When you buy an Apple Watch, you can use it all day long for all of your activities. In the new series, they not only monitor basic parameters for all modern watches like heart rate, number of steps or calories burned, but also track specific activities like swimming or running. But is the iWatch afraid of water? Let’s find out.
Can an Apple Watch get wet?
Apple itself claims that their watch is protected against minor effects of water (except for the Series 1, where protection is only for splashing and minor liquid ingress). All watches above the second series are capable of withstanding immersion in water (there are nuances for the series 2, more about that later).
To ensure this, the watch uses separate gaskets to seal the case and a special Water Lock mode. You can wear Iwatch in the rain, wash your hands (taking care not to apply soap to the watch itself), take a shower, and not worry about getting sweat on it during sporting activities. As for swimming and water sports, here is the table below for your understanding:
| Name | Water resistance | Class of protection |
| Series one | Splashing, diving under water is not recommended | IPX7, possible (but not recommended) immersion up to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes |
| Series two | Can dive underwater, not suitable for activities with high water speed or deep diving (Scooba diving, water skiing) | ISO 22810:2010, regulated submergence up to 50 meters |
| Series three and later | Suitable for most water activities (manufacturer does not recommend deep diving) | IP6X, regulated submergence up to 50 meters |
50 meters = 164 feet = 54 yards
How to know if your Apple Watch is waterproof?
We have prepared for you a table with a list of all watch series and their water resistance
| Name | Water Resistant | Peculiarities |
| Series 1 | + | Splash protection, short-term immersion up to 1 meter |
| Series 2 | + | Diving up to 50 meters is possible |
| Series 3 | + | Diving up to 50 meters is possible |
| Series 4 | + | Diving up to 50 meters is possible |
| Series 5 | + | Diving up to 50 meters is possible |
| Series 6 | + | Diving up to 50 meters is possible |
| Series 7 | + | Diving up to 50 meters is possible |
| SE / Nike | + | Diving up to 50 meters is possible |
Keep in mind that with time and gradual wear and tear, water protection may decrease. It is particularly affected by the following factors:
- Any damage caused like bumps, falls.
- The effects of harsh environments like acids, perfumes, soaps, sunscreens, oils, solvents, etc.
- Prolonged exposure to pressurized water (while water skiing)
- Exposure to heat, moisture and steam (baths and saunas)
If you are unable to avoid exposure to a potentially damaging factor, rinse your watch with plain, warm water and dry it with a towel. This will neutralize the corrosive environment, but may not remove the effects on the speaker diaphragm.
Water Lock mode and Apple Watch
After detecting the presence of water or beginning to swim, the iWatch automatically enters Water Lock mode, which helps to further protect the device from damage.
When the mode is activated, the corresponding icon will appear on your watch and the screen will be locked to prevent any accidental tapping or swiping.
After you have stopped swimming, rotate the Digital Crown to unlock the screen and automatically clear any residual water. The watch will start to vibrate and make a sound that extracts drops from the speaker.
Which straps are suitable for swimming?
It is also worth taking into account what kind of band you plan to use for diving or swimming. Metal models, depending on the material of manufacture, can corrode and lose their technical and external properties. This list of loops not recommended for contact with water:
- Milanese loop
- Leather Loop
- Classic Buckle
- Modern Buckle
- Link Bracelet
It is advisable to use nylon straps for all water activities. Let’s take the following models as an example:
| Name | Material | Price |
What should you do after an iWatch gets wet?
- Wipe them with a dry, non-abrasive cloth.
- Do not use a hair dryer, heat or compressed air.
- Dry the strap separately.
- If the watch does not automatically start the water extraction process – go to settings and click on the drop icon. This will start the water removal process.
- If the sound of the speaker changes after immersion – do not put anything in it and do not shake the watch, the water will evaporate in time and the sound will return to normal.
- Water in the watch may also affect the accuracy of the altimeter – once the water is gone, the readings should improve.
Apple Care for water damage
Water damage is not covered under Apple’s warranty terms and is only covered by a chargeable repair or full replacement.
