Is the Google Pixel 7a waterproof?

Today’s mid-range phones have to walk the tightrope between performance and value, mirroring bottom-line features of flagship phones while maintaining that almighty affordability. To keep costs down, a few things often get the axe. Traditionally, waterproofing was one of those things, but dust and water resistance has become increasingly common even in the budget sector. So, is the Google Pixel 7a waterproof, or did Google cut this corner to save some cash?

Is the Pixel 7a waterproof?

The good news is the Pixel 7a is water resistant, but not to the same degree as more expensive flagships. You may have heard the words waterproof and water-resistant thrown around interchangeably. In reality, no phone on the market is completely and entirely waterproof. Instead, we use an IP rating to determine how water-resistant a phone is and how well it can handle dust and debris.

What is an IP67 rating exactly?

Okay, so we know how long the Pixel 7a can handle being in the water, but what does IP67 mean exactly? Let’s start with the IP. This stands for ingress protection. Then we have the numbers. The first number has to do with dust resistance. A 6 means a phone is dust-tight. The second number indicates waterproofing. A water resistance rating of 7 means it can protect against immersion in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. While this isn’t bad by any means, it’s not as impressive as the IP68 scored by more expensive devices like the Pixel 7. This protects for depths of up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.

You can learn more about water and dust resistance in our IP ratings guide.

In reality, no phone is fully waterproof. You should never intentionally submerge a phone in water, even if it has water resistance. All it takes is one small crack or another issue, and boom: your phone is dead. If you plan to take your phone to a beach or the pool, we recommend a waterproof pouch.

Waterproof pouches and cases provide peace of mind

There are situations where you’d want to bring your phone into the water, such as for lounging on the beach. For me, that’s kayaking. I love to kayak, but I often take my phone with me and listen to music while doing so. To keep my phone safe, I always use a water pouch. Personally, I use the Calicase waterproof pouch (Get 20% off with discount code: AA20), but there are plenty of other options, most ranging from as little as $10 to as much as $35. You can check out our guide to the best waterproof pouch cases for more.