Galaxy S26 series: are the phones dust and waterproof?

The Galaxy S26 phones are finally here, bringing a more unified design between the three models and a new camera island look. They are powerful, gorgeous, and expensive. As such, you’d want to know how protected they are against the elements, and more specifically, against dust and water.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra: save up to $720

$579 ⁹⁹

$1299 ⁹⁹

$720 off (55%)

The Galaxy S26 Ultra has been announced, bringing a Privacy Screen feature, insanely fast processor, and multiple Galaxy AI enhancements. Right now, you can save up to $720 at the Samsung Store with eligible trade-ins. You also get 15% off select add-ons and an additional $100 Samsung Credit for accessories with your purchase.

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The Galaxy S26+: save up to $440

$659 ⁹⁹

$1099 ⁹⁹

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The Galaxy S26+ is here, bringing improved software and a more powerful processor. The device can now be yours for up to $440 off with eligible device trade-ins. You also get an extra 15% off for accessories.

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Galaxy S26: save up to $340

$559 ⁹⁹

$899 ⁹⁹

$340 off (38%)

The Galaxy S26 is currently available at the Samsung Store with an exciting trade-in discount. Right now, you can buy the model with a $340 discount with eligible trade-ins. You'll also get an extra 15% off select accessories.

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The trio comes with an IP68 rating, which is a standard when it comes to flagship phones. Here’s everything you need to know about their level of dust and water protection.

Is the Galaxy S26 waterproof?

The Galaxy S26 trio comes with an IP68 rating, just like their predecessors, and just like most flagship phones. This means that Samsung's phones are certified to be dustproof and water-resistant.

The term “waterproof”, on the other hand, is somewhat of an impossibility in the modern tech world. Flagship phones cannot be fully “waterproof” without sacrificing the elegant design we have. So, we use the term “water-resistant”, which reflects the device’s ability to withstand water exposure to a degree.

In our case, we’re talking about fresh water submersion of up to 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes.

So yep, your new Galaxy S26 phone can survive if you splash it accidentally, but it’s always good not to push the device to its limits. That includes not going to swim with it this summer.

What does IP68 mean for the Galaxy S26?

IP means “ingress protection”, and the rating indicates the level of protection the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus and S26 Ultra have against dust and water.

The first number in the rating is for the dust protection, and it can be a number between 0 and 6. The second number stands for protection from liquids, and the highest number we can get here is 9.

The Galaxy S26’s IP rating for dust is 6, so it’s dust-tight, while the 8 for water means it can survive immersion in water under the conditions we talked about above.

Keep in mind that seawater, pool water, and mineral water are not “freshwater”, so do be careful with your new phone around those. Certain characteristics of seawater and pool water can ruin the protection of the device.

Despite that, still, thanks to the rating, if your new Galaxy S26 ends up falling in the pool or the sea, you can rinse it in fresh water and then leave it to dry. This could actually save it, but hopefully, you never come to that.

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