Blending style, comfort, and impressive sound quality Beats headphones have frequently ranked among the best sellers on the market since their initial release in 2006.
Can Beats headphones get wet?
Although none of Beats’ headphones are completely waterproof, certain models that have been released recently are resistant to sweat and water. PowerBeats Pro, for example, are rated as IPX4 water-resistant, which means they can survive water splashes from all directions.
Since teaming up with Apple in 2014, several new models of Beats headphones have been released.
In the pre-Apple era, Beats headphones were generally not resistant to water damage, and it was strongly advised to avoid using them in wet conditions. However, recently released Beats headphones are significantly better at handling moisture.
In this guide, we’ll look in detail at whether Beats headphones can get wet, or whether this will damage them.
Can You Wear Beats Headphones in the Rain?
Beats headphones can be separated into two main categories – on-ear headphones, and in-ear headphones. The former generally produce superior audio quality, while the latter is more practically designed for exercise or listening to audio while moving.
The three main examples of Beats’ over-ear headphones are the Beats Solo Pro, Beats Solo 3 Wireless, and the Beats Studio 3 Wireless models.
- Due to their over-ear design, these headphones can be used in the rain without water easily getting inside the speaker or coming into contact with the other electrical components.
Unless water gets into the earcup, it is highly unlikely that these types of Beats headphones will be damaged by rain.
The only way that this would occur is if you were constantly taking the headphones off and allowing rainwater to get into the speaker.
If you own a set of Beats in-ear headphones, like the Powerbeats Pro or Beats Fit Pro, there is a higher chance that using them in the rain could cause damage. However, the probability is still low, as these headphones are rated as IPX4 water-resistant.
- An IPX4 rating indicates that the aforementioned Beats in-ear headphones can withstand moderate amounts of water and sweat. This doesn’t mean that you can wear them while swimming – but rather that they are unlikely to be damaged by small amounts of water exposure.
Again, providing the Beats headphones stay in your ears when it is raining, there is minimal chance of water getting in to damage the inner electrical components. They’re resistant to water splashes from all directions, so moderate amounts of rainwater are unlikely to cause them any harm.
It might be a good idea to wear a waterproof hooded jacket, which will provide protection to your Beats headphones in the rain.
Likewise, an umbrella will prevent too much water from coming into contact with the headphones.
Are Beats Waterproof if Submerged?
It’s not uncommon these days for electronic devices to be waterproof.
Many modern phones, digital watches, and other devices can survive being submerged in water for considerable periods of time without being permanently damaged.
Unfortunately, this is not the case with Beats headphones.
To date, there have been no versions of Beats headphones that are rated as totally waterproof, and therefore submerging them in water should be avoided wherever possible.
Check out this tips and tricks video from YouTube to make sure you aren’t missing out on any Beats features.
Electronic devices are given an IPX rating which indicates their resistance to water, dust, or sweat.
This is useful for consumers, as it allows you to quickly check the technical specs to gauge whether your Beats headphones can be used in certain conditions.
- Beats headphones mainly have an IPX4 rating, which means they are essentially splashproof.
IPX4 does not mean that the device can be submerged in water, but rather that it will survive being sweated on, rained on, or accidentally splashed.
With that being said, being submerged in water does not necessarily mean that your Beasts headphones will be permanently broken.
If they are let in the water for more than a few seconds, permanent damage is much more likely than if they were only submerged momentarily.
The worst thing you can do if your Beats headphones are submerged in water is to use them straight after removing them from the water. This will likely cause the electronic components within the headphones to fail and be irreparably damaged.
In the table below, you can see the different IPX ratings and what they mean.
| IPX Rating | Resistance |
| IPX1 | Resistant to water droplets |
| IPX2 | Resistant to water droplets at 15-degree angle |
| IPX3 | Resistant to water spray at 60-degree angle |
| IPX4 | Resistant to water splashes from any angle |
| IPX5 | Resistant to water jets from any angle |
| IPX6 | Resistant to heavy water exposure at any angle |
| IPX7 | Resistant to full submersion for up to 30 minutes at 3ft |
| IPX8 | Resistant to full submersion indefinitely at 13ft |
Can You Fix Water Damaged Beats?
If your Beats headphones have been submerged in water, it’s essential to avoid using them until they are fully dried out.
In some cases, the water damage can be fixed, providing you follow these instructions. If you use them right away, this may damage the circuits beyond repair.
Firstly, once you’ve taken your Beats headphones out of the water, gently dry them with a soft towel. Try to rub the speaker part of the headphones until it looks dry and there are no water droplets on it.
Next, if your beats headphones have removable ear tips, you should take them off and place them on the towel until they dry.
You can also shake the headphones gently so that any water stuck inside them will come out. If water droplets remain inside the headphones, they will likely break when you attempt to use them again.
It’s important not to attempt to speed up the drying process. While using a hairdryer, radiator, or heater may seem like a logical way to dry the headphones, this may cause further damage. You should leave them to dry at room temperature.
If you would like to dry the headphones more quickly, you can place them inside a compact container with some form of moisture absorber. Silica gel packets are easy to find and work brilliantly for this purpose.
Another thing that can be used to dry Beats headphones is uncooked rice.
Placing the headphones in the rice will cause the moisture to be absorbed and give them a better chance of surviving the water damage.
The key thing to consider here is that the only real way to dry out Beats headphones that have been submerged in water is to give them a considerable amount of time.
You should avoid using them for a day or two until they are completely dry, otherwise, the circuitry will likely be irreparably damaged.
Can You Use Beats Without Charging?
Beats headphones are smartly designed so that they don’t need to be charged in order to use them. However, this is only applicable when using the headphones with a wired connection, via 3.5mm audio cables.
If you are using your Beats headphones wirelessly via Bluetooth, they must be charged otherwise they will not work. This is because the wireless connection requires power that cannot be drawn from the source audio device.
Using your Beats headphones with a wired connection does not require any battery power. This means that you can connect them to a phone, tablet, or laptop via an auxiliary cable and no power will be drawn from the headphones.
Conversely, if you want to use your Beats headphones wirelessly, it’s important to make sure they are fully charged. Charging Beats headphones is easy, you simply need to connect the cable to the headphones and then connect the other end to a power source.
Beats headphones are equipped with a battery life indicator that will blink orange when they are charging. Furthermore, the light will turn green and the blinking will stop when they have reached their full charge capacity.
It’s a good idea to always carry an appropriate audio cable with you, in incase your Beats headphones run out of battery and you cannot charge them. In most cases, a 3.5mm audio cable is used to connect the headphones to a phone or other device.
Being able to use Beats headphones when they have no charge is one of their main selling points, along with their comfortable design and impressive sound quality.
Related Questions
Should I charge my beats before first use?
While some manufacturers recommend charging headphones before you initially use them, in reality, this doesn’t matter too much. The reason it is recommended is that fully charging them is good for calibration, but most modern batteries do this automatically.
How far away can Beats headphones be used?
Beats headphones have a maximum operating range of up to 30 meters. This may vary depending on the device’s installed Bluetooth version. Newer versions of Bluetooth can reach much further than older versions.
Do Beats headphones have a microphone?
All Beats headphones have a microphone installed, which can be used for making voice calls, recording, and partaking in video calls.