AirPods is one of the best headsets in the wireless market. With its dazzling sound quality, one can both feel every beat of hip-hop and the flow of calmness in melody.
Melomaniacs like us listen to music all the time, even while taking a shower. Usually, I use a speaker to listen to music when showering.
But I always miss my AirPods Pro, and I guess you do too.
However, I was afraid of thinking about what I would do if it got damaged. Keeping that in mind, I’ve researched for a couple of days and found all the facts regarding the AirPods’ water resistance.
In this article, we’ll undergo the absolute truth about whether you can use AirPods in the shower or not.
Can you shower with AirPods?
You can’t shower with the first and second gen AirPods because they don’t have water and sweat resistance. However, you can light shower with AirPods gen-3 and AirPods pro, but it’s strictly prohibited because AirPods gen-3 and AirPods pro are water resistant, not waterproof.
AirPods 3rd gen and AirPods pro are IPX4 so that they can resist minimal water.
According to the official website, stuff like showering, swimming, diving, or putting AirPods pro in the washing machine will severely damage your AirPods 3rd gen and AirPods pro.
But people in different forums and communities claim that they have used AirPods 2nd gen, 3rd gen, and AirPods pro in the shower. One even claimed he has been using AirPods 2nd gen for 3 years, taking showers, and it still works fine.
However, all of the users in the community pointed out the fact that they avoided water from directly hitting them. So if you try to take a shower with your AirPods, keep this point in mind.
Also, check out our separate post on AirPods not working on Netflix.
Why isn’t showering with AirPods recommended?
While you can take light showers with AirPods gen-3 and AirPods pro, I’m against it. Taking a shower with AirPods violates the product’s warranty and can also cause severe damage to your ear. Also, the volume and optical sensors will damage if they come into water contact.
Here are the reasons why I don’t recommend taking showers with AirPods:
Warranty violation
Apple doesn’t cover AirPod’s water damage in their warranty. So if anything happens while showering with AirPod, you have to solve that on your own.
Damage sensors
The Motion and Speech-detecting accelerometer won’t work if a drop of water gets in. When you take showers with your AirPod, the risk of damaging the sensors is high.
Follow our guide to fixing Airpods Not Working in Zoom on Mac
Physical injury
AirPod can create short circuits in water, which can severely damage your ear. Also, in extreme cases, the electric rays caused by short circuits will damage your brain.
Chemical reaction
The shampoo we use for our hair is terrible for the tip of your AirPod because it can create a chemical reaction with electronic devices. And those chemical reactions are toxic for the hardware and your skin.
Battery percentage
The battery will reduce if you use your AirPod while showering, even if you won’t see any visible damage.
Check our separate post on how you Can AirPods Connect To Oculus Quest 2
What is IPX4?
IPX means Ingress Protection Marking. Its number determines how well your electronic device will resist water and sweat. The range of the IPX scale is from 0 to 8.
Here the range of IPX is described below:
- IPXX: The water resistance isn’t measured.
- IPX0: This type of device offers no protection.
- IPX1: They have protection from dripping water.
- IPX2: These devices have protection from vertically dripping water.
- IPX3: They have protection against liquid sprays up to 60°.
- IPX4: They get protected from splashing water, no matter the direction.
- IPX5: They are protected from regular water jets in any direction.
- IPX6: They have mighty water jet protection.
- IPX7: These devices are protected in water up to 3 feet (1 meter).
- IPX8: The IPX8 rated device is protected even when immersed in water over 3 feet.
So if your device is rated IPX4, then low rain or medium spray of water from any direction won’t do a thing. But heavy rain or activities like swimming or showering will damage your device.
Also, check out our separate post on Airpods Not Working in Zoom on Mac.
Can you use AirPods in the rain?
You can use AirPods gen-3 and AirPods pro in the rain, but the older versions aren’t water resistant. AirPods gen-3 and AirPods pro are rated IPX4, so they have protection against a splash of sweat or a spray of water. But the older devices like AirPods gen-1 aren’t water resistant. So they will get damaged.
However, AirPods gen-3 and AirPods pro aren’t waterproof, so that they won’t stand heavy rainfall. But they can witness sprayed water continuously for a minimum of 5 minutes. For this reason, you should use a waterproof charging case or AirPods protective case to safeguard your AirPods.
When they get wet, you should first clean the surface water before putting it into the case.
Check our separate post on how you Can AirPods Connect To Oculus Quest 2
What to do if your AirPods get wet?
If your AirPods gen1 & 2 comes into contact with water, you need to clean the surface water and put your device under UV rays. The UV ray will vaporize the water without damaging the device itself. You can get UV rays by putting your device into the sunlight.
Here are the things you need to do if your AirPods get wet:
- Clean your device with a cotton cloth.
- Put your device in the sunlight or other UV lights to clean the unseen water.
- Don’t use your AirPods for the next 24 hours.
- Wait for at least 5-8 hours before putting your AirPods into the charging case.
- Place your AirPods in a dish of dry rice for over 2hour. You can use Silica Gel or this approach to dry clean devices faster.
FAQ
My AirPods won’t work after going through the wash. What can I do?
You need to dry them in UV rays of sunlight. Then put them into a bowl of dry rice and wait for 24h. If it won’t work even after that, it’s a lost cause.
Are AirPods waterproof?
No, they aren’t. AirPods gen-3 and AirPods pro are IPX4 water resistant, but none of the variants are waterproof.
What happens if your AirPods are into deep water?
If you have AirPods gen1 & 2, they are most likely dead. But for AirPods gen-3 and AirPods pro, you may have a slight chance to save them.
But before that, go through our epic guide on Fix Discord Airpods Not Working
Conclusion
In short, You can’t use AirPods gen1 & 2 in the shower because they don’t have water resistance. However, It’s possible to use AirPods gen-3 and AirPods pro in the shower, but you must avoid water from directly hitting your AirPods.
When you accidentally dip your AirPods in the water, the first thing you need to do is clean the surface with a cotton cloth.
Thanks for reading this article. I’m confident you know whether you can use your AirPods during showers and what to do if it accidentally falls into the water. Feel free to comment for any other inquiries. Have a good day.
