Can I Use My IP68 Phone in the Shower?
Manufacturers generally say no. Apple's own support documentation lists showering among the activities NOT recommended for an IP68-rated iPhone, since the standard test uses still, room-temperature fresh water — not the hot water, steam, and soap residue involved in an actual shower.
What the shower adds that the lab test doesn't
- Heat and steam — not part of the room-temperature immersion test, and can interact with seal materials differently.
- Soap, shampoo, and body wash residue — outside the tested medium (still fresh water) and can build up in ports and speaker grilles.
- Erratic touchscreen behavior when wet — a separate usability issue from ingress protection, but one that makes wet-handling harder regardless of the rating.
The safest read is that IP68 describes a controlled immersion scenario, not everyday water exposure scenarios like showering — see the broader distinction in Is IP68 Actually Waterproof?
Frequently Asked Questions
Manufacturers generally advise against it. Apple's support documentation explicitly lists showering among the activities NOT recommended for iPhone despite its IP68 rating, because hot water, steam, and soap/shampoo residue are outside the standard immersion test's still-fresh-water, room-temperature conditions.
The IP68 immersion test doesn't test temperature extremes or steam, and touchscreens can also behave erratically when wet, plus hot water can affect seal materials differently than the room-temperature fresh water used in testing.
Soap, shampoo, and body wash are not part of the tested medium (still fresh water) and can leave residue in ports and speaker grilles that plain water testing doesn't account for.
IP67-rated speakers like the JBL Charge 5 handle bathroom humidity and splashes within their tested scope, but manufacturer guidance for phones specifically calls out showering as outside the intended and often the warrantied use, regardless of the IP68 badge.