If your earbuds regularly have to survive sweaty workouts, rainy runs, or the occasional splash, ordinary water resistance may not be enough. For this guide, we’re focusing on wireless earbuds with at least a level 7 water-resistance rating, including IPX7, IP57, IP68, and IPX8 models.
That’s a meaningful step up from the IPX4 rating common on many popular workout earbuds. It gives you more protection against heavy sweat, bad weather, and accidental exposure to water without forcing you into a niche pair built only for swimming.
There’s one important limit. Waterproof earbuds aren’t automatically good swimming earbuds. Bluetooth signals don’t travel reliably through water, which is why dedicated models such as the Shokz OpenSwim Pro use onboard storage for underwater listening. If swimming is your priority, check out our guide to the best headphones for swimming instead.
For everything else, these are the best waterproof wireless earbuds you can buy in 2026.
The JBL Endurance Peak 4 are the pair I’d start with if durability and secure fit matter more than keeping things small or discreet. They take the workout-first formula of the Endurance Peak 3 and bring the rest of the package closer to what you’d expect from a current premium pair.
Their IP68 protection is a big part of the appeal, but the fit is just as important. The TwistLock earhook design is built to stay put during intense exercise, while the thinner hooks make the Peak 4 more comfortable than the previous generation.
Digital Trends liked the same basic formula in its JBL Endurance Peak 3 review, particularly the secure fit, durability, and battery life. The Peak 4 builds on that foundation by adding active noise cancellation, Bluetooth multipoint, and more extensive customization through JBL’s app.
Battery life is also strong enough to get through several workouts between charges.
The ANC is only average, and the charging case is bulky enough that you’ll notice it in a pocket. Neither drawback changes what these do best. They’re tough, comfortable, and very difficult to shake loose once they’re in place.
The Soundcore Sport X20 cover much of the same ground as the Endurance Peak 4, but they make more sense if value and adjustability are higher priorities than having the most polished overall package.
The earhooks can rotate and extend, which gives you more control over how they sit than you get from a rigid design. That can make a real difference during running, HIIT, lifting, or anything else where a loose earbud becomes an annoyance halfway through a session.
They’re also built for rougher use than most fitness earbuds. The Sport X20 carry an IP68 rating and use Soundcore’s SweatGuard protection around the internal components.
Digital Trends previously found the Soundcore Sport X10 comfortable, stable, rugged, and well suited to running and gym use. The Sport X20 is the more current version of that same idea, with stronger protection and a more adjustable fit.
Soundcore includes adaptive ANC, app controls, and its usual bass-forward tuning. Battery life reaches up to 12 hours with ANC switched off and 48 hours including the case. With ANC on, expect considerably less per charge.
The Peak 4 feel like the better finished sports earbuds overall, but the Sport X20 get surprisingly close for less money. Their adjustable fit is also a legitimate advantage rather than a consolation prize.
The Galaxy Buds4 Pro fill a different role from the sport-focused models above. They’re premium everyday earbuds first, but their level-7 water resistance makes them much easier to trust around workouts, bad weather, and other situations where ordinary splash resistance can feel limiting.
Their IP57 rating combines level 5 protection against dust with level 7 protection against water, so they still meet the waterproofing threshold we’re using for this guide.
The reason to choose them over a dedicated workout model is everything they do away from the gym. Samsung combines active noise cancellation with a two-way driver system, Hi-Res Audio support on compatible Galaxy devices, extensive EQ controls, and a conventional in-ear shape that’s easier to live with all day.
Digital Trends covered the Galaxy Buds4 Pro launch and highlighted Samsung’s redesigned hardware, adaptive noise controls, and tighter Galaxy ecosystem integration.
If you’re cross-shopping them against Apple’s flagship earbuds, we also have a full Galaxy Buds4 Pro versus AirPods Pro 3 comparison.
Battery life reaches up to seven hours with ANC disabled, with additional charges available from the case.
You can spend less on something tougher and more workout-specific. The Buds4 Pro make more sense if you want one premium pair for commuting, travel, work, and exercise without treating water exposure like an emergency.
The TOZO NC9 stand out because serious water protection is still uncommon at this end of the market. Plenty of cheap wireless earbuds can deal with sweat. Far fewer carry an IPX8 rating and still include features such as ANC and transparency mode.
There’s also more here than the price suggests. The NC9 support app controls, include a charging case with a battery display, and offer enough total battery life that charging shouldn’t become a daily chore.
Where the lower price becomes more obvious is call quality and tuning. Calls are only average, and the bass-heavy sound won’t appeal to anyone looking for something especially neutral.
For inexpensive earbuds you can wear through a sweaty workout or a sudden downpour without thinking twice, those compromises are easy enough to live with.
The JBL Endurance Zone are the pick for people who don’t want their workout earbuds sealing them off from everything around them.
Their open-ear design leaves the ear canal uncovered, so traffic, other runners, gym announcements, and whatever else is happening nearby remain audible. That makes them especially useful for outdoor exercise, where awareness can matter more than isolation.
They’re also unusually rugged for an open-ear model. The Endurance Zone carry an IP68 rating and are designed to withstand sweat, rain, salt water, and sand. Flexible silicone earhooks with memory wire help them stay in place without relying on an in-ear seal.
Battery life reaches up to eight hours from the earbuds, with another 24 hours available from the case. Bluetooth multipoint and JBL app support round out the feature set.
The compromise is predictable. Open-ear headphones can’t reproduce bass with the same weight as earbuds that seal the ear canal, so the low end is less substantial than you’ll get from traditional in-ear options.
That’s easier to accept when awareness is the reason you’re buying them. For outdoor workouts where hearing what’s around you matters, the Endurance Zone fill a niche that the rest of this list doesn’t.
IP ratings look more complicated than they are.
The first digit describes protection against solid particles such as dust. The second describes resistance to water. If there’s an X in either position, it means there’s no published rating for that category.
An IPX7 earbud has level 7 water resistance with no stated dust rating. IP57 adds level 5 dust protection while retaining the same level 7 water resistance. IP68 increases both, while IPX8 indicates a higher level of immersion protection without specifying dust resistance.
For this guide, the important number is the water rating. We’re looking for level 7 or better.
That’s considerably tougher than IPX4, which is designed around splashes and sweat rather than immersion.
Also remember that an IP rating usually applies to the earbuds themselves. Unless the manufacturer says otherwise, don’t assume the charging case can survive the same treatment.
Even if the earbuds themselves can handle immersion, Bluetooth is the problem. Radio signals are heavily attenuated by water, so a connection to your phone can disappear almost as soon as your head goes under. Our Shokz OpenSwim Pro review demonstrates the workaround nicely: Bluetooth is available on land, while onboard music storage handles playback in the water.
Manufacturers can also impose their own usage limits regardless of the published IP rating. The rating describes performance under specific test conditions, not permission to use the earbuds in every water-related situation.
If you want music for pool laps or open-water swimming, our best swimming headphones guide covers products designed specifically for that job.
Water resistance is the obvious starting point, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you compare.
Fit matters just as much during exercise. Earhooks like those on the JBL Endurance Peak 4 and Soundcore Sport X20 offer the most security during vigorous movement, while a conventional pair such as the Galaxy Buds4 Pro is easier to wear throughout the rest of the day. Our broader guide to the best headphones for running covers more options where fit and movement are the main concerns.
Think about where you exercise. ANC can help in a loud gym, while an open-ear design such as the JBL Endurance Zone makes more sense when hearing traffic or other people around you is important.
Battery life still matters. Your workout may only last an hour, but longer battery life means fewer mornings where you grab your earbuds and discover you forgot to charge them.
Finally, buy for the amount of protection you actually need. If you’re only worried about light sweat, there are plenty of excellent IPX4 and IPX5 earbuds available. If heavy workouts, rain, mud, or accidental immersion are normal parts of your routine, stepping up to IPX7, IP57, IP68, or IPX8 gives you much more breathing room.
Paulo Vargas is an English major turned reporter turned technical writer, with a career that has always circled back to technology. He got his start covering consumer tech as a journalist, writing about gadgets, apps, and the rise of Android when flashing custom ROMs was still a badge of honor. Over the years, his work has ranged from gadget reviews and magazine features to film criticism, small-press zines, and in-depth documentation for global software companies.
Today, Paulo focuses on making complex tools easier to use, whether that means turning technical features into clear guides or cutting through marketing fluff to show readers what really matters. Outside of writing, he spends his time playing modern pixel RPGs, but steers clear of first-person shooters since they make him nauseous. Besides, he’s always been more at home with words than crosshairs.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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