Is the OnePlus 8 waterproof?

None of the major flagship phones are fully waterproof, but many are water and dust-resistant. OnePlus has always unofficially offered some resistance with its phones but has never certified their devices with an official IP rating. Thankfully, this changes with the OnePlus 8 family!

The OnePlus 8 will remain without official resistance for most regions, but carrier models in the United States have it. If you really want an unlocked version and don’t mind paying up for an upgrade, the OnePlus 8 Pro offers IP68 certified water and dust resistance in all markets.

What does IP68 certification mean?

An IP rating tells you the level of protection a device offers against solids and liquids. The “IP” stands for Ingress Protection (or International Protection) and is followed by two numbers. The first number indicates the level of protection against solid particles (dust, dirt…) and ranges from one to six. The second number tells you how much water a device can handle without suffering damage and ranges from one to eight — the higher the number, the better the protection.

The OnePlus 8 Pro’s IP68 rating means it’s dust-tight and can survive in water up to one meter (about 3 feet) without issue for prolonged periods. Typically that means a time period of around 30 minutes. The longer you keep the phone in the water, the more likely it will start to take on water damage.

Read more: IP Ratings explained!

Does that mean you can take these for a swim?

The iP68-rated OnePlus devices can survive occasional dips, but it’s not a great idea to do it intentionally! For one, water might have chlorine, salt, or other abrasive chemicals or minerals that can affect your phone. And the more you take it into the water, the more likely you’ll end up wearing out its seals against water damage. This is the same case for any water-resistant IP68 phone.

While it’s perfectly okay to have it intentionally near water (say at the beach or on a shelf in your shower), we wouldn’t regularly submerge it. Need to take a quick water photo? Sure, it’s up to the job. But if you really want to keep your phone in the water for prolonged periods, we recommend using a waterproof pouch like those from JoTo.

Read more: The best waterproof pouches