Apple is a luxurious brand that many of us have come to love. While they certainly have a lot of critics, they have great products, like the Apple Watch (on Amazon). For such an expensive gadget, Apple has taken the time to add some limited waterproofing, and the devices are very resiliant to day-to-day use cases like showering and working out, but ultimately how long they will last depends on what you’re going to be doing with them. For example, some people wonder if it’s ok to take an Apple Watch into the sauna.
You shouldn’t take an Apple Watch into a sauna. Apple specifically says to not do this on their website because the fine water vapor particles in a steam sauna can pass through the waterproofing, and the high heat of all sauna types can cause the internal components to fail.
The very first Apple Watch was not able to be exposed to any water at all. Even if you have anything above the first generation, the Apple Watch may not do well in the sauna. The steam and humidity could impact your watch and affect the seal. If you really need a watch to take into the sauna, it would be much wiser to use something that doesn’t have a computer inside of it. Or even simply mount a mechanical clock in there.
What does Apple Say About Sauna/Apple Watch Use?
Many people think that it is okay to use your Apple Watch all the time. However, water resistance diminishes over time, it cannot be resealed, and more importantly, it’s hard to check! In other words, even though a watch might say it’s capable of withstanding extreme moisture, there is no guarantee that the water resistance is still sufficient enough to protect it, especially if a couple of years have gone by.
Though anything after the first generation Apple Watch can be used for light activities, it is still not recommended to do intense water sports. There are a few activities that Apple states could harm your Apple Watch and affect the water-resistance, and they are the following:
- Using soapy water while bathing.
- Dropping your watch.
- Exposing your watch to dyes or chemicals, even laundry detergent.
- Doing high-velocity water sports like water skiing or scuba diving.
- Using a sauna or steam room.
Even if you have a newer Apple Watch, you should always protect it by taking it off for water-related activities. This will help your watch last a long time which will obviously be a lot better for your wallet. It’s worth mentioning that maybe the sauna isn’t the best time for technology anyway. For most people, going into the sauna is about relaxation.
Having a buzzing, beeping, watch go off every couple of minutes while you’re trying to meditate and relax probably isn’t the best move. Maybe consider putting it aside for a moment for once. Just make sure you put it somewhere safe because thieves relish stealing Apple products due to their hefty price-tag and black-market value.
Ultimately the choice is up to you, if it is brand new there is a good chance your smartwatch will survive the session, but the real question is whether it’s worth risking. Going into the sauna with it once would probably be ok, but if you’re doing this regularly, your watch might not last as long as you’d like.
But Isn’t the Apple Watch Waterproof?
I know what you’re thinking; you’re about to say your Apple Watch is waterproof. That’s true; technically, the latest versions of the Apple Watches allow you to do light water activities like shower and even swim in a pool. So what is the difference between that and the sauna?
A sauna is not only moist and has water in the air, but it is also sweltering. Most of the dry saunas will be between 150°F to 195°F, while an infrared sauna will be around 120-130°F. This is a temperature that promotes sweating and getting rid of toxins.
So your new smartwatch is not only surrounded by water, but it is also battling your own sweat on top of extreme heat. In other words, taking it into a sauna is like a double dose of humidity, heat, and stress. Ask yourself whether putting your Apple product under such duress is worth it.
What Can Happen to Apple Watch If You Take it Into a Sauna?
Let’s say you’ve chosen not to heed my warning and you’re going to take it into the sauna. What might you expect if it does break? If you need to know what could happen if you take your Apple Watch into a sauna, here is a list of precisely what could happen. You may reconsider taking your watch into the sauna after checking out this list:
- Overheated and a black screen. When you take your smartwatch into the sauna, it battles high heat. Even if you try to plug your watch into a charger, it most likely will stay off because it is dead. The device could simply be bricked.
- Streaks on the screen. If you notice any lines on the screen as you have dropped it, chances are the moisture in the room could seep into your watch. This means it is no longer usable and may cost a lot of money to fix.
- A short battery life. If your smartwatch lives through your sauna session, it could shorten the battery life forever. This means the more times you go into the sauna, the more and more it destroys your battery.
- Defeats the water resistance. The more times you submerge it into the same environment, it actually doesn’t get stronger. It will eventually seep into your watch and make it not water-resistant at all.
- It could ruin the screen. You may notice cracks, bubbles, and more as the sealed parts become unsealed during high heat and melting. This will ruin your Apple Watch to the point of it not working.
There really annoying part about all of this is that if you do break your Apple Watch in this way, the Apple technicians may not say it’s covered under warranty because, despite what story you tell them, the internal components leave tell-tale signals that they’ve come in contact with water, and your Apple Watch repair may not be covered under warranty because they’ve found those signs of water damage. Even if the heat kills the watch, the water vapor in the sauna will likely trigger these internal moisture indicators.
What Does Water Eject Do In The Sauna?
When you get your apple watch, you will notice that there is a button called water lock. You can use this button for showering or swimming. It will lock the screen so you can’t use it, and then when you are done, it will eject any water that got into the speakers of your watch. A lot of users wonder if this button will work in the sauna in the same way that it does for the pool. It probably won’t, although it can protect your watch from water, it does not guarantee that it will last through the heat.
Do Any Apple Products Work in the Sauna?
It seems like a great idea to head straight from your workout and chill in the sauna. The honest answer is any Apple product, including your smartwatch, smartphone, or Airpods, will be at risk. It’s not worth it. Maybe someday we’ll get to a point where we can take our advanced technology into extreme environments like this, but that day hasn’t come yet.
Can Any Generation of Apple Watch Go in the Sauna?
Any Apple Watch that is past the first generation can be used for light water activities. Even though this is the case, the sauna should still be avoided because no models of the Apple Watch are designed for such a relatively exotic and extreme environment.
In Conclusion
Whether you want to wear your Apple Watch into your sauna session is up to you, but we strongly recommend against it. It could easily destroy the watch. Using the sauna takes 15-20 minutes per session, and using it with no outside distractions can be essential for the mindfulness aspect of sauna use.
