first execution.

A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Manipal University, Shaurya has reviewed hundreds of products across categories including smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, cameras, and wearables. Beyond work, he is passionate about animal welfare, environmental causes, and automobiles, particularly turbo-petrol cars

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Now, as a general consumer, it might be confusing as to what these numbers mean in real life. It is not really hard to understand. These numbers denote different levels of protection in different ratings. What you need to understand before getting started is that the first digit of this number denotes protection against dust, and the second digit denotes protection against water.

When a smartphone features a combination of two different ratings, that means it is protected against the different types of ingress that particular rating allows for. So here, without much further ado, let us understand different types of popular smartphone IP ratings.

IP68

If a smartphone has an IP68 rating, this means that the device is dust-sealed and can be submerged in water for long periods, often beyond 1 metre in depth, under conditions specified by the manufacturer. This makes a smartphone suitable for accidental submersion in freshwater bodies like a lake or river, but, of course, it cannot be too deep, or this protection will not apply.

IP69

If a smartphone has an IP69 rating, this allows for dust sealing as well as the ability to withstand high-pressure and high-temperature water jets. This allows for endurance during extreme conditions, such as very harsh environments and industrial cleaning processes.

IPX8

If your smartphone has an IP rating that starts with 'X' (eg, IPX8), this means it has not been officially rated for dust resistance. The subsequent digit for water resistance still applies. So, if a phone has an IPX8 rating, that means your phone will function even after being submerged in freshwater for up to 30 minutes, under specific conditions.

No Matter The Level Of Protection, The Manufacturer Won’t Cover Water Damage

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