What Does IPX4 Mean?
IPX4 means protection against splashing water from any direction, tested with an oscillating spray for at least 10 minutes per IEC 60529. The X means the solids/dust digit was not tested or claimed — it does not mean zero dust protection, just "not rated." IPX4 has no depth or duration figure because it is a splash test, not an immersion test.
What IPX4 actually covers
Sweat during a workout, light rain, and splashes from a sink or a dropped water bottle are within IPX4's tested scope. Submersion — a dropped-in-the-pool moment, a shower, or swimming — is outside it entirely; there is no depth or time figure to exceed because the test never involves immersion. See the full table in the IP Code Decoder.
IPX4 vs IP68 — different tests, not different degrees of the same test
It's tempting to read IPX4 as "a lesser version" of IP68, but the two digits test different physical scenarios (spray vs. immersion) with different equipment. A product with a high jet rating (IPX6) is not automatically immersion-rated (IPX7/IPX8), and an immersion-rated product doesn't automatically pass the high-pressure jet test either.
Frequently Asked Questions
IPX4 means a device is rated for protection against splashing water from any direction, and the X means the solids/dust digit was not tested or claimed. IPX4 has no depth or duration figure because the test is a splash test, not an immersion test — devices like the Sony WF-1000XM5 rated IPX4 are not swim-proof.
An oscillating spray directs water at the device from all directions for at least 10 minutes, per IEC 60529. It simulates rain and splashing, not submersion.
Manufacturer marketing for IPX4-rated earbuds and speakers generally positions them for exactly this: sweat and light rain. It is not rated for swimming, showering, or any submersion.
They test entirely different things. IPX4 only tests splash resistance from any direction; IP68 requires passing an immersion test to a manufacturer-declared depth and duration. A product can be IPX4 without any immersion rating at all — see the full digit-by-digit comparison in the IP Code Decoder.