Can You Shower with an Apple Watch? (A Quick Answer)

If you own a Series 2 Apple Watch or higher, you can shower with it. Just keep in mind to activate the water lock before you do so. Only the Series 1 Apple Watch is not recommended for under the shower.

This is a very common question on the internet. The answer is yes, provided you have a Series 2 or newer Apple Watch. Of course, there are some precautions that you need to follow before, during, and after taking a shower to maintain your smartwatch’s condition.

Apple Watch Series 1 (The Original Apple Watch)

You shouldn’t shower with the Apple Watch Series 1, according to Apple’s guidelines on caring for your original Apple Watch. The water resistance of the Apple Watch Series 1 isn’t enough for you to shower with it safely.

Apple Watch Series 2 and Newer

According to Apple’s official website, showering with the Apple Watch Series 2 or newer versions is generally considered safe. However, you still need to be careful since you can’t expose the watch to soaps, shampoos, shower gels, or other personal care products. A few seconds of contact should be OK, as long as you immediately wash the watch with fresh water.

It’s also worth noting that Apple doesn’t recommend wearing the Apple Watch when doing high-speed water activities like scuba diving and water skiing. This is because water could be forced through the sealed ports, resulting in damaged internals.

Difference Between Water-resistant and Waterproof

Water resistance and waterproof are 2 features of electronic devices that people often think are the same. However, they’re not exactly the same thing. 

If a smartwatch like the Apple Watch is said to be water-resistant, this means that it can be submerged under the water for a brief period. In other words, the feature is there to help you save your device in case of accidental submerges or water splashes.

However, higher grades of water resistance allow you to safely use your device during water activities. For example, if a gadget is rated as water-resistant up to 100 meters, it’ll definitely hold up much better than a gadget that’s water-resistant up to 2 meters.

On the other hand, a waterproof smartwatch is designed for use with water activities, meaning that you can swim with the watch on your wrist without worrying about damaging it. In fact, you can keep the device submerged in water for hours, and it’ll remain intact.

OK, so why have we brought this up? Simple; it’s to illustrate why showering with the Apple Watch Series 1 is taboo while it’s perfectly fine for newer models.

The Apple Watch Series 1 is IPX7 water-resistant up to 1 meter for a period of 30 minutes, compared to newer models that are water-resistant up to 50 meters. Now, you can probably tell why the Apple Watch Series 2 and above models can be taken to the shower.

Activating the Water Lock

Before taking a shower while wearing your Apple Watch Series 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7, you need to make sure that the water lock is turned on. So how does this feature work? Well, it’s not some sort of magical lock that’ll prevent water from getting inside your watch. 

This is already present whether you turn the water lock feature on or off. What the water lock does is that it locks the smartwatch’s screen, preventing accidental input when the screen is in contact with water. This way, you’ll rest assured that you don’t make a call by mistake or delete important data.

You can keep the water lock on all the time. However, your screen may stay locked if your fingers are a bit wet, so that’s a trade-off you’ll have to make. Otherwise, you can just enable it before engaging in water activities.

Summary

So, can you shower with an Apple Watch? In most cases, that should be safe, at least if you own a Series 2 or higher. Just keep it away from soap and other personal care products. Also, rinse the watch after you’re done and use a dry towel to remove any remaining drops of water on it.

And remember, the water-resistant properties of your Apple Watch aren’t permanent. In other words, your watch’s protection against water damage may diminish over time, and there’s no way to make your Watch “more water-resistant” again.