Most modern phones are described as water resistant, but that label is often misunderstood.
IP ratings describe how well a phone resists dust and water under controlled laboratory conditions. They are useful, but only if you understand what they test, what they leave out, and how that translates to everyday use.
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Reviewed by Phil Brown, founder of Mobile Phone Finder. Phil has worked in the UK mobile industry, including retail management at Three UK, and has spent over a decade building consumer technology comparison platforms. About the author
What is an IP rating?
IP stands for Ingress Protection. An IP rating is made up of two digits:
- The first digit refers to protection against dust and solid particles
- The second digit refers to protection against water
Higher numbers indicate stronger protection, but the numbers only apply to specific test conditions, not real-world use.
IP ratings are defined under the IEC 60529 standard, published by the International Electrotechnical Commission. Manufacturers test devices against this standard before assigning a rating.
What IP ratings actually test (and what they do not)
IP ratings are assigned after laboratory testing. Phones are typically tested in fresh water, at controlled temperatures, and with new, undamaged seals.
They are not tested for salt water, chlorinated pools, steam or humidity, drops after water exposure, or long-term wear and tear. Treat IP ratings as protection against accidents rather than a guarantee.
Understanding the numbers
Dust protection (first digit)
4 means protection against solid objects larger than 1mm, such as wires and small stones. It does not mean protection against dust, because most dust and fine sand particles are smaller than 1mm.
5 means limited dust protection. Some dust may enter but not enough to interfere with operation.
6 means the device is completely dust tight under test conditions.
The gap between 4 and 6 is larger than the numbers suggest, and it is the single most misread part of an IP rating. This matters most on foldable phones, explained below.
Water protection (second digit)
4 means protection against splashes. 5 means protection against water jets. 7 means temporary immersion, tested to 1 metre for 30 minutes. 8 means deeper or longer immersion, defined by the manufacturer, and commonly tested to 1.5 metres for 30 minutes on phones.
There is no universal depth or time standard for the 8 rating beyond being better than 7. Manufacturers define the exact conditions, so two phones rated IP68 may have been tested differently.
A 9 appears on some rugged devices and covers high-pressure, high-temperature water jets in addition to immersion. It is rare on mainstream phones.
Common IP ratings you will see on phones
IP54
Limited dust protection and protection against splashes. Suitable for rain and light spills, not immersion.
IP65
Dust protected and resistant to water jets. Provides good everyday durability but does not protect against submersion.
IP67
Completely dust tight and protected against temporary immersion. Enough for most accidental drops into water.
IP68
Completely dust tight and protected against deeper or longer immersion. The highest mainstream rating for smartphones, but still not designed for intentional underwater use.
IP48
Full immersion protection, but only limited protection against solid particles. This is the standard rating on most current foldable phones and is explained in the next section.
IPX8
Water resistance tested only. The X means the phone has not been officially tested for dust resistance. It was the standard rating on earlier foldable phones, and some current models still use it.
Why foldable phones are rated IP48
Foldables are the clearest example of an IP rating that looks close to a flagship rating and is not.
Earlier foldables carried IPX8, meaning water tested with no dust rating at all. Samsung introduced IP48 on the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 generation, and its current foldables carry the same rating. Motorola's recent Razr foldables are also rated IP48.
The water half of that rating is genuinely strong. The 8 means immersion protection, tested to 1.5 metres for 30 minutes. The dust half is where the difference lies. A 4 covers solid objects larger than 1mm, which means wires and small stones rather than dust. Fine sand and dust particles are typically smaller than 1mm and are not covered.
In practice, an IP48 foldable is well protected for everyday indoor and urban use, and against rain and spills. It is not rated for a beach, a building site, or a pocket full of lint, and the hinge is the part most exposed.
This is an engineering constraint rather than a shortcut. Sealing a hinge and a folding display to a dust-tight standard is considerably harder than sealing a solid handset.
Google is the exception among major manufacturers. Its Pixel 10 Pro Fold was the first foldable to carry a full IP68 rating, where the Pixel 9 Pro Fold before it was rated IPX8, and Google states the same IP68 rating for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. If certified dust protection matters to you on a folding phone, that is currently the clearest difference between manufacturers.
You can see current ratings by manufacturer on our Samsung, Google and Motorola pages.
IP67 vs IP68: does the difference matter?
For most people, the difference is smaller than marketing suggests. IP67 already protects against common accidents. IP68 adds extra margin, not a guarantee.
Neither rating makes a phone safe for swimming, sea water, regular submersion, or high-pressure water.
What ratings current phones carry
Ratings vary by model rather than by brand, so check the specific handset. As a general picture of the current market:
- Current flagships such as recent iPhone Pro models and Samsung Galaxy S series handsets are rated IP68.
- Mid-range Android handsets commonly carry IP65 or IP67, where full submersion protection is less of a priority.
- Foldables from Samsung and Motorola are rated IP48. Google states IP68 for its Pixel Fold models. Some foldables from other manufacturers are still rated IPX8, with no dust rating at all.
- Budget and entry-level handsets often carry IP54 or no rating at all.
Always check the manufacturer's stated test conditions rather than assuming that two devices with the same rating were tested identically.
Common IP rating misconceptions
- Water resistant does not mean waterproof.
- IP rated phones are not designed for underwater use.
- Water resistance can degrade over time, especially after drops or repairs.
- Liquid damage is almost always excluded from manufacturer warranty cover.
- A 4 as the first digit does not mean dust protection, even though the overall rating looks high.
Should IP rating influence which phone you buy?
IP rating matters most if you are accident prone, spend time outdoors, or keep phones for several years. It matters less if you always use a protective case or rarely use your phone near water.
For many buyers, IP67 or IP65 is sufficient, and paying extra solely for IP68 is not always good value.
The exception is the dust digit. If you spend time at the beach, on site, or anywhere with fine airborne particles, the difference between a 4 and a 6 is worth more than the difference between a 7 and an 8.
If you are weighing up a few models, it can help to browse mobile phones and compare the exact rating and any manufacturer notes side by side.
What IP ratings do not protect against
Even the highest rating does not protect against salt water corrosion, chlorinated pools, steam and humidity, internal damage from repeated exposure, or age-related seal degradation. Water resistance should be treated as insurance, not a feature to rely on daily.
Manufacturers say so themselves. Google, for example, states that its IP68 rating applies when a device leaves the factory, that the phone is not water or dust proof, that resistance diminishes with normal wear, repair or damage, and that liquid damage voids the warranty. A rating therefore describes the phone as it left the factory rather than as it is after two years in a pocket. That is worth bearing in mind on a long contract, and the same applies to battery condition, covered in our guide to phone battery health.
Summary
IP ratings reflect laboratory tests rather than real-life use. Higher numbers mean stronger protection under specific conditions. IP65 is good for everyday durability. IP67 is enough for most accidental water exposure. IP68 provides additional protection but no guarantee. IP48, common on foldables, gives full immersion protection with only limited protection against particles. IPX8 means water tested but not dust tested. Water damage is rarely covered by warranty.
Frequently asked questions
Is IP68 waterproof?
No. IP68 means a phone has been tested against submersion under manufacturer-defined conditions in fresh water. It does not mean the phone is waterproof or safe for swimming, salt water, or regular submersion.
What does IP48 mean on a foldable phone?
The 8 means full immersion protection, commonly tested to 1.5 metres for 30 minutes. The 4 means protection against solid objects larger than 1mm, such as wires and small stones, rather than dust. Fine dust and sand are smaller than 1mm and are not covered, which is why an IP48 foldable is not rated for beaches or dusty environments.
Are foldable phones less protected than normal phones?
On dust, yes. Most current foldables from Samsung and Motorola are rated IP48, against IP68 on comparable non-folding flagships, and some foldables from other manufacturers carry IPX8 with no dust rating at all. Water protection is similar across them, but dust protection is considerably lower because sealing a hinge and folding display is far harder. Google is the exception, stating IP68 for its Pixel Fold models.
Does IP rating cover salt water or swimming pools?
No. IP ratings are tested in fresh water under controlled conditions. Salt water and chlorinated water can damage phones even with high IP ratings, and liquid damage is almost always excluded from manufacturer warranties.
Does water resistance wear off over time?
Yes. Water resistance can degrade over time, particularly after drops or repairs that affect the phone's seals. A phone that was IP68 rated when new may offer less protection after significant use.
What does the X mean in IPX8?
The X means the device has not been officially tested for dust resistance. IPX8 only certifies water resistance. It was the standard rating on earlier foldables, most of which have since moved to IP48 or, in Google's case, IP68, though some current models still carry IPX8.
How we put this guide together
The rating system described here is defined by the IEC 60529 standard rather than by individual manufacturers, so the meaning of each digit is taken from that standard rather than from marketing material.
Where manufacturers define their own test conditions, as they do for the 8 water rating, we have said so rather than presenting a single figure as universal. Ratings for specific handsets are taken from manufacturer specifications. We do not carry out our own water or dust testing, and no rating on this page should be read as a result we have verified ourselves.
Sources and methodology
- IEC 60529, the international standard defining Ingress Protection ratings, for the meaning of each digit and the test conditions behind them
- Manufacturer published specifications and support documentation, for the ratings carried by specific handsets and the depth and duration each manufacturer tests to
- Samsung published support information on Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip water resistance, for the IP48 rating on current foldables and the conditions attached to it
- Google published Pixel hardware specifications and Pixel phone support documentation, for the IP68 rating on Pixel Fold models, its testing under IEC 60529, and Google's own statement that resistance is measured at the point a device leaves the factory and diminishes with wear, repair or damage
- Independent technical reporting on foldable phone durability, for the industry move from IPX8 to IP48 and the current position across manufacturers
Ratings change between generations and manufacturers define their own test conditions. Confirm the rating and its conditions for the specific handset before relying on it.
