Can You Shower With a Smartwatch? What Each Rating Actually Means

Last Updated on October 8, 2026 by Luis Cooper

You are about to step into the shower, and you wonder whether you need to take your smartwatch off first.

Maybe you take it off every time out of habit.

Or maybe you have been wearing it and hoping for the best.

The answer is not the same for every watch.

Some smartwatches are completely fine in the shower.

Others will handle it for a while before the seals start to degrade.

And a few should come off every single time without question.

The difference comes down to two ratings you will find in your watch’s spec sheet: IP rating and ATM rating.

Once you understand what those numbers mean, the right answer for your specific watch becomes obvious.

Can You Shower With a Smartwatch?

 

The Two Ratings That Decide Everything

IP Rating:

IP stands for Ingress Protection.

It is an international standard that tells you how well a device is sealed against dust and liquids.

The number after IP has two digits.

The first covers dust

. The second covers water.

For water, here is what the second digit means:

• IPX4: Protected against water splashing from any direction. Suitable for rain or sweat. Not suitable for showering or swimming.
• IPX7: Can be submerged in up to 1 meter of fresh water for up to 30 minutes. Handles rain and splashing easily.
• IPX8: Can be submerged continuously, to the depth the manufacturer specifies. This is the highest standard liquid protection rating for consumer devices.

Most modern smartwatches are rated IP68, which combines a 6 for full dust resistance with an 8 for deep water submersion.

IP68 is the gold standard to look for.

ATM Rating

ATM stands for atmospheres, which is a unit of pressure. It is most common on Garmin watches and traditional timepieces.

• 1ATM: Equivalent to about 10 meters of static water pressure. Suitable for splashing but not much more.
• 3ATM: Up to 30 meters static pressure. Fine for rain and hand-washing, risky for swimming.
• 5ATM: Up to 50 meters static pressure. Suitable for showering and recreational swimming.
• 10ATM: Up to 100 meters static pressure. Suitable for snorkeling and water sports.

One important caveat: ATM ratings are tested in still water, in controlled lab conditions. So, if you go down 10 feet, you’ll be under a certain pressure.

But if you were in a pool of water splashing around, or under a powerful shower head, you would be under a greater pressure.

This is why a 3ATM watch might be fine for light splashing but fail during an aggressive shower.

What the Ratings Mean for Showering Specifically

Here is the practical answer for everyday use:

IP68 or 5ATM and above: Safe to shower with under normal conditions. A standard household shower runs at well under 5ATM of pressure.

IP67 or 3ATM: Risky in the shower. These watches can handle brief accidental water exposure, but a full shower pushes them close to their limits, especially over time as seals age.

IPX4 or below: Do not shower with these. They are splash-resistant, not submersion- or pressure-resistant.

Which Popular Watches Are Safe in the Shower

Apple Watch Series 9, 10, 11, 12

All of these are rated 50 meters under ISO 22810:2010, which is equivalent to 5ATM.

They are safe to shower with. Apple’s official guidance says these models can handle pool swimming and ocean swimming.

However, Apple specifically advises against exposing any Apple Watch to soap, shampoo, conditioner, or lotion.

These chemicals can degrade the rubber seals over time and reduce water resistance. If you shower with your Apple Watch, rinse it with clean water afterward.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 goes further at a 100-meter depth rating and is explicitly cleared for more demanding water activities, including recreational diving.

The Ultra is also the only Apple Watch Apple says is fine in steam rooms, though it still carries the same soap warning.

Samsung Galaxy Watch (Watch 4,8,9 and later)

Samsung Galaxy Watch models carry an IP68 rating plus a 5ATM water resistance rating.

They are safe for showering, pool swimming, and the ocean.

Samsung’s own support pages confirm these watches can be worn in the shower.

The same warning applies: rinse the watch with fresh water after contact with soap, shampoo, or pool chemicals.

Avoid high-pressure water jets directed at the speaker grille or buttons.

Garmin Watches

Most Garmin watches are rated 5ATM, and performance models like the Fenix 9, Instinct 3, and Forerunner 570 carry 10ATM ratings.

All of these are safe for showering.

Garmin specifically recommends avoiding hot tubs and saunas with all models.

The heat causes the seals to expand and contract repeatedly, which weakens them over time even if no single exposure causes obvious damage.

Oura Ring 5

The Oura Ring 5 is rated IP68 and is certified for submersion to 100 meters.

It is completely safe to shower with, swim in, and wear in the pool. Oura’s own documentation confirms this.

One practical note: soap residue can accumulate on the ring and irritate the skin underneath.

Rinse the ring with clean water after showering and dry your finger before putting it back on.

Fitbit Air

The Fitbit Air is rated IP68 and is water-resistant to 50 meters.

It is safe to shower with and wear in the pool.

Google’s documentation confirms shower use is supported.

Whoop 5.0

The Whoop 5.0 is rated IP68 and is suitable for showering and swimming.

Whoop’s community documentation confirms it can handle salt water and pool exposure, with the same recommendation to rinse with fresh water afterward.

What You Should Never Do With Any Smartwatch in Water

Regardless of the water resistance rating, these situations put every smartwatch at risk:

Hot tubs and Jacuzzis. Heated water combined with jets creates pressure that exceeds what most ratings account for. The heat also degrades rubber seals much faster than cool water. Most manufacturers, including Garmin and Apple, specifically warn against hot tubs.

Steam rooms and saunas. Heat and steam together are particularly damaging to seals and electronic components. Apple Ultra is the only mainstream device that comes close to addressing this, and even it has temperature limits.

Scuba diving. Unless your watch is specifically rated and certified for diving, do not use it for scuba. Depth pressure increases significantly below 10 meters and most consumer smartwatches are not designed for this.

High-pressure shower heads. A high-pressure shower or rain shower head can push water past seals that would otherwise hold fine in a pool. If your shower head runs very hard, consider orienting the watch face away from direct pressure.

This shows a watch with cracked or scratched seals. Water resistance is not permanent. A watch that has taken a hard knock against a hard surface may have compromised seals even if the screen looks fine. If your watch has been dropped or hit hard, check with the manufacturer before relying on its water resistance rating.

Do Water Resistance Ratings Last Forever?

No. This is one of the most important things to understand.

Water resistance is rated at the time of manufacture. The rubber and silicone gaskets that seal the watch degrade over time, especially with repeated temperature changes, exposure to chemicals, and everyday wear. A watch rated IP68 when new may not offer the same protection after two or three years of daily use.

Some manufacturers, including Apple, recommend getting the water resistance resealed periodically. This is optional, but if you swim or shower with your watch regularly, it is worth considering every couple of years.

The practical implication: even a well-rated watch should be rinsed with clean water and dried after repeated water exposure. This significantly extends the life of the seals.

Quick Reference: Common Watches and Shower Safety

 

The Honest Bottom Line

For most people wearing a modern smartwatch from Apple, Samsung, Garmin, Oura, Fitbit, or Whoop, you do not need to take your watch off in the shower.

Every mainstream device sold in 2025 and 2026 carries at minimum an IP68 or 5ATM rating, which covers normal shower conditions comfortably.

The things that actually cause damage are not ordinary showers.

Hot tubs, aggressive heat exposure, contact with soaps and chemicals over time, and wearing an old watch whose seals have worn down without ever being serviced are the real culprits.

Rinse with clean water after showering. Keep your watch away from hot tubs. And check your specific model’s documentation if you are ever unsure.

If you want to see how these watches compare across health features like sleep tracking and heart rate accuracy, our Oura Ring 5 review covers what ring form factor tracking looks like day to day, including shower and swim tracking in practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I shower with my Apple Watch? Yes, if you have Series 2 or later.

Apple Watch Series 9, 10, 11 and 12 all have a 50-meter rating and it’s safe to shower with them. Apple suggests washing your watch with clean water and not letting soap or shampoo sit on it for an extended period.

What Would Happen If I Showered With A Smartwatch That Is Not Waterproof? Even a basic splash-resistant watch may not be damaged immediately on first exposure. Repeated exposure over time allows water to seep past non-waterproof seals and reach the electronics. You’ll usually see this as foggy screens, touchscreen failure or corrosion of the charging port.

Is IP68 good enough for swimming?

The IP68 rating is more than suitable for swimming. Yes. IP68 is that the product can be immersed in liquid continuously to the depth that the manufacturer states, which is 50 meters for most smartwatches. This covers pool swimming and ocean swimming comfortably.

Can I wear my smartwatch in a hot tub? Most manufacturers recommend against this. Hot water, jets, and chemicals are a harder test than the static water used in IP and ATM certification. Apple, Garmin, and Samsung all advise avoiding hot tubs.

Does a higher ATM rating mean a watch is definitely safe to shower with? A 5ATM rating is sufficient for showering. Higher ratings like 10ATM provide more margin for diving and water sports but do not change the shower answer. Any watch at 5ATM or above handles normal household shower pressure.

How long does water resistance last on a smartwatch? The seals that provide water resistance degrade over time. A watch bought two or three years ago and worn daily may no longer offer its original rated protection. Manufacturers typically recommend annual inspections if you regularly swim or shower with a watch.

External reference: Apple Support — About Apple Watch water resistance