If you’re shopping for a new pair of earbuds, fitness tracker or even smartphone, you may have come across an IPX4 rating.
There are numerous IP ratings that can be found across electronics, from IPX4 to IP68. To help make sense of this, we explain specifically what IPX4 means, how you can use an IPX4 rated product and how an IP rating is determined in the first place.
What is an IPX4 rating?
An IPX4 rating means a device doesn’t have any protection from foreign solid objects, such as dust, but is protected from splashes of water in all directions.
Essentially a device sporting an IPX4 rating shouldn’t be exposed to any solid objects that could find their way into its enclosure and cause damage, plus it shouldn’t be exposed to any immersion in water or from water jets either.
How is IPX4 determined?
Short for Ingress Protection, the entire IP rating system was developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and explains how well a device can withstand potentially harmful foreign bodies like dust and water.
| First Numeral: Protection from solid foreign objects | Meaning | Second Numeral: Protection from water | Meaning |
| 0 | No protection | 0 | No protection |
| 1 | Protected against solid foreign objects of 50mm and greater | 1 | Vertically falling drops shall have no harmful effects |
| 2 | Protected against solid foreign objects of 12.55mm and greater | 2 | Vertically falling drops shall have no harmful effects when the enclosure is tilted at any angle up to 15° on either side of the vertical |
| 3 | Protected against solid foreign objects of 2.5mm and greater | 3 | Water sprayed at up to a 60° angle on either side of the vertical shall have no harmful effects |
| 4 | Protected against solid foreign objects of 1mm and greater | 4 | Water splashed against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects |
| 5 | Dust-protected | 5 | Water projected in jets against the enclosure from any directions shall have no harmful effects |
| 6 | Dust-tight | 6 | Water projected in powerful jets against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects |
| 7 | Ingress of water in quantities causing harmful effects shall not be possible when the enclosure is temporarily immersed in water under standardised conditions of pressure and time | ||
| 8 | Ingress of water in quantities causing harmful effects shall not be possible when the enclosure is continuously immersed in water under conditions which shall be egress between manufacturer and user | ||
| 9 | Water projects at high pressure and high temperature against the enclosure from any direction shall not have harmful effects |
Devices with an IP rating are marked with two numbers: the first representing how protected the product is from solid intrusions while the second explains how well the device can withstand liquids.
The first number will usually range from zero to six, while the second ranges from zero to nine. With both, the higher the number means the better protected the electronic is. However, like in the case of an IPX4 rating, when data isn’t available for a rating then there is an X in lieu of a number.
This means while an IPX4-rated appliance has a clear water-resistance rating, it lacks the data and therefore should not be subjected to any dust or other solids.
Is IPX4 dust proof?
In short, IPX4 is not dust proof as it’s not certified to cope with any amount of foreign objects, whether that’s smaller dust particles or objects that are 50mm or larger.
Is IPX4 waterproof?
Unlike its dust-rating, IPX4 does have some level of water resistance, however it definitely shouldn’t be classified as waterproof. As per the IEC chart, an IPX4-rated device is “protected against splashing water” as “water splashed against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects”.
Can IPX4 be used in heavy rain?
As an IPX4 rating can only withstand “splashes” of water, making it suitable for use in light rain showers, anything heavier is likely to damage your device. With this in mind, we’d advise against using an IPX4-rated device in heavy rain.
What products have an IPX4 rating?
You can typically find an IPX4 rating in cheaper to mid-range products, such as running headphones and entry-level fitness trackers due to its protection against rain and sweat drops.
More advanced fitness trackers will typically sport a higher IP rating and an ATM rating, declaring them more water-resistant.