Is OnePlus 8 / OnePlus 8 Pro Waterproof?

Here is a detailed OnePlus 8 waterproof article through which we will discuss water resistance of the new OnePlus flagship. The new phones from OnePlus are packed to the brim with some amazing hardware. There are two main devices within the 8 lineup, standard OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro. With the Pro variant, you get even better hardware especially a faster display that can go up to 120Hz refresh rate, that is 30Hz more than OnePlus 8. Nonetheless, the devices surely offer up some good specs on paper but do the phones improve on endurance when it comes to resistance against water and dust? Let’s discuss ahead.

Android phones have mostly adopted water and dust resistance over the past couple of years, especially when more expensive offerings are considered. Seeing how a large majority of repairs that come in after drop accidents are water damaged phones. Be it due to a humid environment, exposure to direct water or rain, moisture easily destroys electronic devices. Most common place of failure after water damage is the main motherboard itself — the complete brains of the phone. Older OnePlus 7T series from last year did not ship with a waterproof or dust resistance rating, has that changed for OnePlus 8? Is OnePlus 8 waterproof?

IP Ratings and Differences: IP53 / IP66 / IP67 / IP68

To put water and dust resistance on a measurable scale, there is IP Rating (Ingress Protection). With this standard, devices such as phones and electronics can be classed at varying levels of protection against moisture and dust.

This rating system focuses on two main forms of foreign substance penetration, one is moisture / water (liquid) and the other is dust (solid). Using these two, the certification carries out tests and then rates a certain device on a fixed scale.

The system rating works as following. A general rule is, the higher the IP rating, the stronger the strength of water and dust resistance. Here are most of the ratings that apply to phones, tablets and other electronic hardware:

IP Rating / IP Code	Description
IP53	Rated as protected against solid bodies larger than 1mm and protected against water splashes.
IP66	Rated as “dust tight” and protected against heavy seas or powerful jets of water.
IP67	Rated as “dust tight” and protected against immersion.
IP68	Rated as “dust tight” and protected against complete, continuous submersion in water.
IP69 / IP69K	Rated as “dust tight” and protected against high-pressure / steam jet water.

OnePlus 8, OnePlus 8 Pro IP Rating

Now, since we have discussed how the IP rating system works and how it decides whether a phone is resistant to water and dust, does the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro come with a IP certification? Is OnePlus 8 waterproof?

OnePlus hasn’t provided any sort of waterproof certification or dust resistance on its devices, up till now that is. With the new OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro, these are the first OnePlus phones to get official IP certification. For OnePlus 8 Pro, regardless of which market you get it from, the phone comes with a IP68 water and dust resistance. As for the OnePlus 8, the answer isn’t as straight forward. Carriers such as Verizon in the US have stated that the OnePlus 8 they would be selling would indeed come with water resistance however, all other markets will receive the OnePlus 8 without the certification.

Backed by an IP68 rating, your OnePlus 8 Pro stays protected from sudden splashes.*

– Official Statemant from OnePlus

As indicated by OnePlus themselves, even after being IP68 certified, the brand doesn’t recommend water submersion for their OnePlus 8 Pro. It is good to have peace of mind that your phone can withstand a certain amount of moisture but deliberately trying to test it out through submersion isn’t advised. Further, as the device ages, the strength will decrease so keep that in mind as well.

Dos and Don’ts with OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro

Straight off, standard OnePlus 8 (if you bought it outside from US) should be protected from water at all costs. OnePlus 8 Pro and US variants of OnePlus 8, all come with IP68 rating which means they can withstand some moisture but they aren’t waterproof. There is a key difference in water resistant and waterproof. In order to get a waterproof rating, OnePlus 8 Pro would have shipped with all closed ports, rubberized buttons and a thicker bezel but that isn’t the case hence the device is only water resistant and can withstand moisture up-to a certain point.

Simple rules you should follow with your OnePlus 8 or OnePlus 8 Pro: avoid pools or beaches, don’t use your phone near the shower or bath and try to add extra layer of protection with a case. Despite IP rating certification for the OnePlus 8 Pro and certain OnePlus 8 variants, the phones are still susceptible to water damage. If you do end up water damaging your phone, OnePlus would not cover it under warranty.

What to do After Water Damage?

Mistakes do happen and if you find yourself thinking you have water damaged your phone, here is what you can do. First, you need to make sure that the problems are caused by moisture itself. Clear signs for water damage is weird display output, speakers cracking while audio playback, problems with charging. Before taking your OnePlus 8 to a service center, there is a remedy you can try out to see if problems get fixed.

OnePlus 8 waterproof rating only allows for resistance and situations can arise where water would get within the phone’s internals. In that case, here is a method that can be tried at home to fix water damage.

Rice Bag Method

One of the most popular DIY tricks to fix water damage on phones (and electronics in general) is the rice bag method. Once you pull out your phone back from the pool, pond or any water, power it OFF. Do not turn it back ON or you will risk short-circuiting the main board. Now put the phone is a sealed bag of rice and keep it inside for atleast 2-3 days.

Rice is known for absorbing water and this is exactly what it will do from inside your phone. Take out the phone after a few days and turn it on. If it powers on like normal, there is a good chance that would have fixed your water damage. However, if you still feel the phone is not functioning properly, you might have to take it to an official service center for repair.

OnePlus 8 Waterproof – FAQs

If you are weighing in whether to get the new OnePlus 8 or OnePlus 8 Pro, here are common questions that come up regarding water resistance of the device. We have tried to address all questions related to OnePlus 8 waterproof functionality.