All products featured are independently selected by us. However, SoundGuys may earn a commission from orders placed through its retail channels. Read our ethics statement.
If you’re a music lover or just can’t miss a single radio show, you’re probably wondering if you can use Apple AirPods in the shower so you don’t miss a thing. But is that too silly? Should you rethink your brilliant plan?
AirPods of any kind are not waterproof. So if you plan to put them in water, be prepared to damage them. The latest generation of Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro headphones have what’s called an IPX4 rating. This number looks like a bunch of letters and numbers, but it’s not. The “4” at the end means that these products can withstand occasional splashes of water, but not a constant stream of water like from a shower head.
As you can see from the table above, the waterproof rating is just one notch below what we said earlier: “Wearing AirPods in the shower is not stupid.” However, that’s not true. This rating only applies to new and waterproof seals, as well as products whose seals deteriorate over time. Even older models that are considered undamaged can still be damaged by water.
While Apple AirPods and Apple AirPods Pro meet the specifications for use in the shower, they are not waterproof. Not only do these headphones offer poor protection against a variety of weather conditions, but their waterproof rating (IPX4) is not high enough to withstand prolonged exposure to water. Apple’s support page explains this very clearly.
If you use your AirPods in the shower, make sure they don’t come into contact with water. This is more difficult than it sounds, as water can also condense on colder objects as it heats up and soaks into the air. Have you ever noticed excessive condensation in your pipes? The same thing can happen to your AirPods under certain circumstances, so even if they haven’t come into contact with water, that doesn’t guarantee their safety.
Despite numerous Reddit posts claiming otherwise, a product like the AirPods Pro is likely to fail if used carelessly. So if you take one of these delicate, non-waterproof contraptions into the shower, you risk damaging it, and you may not even get it back after you buy it. Even if you’ve tried using AirPods in the shower before without issue, your luck will eventually run out.
Don’t risk it. The full price of new AirPods isn’t worth the endless use you’ll have to put them through in the shower.
No, there is no safe way to use AirPods Max in the shower. The earbuds are even less waterproof than AirPods and do not have an IP68 rating.
There are a few ways to prevent water from getting into your AirPods. But since we can’t predict how these measures will affect the relative humidity inside the earbuds, we can only hazard a guess that you should only wear your AirPods in the shower if most of your body won’t be submerged in water or if you can guarantee that your earbuds won’t come into contact with water.
The obvious solution is to wear a shower cap: it protects your head from direct contact with the water, and if it can be pulled over your ears, it can prevent your head from coming into direct contact with the water. However, shower caps leave much to be desired, and the thin plastic is easily torn. In addition, shower caps often double as sauna suits. If the water in the shower is so hot that you sweat, moisture from the shower cap can penetrate your AirPods and cause serious damage.
Another solution is to switch the shower head downwards. In theory, this should work, but not all shower heads can create a perfectly laminar flow of water. Unless you’re using a garden hose, very few sprinklers can do this. It has an IPX4 splash and splash protection rating, but this doesn’t happen very often – if the flow is strong enough, your luck will eventually run out.
The latest serious solution suggested by AirPods enthusiasts online is taking a bath instead of a shower. This seems reasonable at first glance, but it’s ineffective if you’re trying to leave the house in the morning. Plus, there are a few pitfalls that are even worse than taking a shower. For example, if an AirPod falls out, instead of hitting the bathroom rug, which isn’t submerged, it will remain submerged until you find it.
Of course, this doesn’t apply to using AirPods in the shower, but the best way to listen to music in the shower is to use a device designed for that purpose, like a shower speaker. There are plenty of waterproof speakers on the market that will make your bathroom sound like a concert hall, so before you throw your AirPods (literally or figuratively) down the drain, it’s a good idea to buy one. AirPods aren’t designed to be washed underwater, so don’t do that. Plan according to your environment.
Let’s say you’re ready to take out your AirPods just to listen to music. In this case, you’ll likely have some extra cash left over — which is a good thing, since it’s much cheaper to buy a cheap speaker than to replace your AirPods and deal with the situation in the shower. Be sure to consider waterproof speakers, as they can be used in any conditions.