Is iPhone 12 waterproof? We took it for a swim to test its water resistance

We know the iPhone 12 can handle spills and splashes, but Apple may be downplaying how water resistant this phone really is. The iPhone 12’s IP68 rating means it can survive up to 20 feet of water for 30 minutes. This applies to all four iPhone 12 models: iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. But we’ve found that like its predecessor, Apple’s latest iPhone can handle a lot more than that. The two iPhone 11 models far surpassed official rating, surviving a 39-foot dive in salt water in Monterey Bay, California. This year, we took a brand new iPhone 12 for a swim in the freezing cool water of Lake Tahoe, across the Golden State, to test it out.

Teaming up with Mission Robotics, we installed our iPhone 12 on the company’s underwater drone, Theseus. The drone can go up to 300 meters underwater; the pilot can see Theseus’ camera view, as well as monitor depth and water temperature readings from a computer on land.

Watch the video on this page for the full test and to see some amazing underwater footage from the drone.

Read more: IPhone 12 drop test results show ceramic shield is as tough as it looks

Dive 1: Claim test (19.6 feet for 30 minutes)

According to Apple’s support page, you should not intentionally dive or swim with your iPhone, or take it to extreme temperatures. But for the purposes of our test, we wanted to push it to its limits.

For our first dive, we wanted to test the IP68 claim: 19.6 feet (6 meters) of water for 30 minutes. From the shore of Lake Tahoe, we positioned the iPhone on a stand facing the drone’s camera with the screen set to stay on, so that we could see if anything was happening to the iPhone while it was under. the water.

The water temperature in Lake Tahoe at this depth was 52 degrees Fahrenheit (11 degrees Celsius).

After the 30 minutes had passed, we took the phone out of the water and dried it with a cloth. Then we tested it to see if the phone worked. The touchscreen was fine and the volume rocker worked as expected. All three cameras (front, ultra-wide, and wide) looked clear, with no fogging, and photos looked normal. We recorded a voice memo before soaking the phone and could hear that after the first dive the speaker sounded a bit muffled in comparison, but it’s hard to say if that would have improved after letting it dry. Longer. Apple’s support page suggests placing the iPhone base and Lightning connector in front of a fan to aid in the drying process. However, we had other ideas.

Dive 2: The extreme test (65 feet)

With the iPhone 12 functioning normally, we prepared the drone for its second dive in Lake Tahoe. This time we wanted to take the phone to more extreme depths. We submerged the phone 20 meters underwater, more than three times the maximum depth. The water temperature at this depth was 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius).

With the timer running on the iPhone 12’s screen, we could see how much time had passed since we submerged the phone. Once it hit 30 minutes, we decided to leave it submerged a bit longer, just to see what was going to happen. We finally took the drone out of the water after 40 minutes and did the same tests again.

Surprisingly, everything worked normally. The screen was responsive, the volume and power buttons worked, and both cameras worked as well. The speaker still sounded muffled while playing the voice memo, but it was still audible.

After we wiped the iPhone 12 down, we turned it off and let it sit for a few days to let it dry completely.

The final test

After letting it dry for 72 hours, we wanted to do one last test to see if there was any long term damage from the extreme underwater testing. The phone itself was completely dry, but its three lenses – the ultra wide-angle and the wide-angle on the back, as well as the front camera – had developed fogging.

At this point, the battery was also completely discharged, so we let the phone charge for a while via the Lightning port before turning it back on. But once we did, the iPhone 12 screen displayed a diagnostic prompt. After repeatedly trying to go through the diagnostic prompt, we plugged the iPhone 12 into a MacBook to see if we could reset the device. It worked, but we still couldn’t get past the diagnostic screens.

While we have no way of knowing exactly what caused this error, it could be persistent water damage, the temperature change between cold Lake Tahoe water and an indoor environment, or a combination of both.

What is the water resistance of the iPhone 12?

Our highly unscientific test would suggest that the iPhone 12 can withstand very deep water and clearly meets the IP68 claim. But, like all electronic devices, it has a limit on how much water it can take and you should never intentionally immerse the phone in water (lake or otherwise).

As with our previous experience on the water with the iPhone 11, your results may vary. Also remember that water damage is not covered by warranty. We’ve reached out to Apple and the company has provided us with those instructions on their support page. Following these guidelines can improve the chances of your iPhone in contact with water or any other type of liquid.