What is an IP69 rating, and why should you care?

Vivo X100 Ultra review
(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

Most flagships these days have IP68 dust and ingress protection, and if you're using Google, Samsung, or Xiaomi mid-range devices, you get IP67 protection against dust and water ingress.

Hardwired

Android Central's LLoyd with a bionic eye

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

In Hardwired, AC Senior Editor Harish Jonnalagadda delves into all things hardware, including phones, audio products, storage servers, and routers.

The IP68 rating has been standard on phones for nearly a decade, with Samsung introducing it on the Galaxy S7 series back in 2016. Other brands followed shortly thereafter, and these days, the rating is now a table stakes feature.

What's interesting is that most Chinese brands are switching to IP69 on their 2025 flagships. Vivo's X200, X200 Pro, and X200 Pro mini all come with IP69 ingress protection, alongside OPPO's Find X8 and X8 Pro. Other manufacturers in the BBK stable are getting in on the action as well, with both the Realme GT 7 Pro and OnePlus 13 getting IP69.

So what is IP69 dust and water resistance, and how is it different to IP68? At a high-level overview, an IP rating guarantees protection against dust and water making its way into a device. The two digits in the rating indicate the degree of protection; the first digit corresponds to protection against solid objects (including dust particles), while the second digit deals with liquids.

The 6 in IP68 means the device is effectively dustproof. To achieve this rating, the device is housed in a dust-filled enclosure with a steady stream of air blowing in, and it needs to withstand any dust from getting into the chassis after eight hours of testing.

The second number is interesting, because that's the key change with 2025 flagships. The 8 in IP68 refers to a device's ability to be submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for an extended duration — usually lasting 30 minutes. Most phones conform to this standard, but the iPhone 16 Pro Max is able to be submerged in up to 6 meters of water.

A Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra with its SIM tray ejected next to an SD card

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

Manufacturers use gaskets around the SIM card slot and sealant inside the chassis to protect the internals against water damage. With IP69, you get the same level of immersion in water, but these devices are also able to withstand high-pressure water jets going up to 1,450 PSI, and tolerate increased temperatures of up to 80 degrees Celsius (176 degrees Fahrenheit).

Even with an IP68 rating, phones were pretty much resistant to any weather conditions, and IP69 goes one level beyond — it is the highest level of ingress protection available on consumer devices.

While IP69 has better protection against liquid ingress, it still has the same caveats — it doesn't cover salt water damage, so if you submerge your phone in a water body with high salinity, you should immediately rinse it with fresh water.

Just like with silicon-carbon battery tech, the IP69 rating is limited to Chinese brands, with BBK-owned entities leading the charge once again. It's unlikely Samsung, Apple, or Google will switch to the standard on their devices. This time though, I don't think it makes a big enough difference — IP68 protection is still more than adequate.

Harish Jonnalagadda
Senior Editor - Asia

Harish Jonnalagadda is Android Central's Senior Editor of Asia. In his current role, he oversees the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, networking products, and AV gear. He has been testing phones for over a decade, and has extensive experience in mobile hardware and the global semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.

  • Mooncatt
    Until manufacturers start to warranty against water damage, that rating is little more than a marketing gimmick and should be treated as such.
    Reply
  • Golfdriver97
    Why should I care?

    I don't, actually. If a phone has water resistance, I would treat it the same way as I would if it didn't. I look at the resistance as peace of mind if something happens.
    Reply
  • mustang7757
    Golfdriver97 said:
    Why should I care?

    I don't, actually. If a phone has water resistance, I would treat it the same way as I would if it didn't. I look at the resistance as peace of mind if something happens.
    I agree it's great for accidentals
    Reply
  • BijouVixen
    Golfdriver97 said:
    Why should I care?

    I don't, actually. If a phone has water resistance, I would treat it the same way as I would if it didn't. I look at the resistance as peace of mind if something happens.

    I actually do care ...... simply because in the pass I've been guilty of dropping my cell into water. Whether it was at the beach or ummmmm in the bathtub it's been dropped knowing it may ha e this " water proof " where I can quickly grab it does give me some kind of assurance and confidence when using it or perhaps I just shouldn't ??
    Reply
  • BijouVixen
    mustang7757 said:
    I agree it's great for accidentals
    Yes accidents do happen so you never know when it'll be needed.

    Me being clumsy or trying to get that " perfect " angle when trying to take a selfie either I'm at the beach or in the bathtub it's happened more than a few times?! I'm very thankful to know in the back of my mind I do have some kind of protection!?
    Reply
  • mustang7757
    BijouVixen said:
    Yes accidents do happen so you never know when it'll be needed.

    Me being clumsy or trying to get that " perfect " angle when trying to take a selfie either I'm at the beach or in the bathtub it's happened more than a few times?! I'm very thankful to know in the back of my mind I do have some kind of protection!?
    Yeah definitely, I rather have it then not even if companies don't warranty water immersion
    Reply
  • SeeBeeEss
    As a frequent phone user in the tub and pool (and sometimes in the rain), having some purported water resistance is somewhat reassuring, but until phone manufactures actually back up their water resistance claims with some sort of warranty or guarantee, I'm not going to purposefully test their claims (even though we all know that none of them have ever been guilty of misleading consumers in the past 😉).

    If I accidentally drop my phone into the toilet some day, that will be "the test." No purposeful waterslide, Olympic high diving or fire hydrant hose tests are gonna hit my phone, thanks.
    Reply
  • Golfdriver97
    BijouVixen said:
    perhaps I just shouldn't
    That's not the thought process of an Android addict....
    Reply