Is the Samsung Galaxy S26 waterproof?

For as long as I can remember, Samsung flagship phones have been water-resistant. The Galaxy S5 was the first Samsung phone with IP67 water and dust resistance, and the Galaxy S7 upgraded that to IP68 just two years later.

Since then, basically every Samsung phone has featured either IP67 or IP68 water and dust resistance, even including Samsung's most affordable Galaxy A-series phones.

While companies like Honor and OnePlus have started upgrading their latest flagship phones to IP69, Samsung is not making the jump this year.

Waterproof vs water-resistant

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IP68 and IP69 ratings are tricky. In an IP rating, the first number covers dust resistance, while the second number covers water resistance. Phones like the OnePlus 15 and Honor Magic 8 Pro are both IP68 and IP69 rated because these ratings cover two different things:

• IP6X: Complete protection against dust ingress. In other words, Dustproof.
• IPX8: Protection against continuous immersion in non-salt water down to 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. Water-resistant, not waterproof.
• IPX9: Protection against high-pressure, high-temperature water jets.
• Water-resistant, not waterproof, although this is closer to the latter.

Put these together, and you get a phone that's completely dustproof but still only water-resistant. A phone like the OnePlus 15 or Honor Magic 8 Pro can withstand a kitchen nightmare, but even then, it's not 100% guaranteed to be waterproof in the event of deep or prolonged submersion.

These phones aren't built to stay in water any deeper or longer than what Samsung offers on its phones, and it seems Samsung has decided that most users aren't going to put their phones in a dishwasher to clean them or leave them in a hot tub with the jets on, so the additional IP69 rating isn't worth the added cost.

The Galaxy S26 series' IP68 rating means you can drop these phones in sand or dirt without worrying about them getting ruined, but you should be careful when cleaning them off. A gentle water flow from the tap is OK for cleaning your phone, but harsh water jets could ruin the seal around the buttons and ports. You also don't want to take any phone in salt water, as the salt will also erode that seal over time.