Only a few things will ruin your outdoor adventure mood faster than ill-fitting or hard-to-use earphones. Luckily, AirPods are so snug to your head that you can take your clothes off while going swimming without worrying about them falling out. But are AirPods Pro waterproof, that you can wear them while swimming? This question assumes importance because water and electronics don’t mix well. So, let’s find an answer to this question in today’s post.
Are AirPods Pro waterproof? What you need to know!
Wearables like smartwatches and earphones have grown a bit more durable in recent years. They might also survive some accidental water exposure. However, that does not necessarily mean you should hard-test them in a sauna/steam room or push them for further scrutiny in other imaginative ways possible. Just a little bit of knowledge about water resistance and waterproof ratings is all you need. It will help you find are AirPods Pro waterproof’ or not.
First, only Apple’s AirPods (3rd Generation) and AirPods Pro are water- and sweat-resistant with an IPX4 rating. And third-generation AirPods are the only version with a water-resistant case.
Here’s what each IP (Ingress Protection) rating signifies (It’s a standard showing the effectiveness of electrical enclosures in blocking foreign bodies such as dust, moisture, liquids, and accidental contact).
IP rating standard
The first digit in the rating indicates protection against solids. It can be anything from 0 to 6. 0 indicates it has no protection against solids whereas 6 means device panels are completely dust tight.
Similarly, the second digit in the rating is the protection rating against liquids. Its values vary from 0 to 8 with 0 meaning it has no special protection against liquids.
A rating of 4 means protection against water splashes from all 4 directions. On the other hand, a solid rating of 8 indicates that the device can stand long effects of immersion under pressure.
What this effectively means is AirPods Pro and third-generation AirPods are safe from water splashes from all angles and there should be no reason to panic if you get caught in rain wearing them or happen to wear them during heavy workout sessions when you’re sweating.
Also, since they have little to no protection against complete water submersion (IPX8 rating) it means they are not WATERPROOF. As such, we would recommend you not shower or swim with your AirPods plugged in. Though Apple adds a water-repellent coating to the circuit board of AirPods Pro and third-generation AirPods, it’s no reason to put them to the test in the worst imaginative ways.
Lastly, even if the above-mentioned AirPods get wet in some way or manage to survive an accidental drop in a swimming pool, dry them immediately with a lint-free cloth before putting them back in their case. It’s simply to avoid any unwanted damage that could come from placing them near the charging coils of the case while they’re still wet. You can also follow the list of Do’s and Don’ts by Apple.
Interested in reading more articles related to AirPods Pro? Check out our guide on AirPods Pro battery life and what you should do when they are not charging.
