Short answer first: almost no popular earbuds are truly waterproof. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, Raycon Everyday Earbuds, Apple AirPods Pro 2 and Sony WF-1000XM5 are all water-resistant to very different degrees — and in two cases here, the charging case has no water protection at all. This guide uses only manufacturer-verified IP ratings, so you can see exactly what sweat, rain, a shower and a swim will do to each model.
Quick answer: are your earbuds waterproof?
No — none of the four models below is fully waterproof, and none is made for swimming. The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro buds carry the strongest rating here, IP57, but their case is not water-resistant. Raycon Everyday Earbuds are rated IPX6 against powerful water jets, yet Raycon still says not to shower or swim in them. The AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) are IP54 for both buds and case, and the Sony WF-1000XM5 are IPX4 splash-resistant buds with an unrated case. Sweat and rain: fine for all four. Shower and pool: keep all four out.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro — IP57 buds
Raycon Everyday Earbuds — IPX6 buds
Apple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) — IP54 buds and case
Sony WF-1000XM5 — IPX4 buds
Waterproof vs water-resistant: what the words actually mean
Here is the confusion at the heart of almost every “are my earbuds waterproof?” question: waterproof and water-resistant are not the same claim, and brands know it. Water-resistant means a product can repel a limited amount of water — splashes, sweat, light rain — for a limited time. Waterproof, used strictly, means water cannot get in even during immersion. Very few consumer earbuds earn that description in any lasting sense, yet you will see the word “waterproof” in marketplace listings for earbuds rated as low as IPX4, which is splash protection only.
The only definition worth trusting is the IP rating itself, tested under the IEC 60529 standard in a lab, with clean fresh water, on a brand-new product. Three limits apply to every rating in this article. First, the test water is fresh water — not chlorinated pool water, salt water, soapy shower water or steam. Second, seals age: drops, heat, sweat salts and everyday wear reduce protection over time, which is why manufacturers state that resistance is not a permanent condition. Third, surviving a lab test is not the same as a manufacturer recommending the activity — as the Raycon case below shows, a brand can rate a bud highly and still tell you not to shower in it. For a deeper walk through every level, see our guide to understanding IP ratings: IPX4 vs IPX7.
How to read an IP rating in 30 seconds
An IP code has two digits, as in IP57 or IP54. The first digit covers dust and solid objects, scored 0 to 6. The second digit covers water, scored 0 to 9. An X simply means that category was not rated — so IPX4 tells you about water only, while IP54 tells you both: dust-protected (5) and splash-resistant (4).
The water numbers that matter for earbuds are these. 4 means splashing water from any direction — sweat and rain territory. 5 means low-pressure water jets. 6 means powerful water jets — heavy rain and hard splashes, but still not immersion. 7 means immersion in up to 1 metre of fresh water for up to 30 minutes. 8 means deeper or longer immersion, as specified by the manufacturer, and is the level dedicated swimming products aim for. Notice the jump: everything at 6 and below is about water hitting the outside. Only 7 and above involve going under — and even then, only within the stated depth, time and fresh-water conditions.
Are Galaxy Buds waterproof?
For the current flagship, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, the answer is: the buds are the most water-capable in this guide, and they are still not swim buds. Samsung rates the earbuds IP57. The 5 means dust-protected, and the 7 means the buds passed immersion in up to 1 metre of fresh water for up to 30 minutes — consistent with Samsung’s own listing note that the buds are IP-rated for submersion in up to 3 feet of fresh water for up to 30 minutes. That is a genuine step up from the splash-only ratings below, and it makes the Buds 3 Pro the safest pick here for sweaty workouts, runs in the rain and accidental drops in a sink or puddle.
Two catches matter. First, the charging case is not water-resistant at all — Samsung states this directly, so a wet pocket, gym-bag spill or poolside splash threatens the case even though the buds can shrug off a dunk. Second, Samsung requires wet buds — and wet hands — to be dried thoroughly before handling and before returning buds to the case. And despite the immersion rating, Samsung does not position these as swimming earbuds: Bluetooth audio does not travel usefully through water anyway, and pool chemicals and salt sit outside the fresh-water test conditions. Verdict for the Buds 3 Pro: sweat yes, rain yes, brief accidental immersion likely survivable, shower not recommended, swimming no. If you are choosing between these and Apple’s flagship, our Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs AirPods Pro 2 comparison covers the full picture.
Are Raycon earbuds waterproof?
This is the search that confuses the most people, because Raycon listings often use the word “waterproof” while Raycon’s own wording is “water resistant.” For the Raycon Everyday Earbuds, Raycon lists IPX6 water and sweat resistant technology on its own product pages, and the Everyday Earbuds manual likewise gives an IP rating of IPX6. IPX6 is a strong splash rating: protection against powerful water jets. In everyday terms, that covers heavy sweat, running in hard rain and splashes with confidence — on paper, stronger water protection than the IPX4 and IP54 models in this guide.
But IPX6 stops at jets. It is not an immersion rating, and Raycon’s manual is explicit: the rating indicates resistance to strong jets of water, the device is not designed for submersion, and you should not use them while swimming or showering. That single sentence is the whole lesson of this article — a relatively high number still does not equal waterproof. One more caution: Raycon has sold several Everyday generations and variants over the years, and third-party listings do not always agree with each other, so check the rating printed for the exact version you own before trusting it around water. Verdict for the Everyday Earbuds: sweat yes, rain yes — including heavy rain — shower no, swimming no, submersion no.
AirPods Pro 2 and Sony WF-1000XM5: the splash-proof flagships
The Apple AirPods Pro 2 in their current USB-C version are rated IP54 — and unusually, Apple applies that rating to both the earbuds and the charging case. Apple describes them as dust, sweat and water resistant for non-water sports and exercise, tested under controlled laboratory conditions to IEC 60529. Apple also warns that resistance is not permanent, can decrease with normal wear, and that wet AirPods must never be charged. Note the version trap: the earlier Lightning-case generation carried a lower water-only rating, so the IP54 figure belongs to the USB-C model linked here. Verdict: sweat yes, rain yes, shower no, swimming no — with the bonus that the case is protected too.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 sit at the entry level of water protection: IPX4, protected against water splashing from any direction. Sony’s help guide is blunt about the limits — the headset cannot be used in water, and the charging case is not water resistant. Sony also notes that the sound conduits, air holes and microphone areas are not completely watertight, so droplets left sitting in them can temporarily muffle sound, weaken noise cancelling and make calls hard to hear until the buds are dried properly. None of this makes the XM5 fragile — IPX4 is exactly what most people need for workouts and commutes — but it is splash protection, nothing more. Verdict: sweat yes, light rain yes, shower no, swimming no, and keep the case dry.
Earbud water ratings compared
Every rating below is the manufacturer figure for the earbuds, with the case rating shown separately — because, as this table makes obvious, the case is usually the weak point.
| Model | Buds rating | Case rating | Sweat / rain | Shower / swim | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro | IP57 | Not water-resistant | Yes / Yes | No / No | Check Price |
| Raycon Everyday Earbuds | IPX6 | No separate rating published | Yes / Yes | No / No | Check Price |
| Apple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) | IP54 | IP54 | Yes / Yes | No / No | Check Price |
| Sony WF-1000XM5 | IPX4 | Not water-resistant | Yes / Light rain | No / No | Check Price |
Read the table the SoundMavericks way: the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro win on the buds themselves, the AirPods Pro 2 are the only pair here protecting the case as well, the Raycon buds handle jets of water better than their splash-rated rivals, and the Sony buds offer the lightest protection of the four. None of the four earns a yes for shower or pool.
Can you shower or swim with earbuds? Verdicts by rating
Sweat: yes for every rating in this article. IPX4 and above is designed for workout moisture, which is the one job all four models are genuinely built to do.
Rain: yes for IPX4, IP54, IPX6 and IP57 in normal use. The IPX4 Sony buds are rated for splashing from any direction, which covers ordinary rain; the IPX6 Raycon buds go further, to powerful jets, and the IP57 Galaxy buds further still.
Shower: no — for all four, including the IP57 and IPX6 models. A shower combines direct jets, hot water, soap, shampoo and steam, none of which matches the clean, cool, fresh-water lab test, and heat and steam can defeat seals that cold water cannot. Raycon states the no-showering rule outright for its IPX6 buds, and the same logic applies across the board.
Swimming: no — for all four. Even the immersion-rated Buds 3 Pro are not sold as swimming earbuds, their case cannot go near the pool, and Bluetooth connections break down in water regardless of hardware protection. If laps with music are the goal, you need a dedicated swimming design with onboard storage and a genuine immersion rating — start with our guide to the best waterproof headphones for shower and running rather than risking a flagship pair.
Why your case rating is different from your buds
The buds-vs-case gap surprises people, but it makes engineering sense. Earbuds are small, sealed units that live in ears and get sweated on daily, so brands seal and test them. Cases are larger, full of hinges, charging contacts, speakers and pairing buttons, and they mostly live in pockets and bags — so most brands simply do not rate them. Of the four models here, only the AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) protect buds and case equally at IP54. For the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and the WF-1000XM5, both manufacturers state plainly that the case is not water-resistant. Practical rule: treat every unrated case as if it were a phone — because electrically, that is close to what it is — and never put wet buds back into any case. Trapped moisture against charging contacts is how small splashes turn into corrosion and dead earbuds weeks later.
What to do if your earbuds get wet
Act quickly and gently. Remove the buds from the water, dry every surface with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth, and remove the ear tips. Following Sony’s guidance for its buds, turn the sound outlet downward and shake gently to clear water, then tap the microphone and air-hole areas downward against a dry cloth to shift droplets trapped inside. Leave the buds to air-dry fully at room temperature before use — and before they go anywhere near the case or a charger. Apple’s rule for AirPods applies universally: never attempt to charge wet earbuds. Skip rice, hairdryers and compressed air; heat and pressure can push moisture deeper and damage seals. If sound stays muffled after thorough drying, give it more time before assuming the worst — trapped droplets in the mesh are a common, temporary cause.
Frequently asked questions
Are Raycon earbuds waterproof?
No. The Raycon Everyday Earbuds are water-resistant, rated IPX6 by Raycon, which protects against powerful water jets, sweat and heavy rain. IPX6 is not an immersion rating, and Raycon’s manual says the earbuds are not designed for submersion and should not be used while swimming or showering.
Are Galaxy Buds waterproof?
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro earbuds are rated IP57, meaning dust protection plus immersion in up to 1 metre of fresh water for up to 30 minutes in lab conditions. That makes them highly water-resistant, not fully waterproof, and Samsung does not recommend them for swimming. Their charging case is not water-resistant at all.
Can you shower with earbuds?
No — not with any of the models in this guide, including the IP57 Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and the IPX6 Raycon Everyday Earbuds. Showers add hot water, soap, shampoo and steam, which fall outside fresh-water IP testing, and Raycon explicitly tells owners not to shower in its earbuds.
Can you swim with earbuds?
No. None of the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, Raycon Everyday Earbuds, AirPods Pro 2 or Sony WF-1000XM5 is designed for swimming. Even an immersion rating covers brief, still, fresh-water submersion in a lab — not laps, diving, chlorinated or salt water — and Bluetooth audio does not work properly underwater in any case.
Why is my charging case not waterproof when my earbuds are?
Because brands seal and rate the buds, which face sweat and rain daily, while most cases are left unrated — Samsung and Sony both state their cases here are not water-resistant. The AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) are the exception in this guide, with buds and case both rated IP54. Never store wet buds in any case.
What should I do if my earbuds get wet?
Dry them with a soft cloth, remove the tips, shake water gently from the sound outlet, tap the microphone area downward on a dry cloth, and let everything air-dry completely at room temperature. Never charge wet earbuds, never use heat to dry them, and do not return them to the case until fully dry.
I am the founder of Sound Mavericks, where I provide the polite truth about audio equipment. I started this site because consumer electronics reviews are often too technical. Instead of using a silent lab, I test headphones, earbuds, and Bluetooth speakers in the real world – like on a noisy subway or in a busy coffee shop.
To stay independent, I buy my own review units (mostly from the United States) rather than accepting free gifts from brands. Once I finish testing a product, I sell it locally to our community. My goal is to help you understand sound quality, active noise cancellation (ANC), and battery life without the marketing hype.
