Despite featuring water-resistant ratings, smartphones should not be taken into showers, saunas or steam rooms, according to manufacturers including Apple and Google. Hot steam presents a different challenge to liquid water: it condenses inside and around the device, attacking charging ports, speakers, buttons and seals whilst the combined heat gradually wears down protective barriers. This matters because water-resistance ratings only account for immersion in liquid water under specific conditions, not humid air and temperature fluctuations.

The damage from repeated steam exposure is substantial and often delayed. Most phones operate safely only up to around 95 degrees Fahrenheit, and shower steam raises internal temperatures beyond safe limits, accelerating battery degradation and causing damage to microscopic adhesives and seals that may not become apparent until the device fails. The article recommends using a portable Bluetooth speaker instead, wiping phones immediately if they get wet, and keeping devices outside the bathroom entirely; liquid damage is typically not covered under manufacturer warranty.