Advice based on our own product information and knowledge base, not medical advice.
Listening to Music While Swimming: Which Earphones Actually Work?
Do Bluetooth earphones or AirPods work under water? Learn the options for listening to music while swimming: Bluetooth, a built-in MP3 player or bone conduction, and what IPX8 means.
Take the next step for your hearing
Listening to music while swimming sounds simple, but most earphones let you down in the water. The problem is not only waterproofing: Bluetooth barely works under water. This guide explains the options, what they can and cannot do, what IPX8 means and what to look for when you want earphones for the pool or the sea.
In short
- Bluetooth only reaches a few centimetres under water. Streaming from your phone stops working as soon as you duck under.
- Under water, only a player with the music stored on it, which you carry yourself, works.
- For swimming, choose IPX8. IPX4 or IP54, as with AirPods, only means splash- and sweat-resistant.
- Custom earphones stay in during tumble turns and keep water out of your ear canal at the same time.
Why ordinary earphones do not work in the water
Wireless earphones and AirPods are made for everyday use and for sport on dry land. Most can handle sweat and a rain shower, but not an hour of swimming lengths. Three problems come together:
- The signal drops out. Bluetooth uses radio waves that water blocks almost completely. Under water the signal only reaches a few centimetres, so your phone at the side of the pool is too far away.
- They are not waterproof enough. Splash-proof does not mean you can hold them under water.
- They do not stay in. A universal earphone comes loose during a tumble turn, a dive or a wave. In the pool it sinks, in the sea it is gone.
Which earphones actually work? Three options side by side
Waterproof Bluetooth earphones
They work as long as your head is above water and your phone is nearby. Under water the music stops. Fine for running in the rain or on the beach, not for swimming lengths or front crawl.
Bone conduction with memory
The sound travels through your cheekbones, so your ears stay free. With built-in memory it also works under water and you can hear your surroundings. Downside: your ear canal stays open, so water gets in, and in a noisy pool the sound is thinner.
Custom earphones with MP3 player
The music is stored on a waterproof player that you carry with you, so no signal has to travel through the water. The earplugs seal your ear canal watertight and stay in place. You do hear less of your surroundings.
Waterproof: what do IPX7 and IPX8 mean?
The IP code on the packaging tells you how well a device is protected against water. The digit after the X is about water:
- IPX4: resistant to splashing water from all directions. Sweat and rain, nothing more.
- IPX7: can be submerged for up to 30 minutes at a maximum depth of 1 metre. It will survive being dropped in the bath once, but not necessarily a swimming session.
- IPX8: can stay under water for longer, under conditions set by the manufacturer, such as a maximum depth. This is what you want for swimming.
If you see IP54 or IP55, the first digit stands for dust and the second for water. Those are still splash-proof earphones. With salt water, also pay attention to the connectors: salt corrodes metal, so rinse your earphones with tap water after a swim in the sea.
Dry Music: custom earphones with a waterproof MP3 player
At Audinc we make the Dry Music: custom-made waterproof earplugs with a built-in MP3 player. Because you carry the music with you, you do not depend on Bluetooth.
8 GB
storage, enough for over 2,000 tracks in formats including MP3, FLAC, WMA and APE.
16 hours
of playing time on one charge.
IPX8
waterproof up to 2.5 metres, with a gold-plated connector that is protected against corrosion.
The player is compact and has a clip, so you can attach it to the strap of your goggles, for example. We make the earplugs from soft, floating silicone, based on an impression of your ear. They seal your ear canal, so no water gets in and they stay in during tumble turns. And if one does fall out, it stays on the surface. That helps, because losing your earplugs is even more annoying in the water than on dry land.
The Dry Music costs €229.00. The fitting is free, production takes about 15 working days (a rush order is available) and you get at least 2 years’ warranty on the material and a 6-month comfort guarantee.
Please note: you hear less of your surroundings
Because the Dry Music seals your ear canal, you hear the lifeguard, a whistle or a boat in the distance much less well. Do not turn the volume up more than you need to, and if you surf or swim in open water, keep an extra close eye on what is going on around you. Do not use them for deep diving: there is a layer of air between the plug and your eardrum that you cannot equalise, so keep about one metre as your limit.
Rather hear your surroundings? Then go without music
Is your main concern keeping your ears dry, or do you want to keep hearing what is going on around you during swimming lessons or in the sea? Then the Dry Ears are the logical choice. They have the same watertight fit, but with a water filter that only attenuates about 5 dB. Water stays out, and you can still follow conversations. For surfing and kitesurfing they come with a detachable cord. Why that matters in cold water and wind is explained in preventing surfer’s ear with surf earplugs.
Keeping water out is also good for your ears themselves. If moisture stays in your ear canal after swimming, it can develop into an infection. How to recognise and prevent it is explained in swimmer’s ear and ear pain after swimming.
Custom swimming earplugsDry Ears or Dry Music?Compare both and book a free fitting. View swimming earplugs
Got a question? We're all ears.
Frequently Asked Questions
Read MoreFAQ
Barely. Water blocks the Bluetooth signal: under water it only reaches a few centimetres. As soon as your head goes under, the music stops, even if your phone is right next to the pool. Under water, only a player that you carry yourself, with the music stored on it, works.
No. AirPods and most sports earphones can handle sweat and splashes, not being submerged. On top of that, the Bluetooth signal drops out under water and they do not sit firmly enough to survive a tumble turn or a dive.
The IP code shows how well a device is protected against water. IPX4 is splash-proof, IPX7 can be submerged for 30 minutes at up to 1 metre, and IPX8 can stay under water for longer, under conditions set by the manufacturer. For swimming you want IPX8. The MP3 player of the Dry Music is IPX8 up to 2.5 metres.
With earphones that seal your ear canal, such as the Dry Music, you can hardly hear your surroundings. So do not turn the volume up too high and keep a good eye on what is going on around you. If you want to keep hearing your surroundings well, choose swimming earplugs without music, such as the Dry Ears, which only attenuate about 5 dB.
The Dry Music costs €229.00 and consists of custom earplugs with a waterproof 8 GB MP3 player and 16 hours of playing time. The fitting is free, production takes about 15 working days and you get at least 2 years' warranty.
