If you're new to wearing an Apple Watch and wondering if you should be cautious around water — whether you're taking a shower, washing the dishes or running in the rain — the short answer is "no." Your Apple Watch can handle quite a bit of agua.
Most Apple Watches (Series 2 or later) have an ISO water-resistance rating of 22810:2010, meaning they're safe to be submerged up to 50 meters. If you have an Ultra or Ultra 2, which can be used as a dive watch, they're even more water-resistant. So if you want to take a dip with your Apple Watch, go for it — there are even several swimming options to choose from in the Workout app.
Note: Apple uses ISO ratings for the Apple Watch, rather than IP ratings, as the former is the standard used by most watch manufacturers.
The one outlier is the first Apple Watch (released back in 2014 and discontinued in mid-2018), which was water resistant but Apple did not recommend submerging it. Thankfully you don't really need to worry about that anymore because, well, you're probably not going to buy one of those old models.
Is your Apple Watch waterproof?
No, not completely.
Apple currently sells three different Apple Watch models and the Series 9 and SE (2nd-generation) both have the same ISO water-resistance rating (22810:2010), meaning they're safe to go swimming with. The catch is that they're not meant to handle high-pressure water, so it's recommended that you don't dive with them or even do high-speed water sports like waterskiing, jet-skiing or tubing.
Note: All older Apple Watches (Series 2 or later) have the same water-resistance rating as the Series 9 and SE (2nd-generation).
The Apple Watch Ultra 2, which has a Depth Gauge sensor and can work as a bona fide dive computer (thanks to the Oceanic+ app), has twice the water resistance of the other Apple Watch models. In addition to an ISO rating of 22810, it is EN13319-compliant, is water resistant up to 100 meters and meets the standards for recreational scuba diving, snorkeling and high-speed water sports.
Note: The original Ultra has the same water-resistance rating as the above Ultra 2.
To learn more about the water-resistance ratings of your Apple Watch, check out Apple's support page.
How to eject water out of your Apple Watch
If you do go swimming or take a shower while wearing your Apple Watch, it's a good idea to eject any water that may have seeped into it (likely through its speaker). The good news is that your Apple Watch watch has a built-in feature to do just that. It's quick and easy.
First, you have to turn on Water Lock. This is a feature that disables your Apple Watch's touchscreen, thus preventing you from accidentally tapping it while in the water. You can turn Water Lock on from the Control Center, but it also automatically turns on when you are doing a water-based workout like swimming. Once Water Lock is turned on, you can eject water from your Apple Watch by holding down the Digital Crown.
- Press the side button to open the Control Center on your Apple Watch.
- Scroll down and select the water drop to turn on Water Lock.
- Hold the Digital Crown to eject water.
You'll see a graphic and your Apple Watch will make a beeping noise while water is ejected — it takes roughly three seconds. Once finished, Water Lock will automatically turn off, and you can can go on with your day.
