# Decode any IP rating

Type the code on your phone, watch, or speaker — IP68, IP67, IPX4 — and get which test each digit passed and what the rating cannot guarantee you.

Canonical: https://mariuscomper.uk/decoder-ip/en/

The two digits are two separate tests. The first says what keeps dust out, the second which water test it passed — and X means untested, not zero. The 8 names only the category: the maker sets the depth and duration, from 1.5 m to 6 m.

## First digit: solids

| Digit | Protection | The test |
|---|---|
| 0 | No solids protection | No contact or object-ingress test. |
| 1 | Large objects, over 50 mm | Keeps out the back of a hand; no protection against deliberate touch. |
| 2 | Fingers, over 12.5 mm | Keeps out fingers and similar objects. |
| 3 | Tools, over 2.5 mm | Keeps out tools and thick wires. |
| 4 | Thin wires, over 1 mm | Keeps out thin wires, screws, large insects. |
| 5 | Dust-protected | Some dust may enter, but not enough to harm operation. |
| 6 | Dust-tight | No dust ingress (vacuum test, up to 8 hours). |
| X | Not tested for solids | X does not mean zero: the solids axis was not tested or published. |

## Second digit: water

| Digit | Protection | The test |
|---|---|
| 0 | No water protection | No water test. |
| 1 | Vertical dripping | Vertical drops for 10 minutes, no harmful effects. |
| 2 | Dripping at 15° | Dripping with the case tilted 15° from normal. |
| 3 | Rain, spray at 60° | Spray up to 60° from vertical — ordinary rain. |
| 4 | Splashes from any direction | Splashing from all sides, no harmful effects. |
| 5 | Water jets | Jets from a 6.3 mm nozzle, from any direction. |
| 6 | Powerful jets | Powerful 12.5 mm jets: waves, hose-downs. |
| 7 | Immersion 1 m / 30 min | Temporary immersion: 1 m deep, 30 minutes. |
| 8 | Continuous immersion | Continuous immersion under the manufacturer's conditions — beyond level 7. |
| 9 | Hot jets, 80 °C | Close-range high-pressure jets at 80 °C (industrial wash-downs). |
| X | Not tested for water | X does not mean zero: the water axis was not tested or published. |

## Frequently asked questions

**Does IP68 mean 1.5 m / 30 minutes?**

Not as a rule. 8 means “continuous immersion under the manufacturer's conditions”: Apple tests its iPhones at 6 m / 30 min, the Samsung Galaxy S25 at 1.5 m / 30 min. Check your model's spec sheet.

**What is the difference between IP67 and IP68?**

At dust they are level: both dust-tight (6). At water, 7 means temporary immersion at 1 m / 30 min under fixed conditions; 8 means continuous immersion under the manufacturer's conditions — more than 7, but the conditions vary by model.

**Can I swim with an IP68 phone?**

The rating does not cover swimming: tests run in still fresh water, on a new device. Salt water, chlorine, pressure from movement, and seal wear are outside what the code promises — and makers say resistance decreases over time.

**What does the X in IPX4 mean?**

That the dust axis was not tested or published — not that protection is zero. IPX4 speaks only of water: splashes from any direction.

**Does an IPX7 also resist water jets?**

Not necessarily. Past 6, tests do not accumulate: 7 tests immersion, 5 and 6 test jets — different dimensions. Devices passing both carry a dual rating of the form IPX5/IPX7.

**What is IP69K?**

The heavy wash-down version: close-range high-pressure jets at 80 °C — machinery, food equipment. The K comes from the automotive ISO 20653 standard; in IEC 60529 the equivalent test is digit 9.

**Why does my watch say IP6X and 5 ATM?**

They are two different standards: IP6X only says it is dust-tight (water untested in the IP system), while 5 ATM comes from the watch standard ISO 22810. They do not convert into each other.

**Does protection degrade over time?**

Yes. Apple writes in its spec sheets that water and dust resistance is “not permanent” and may decrease through normal wear. The rating describes the new device, tested in a lab.

## Sources and limits

- [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_code](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_code)