IEC 62368-1 / EN IEC 62368-1: Editions, Differences and Application

IEC 62368-1 is one of the key product safety standards for equipment used in the fields of audio/video, information technology and communications.

At the same time, it is one of the standards that causes considerable confusion among manufacturers when it comes to determining which edition actually applies, which version is current, and which version has a harmonized status under European legislation.

Several designations are commonly encountered:

IEC 62368-1:2023
EN IEC 62368-1:2024
EN IEC 62368-1:2024/A11:2024
DIN EN IEC 62368-1:2025-01 in Germany

These documents are closely related, but they are not identical documents.

There is also another common misconception, particularly for manufacturers of wireless equipment:

“If a product contains radio technology, it needs IEC 62368-1.”

That is not a valid rule.

The radio function itself does not determine whether IEC 62368-1 applies. The starting point is always the type of equipment, its intended use and the applicable regulatory framework.

1. What is IEC 62368-1?

IEC 62368-1 is an international product safety standard for:

audio/video equipment,
information technology equipment, and
communication technology equipment.

Its full title is:

Audio/video, information and communication technology equipment – Part 1: Safety requirements

IEC 62368-1 is developed by IEC Technical Committee TC 108 and follows a hazard-based safety engineering approach.

Instead of relying exclusively on traditional product categories, the standard evaluates:

which energy sources are present,
which hazards can result from those energy sources,
which persons may be exposed to those hazards, and
which safeguards are required.

The standard therefore establishes a structured approach for identifying hazardous energy sources and defining appropriate safeguards.

This represents a fundamental change compared with the traditional approach used by standards such as IEC 60950-1 and IEC 60065.

2. Which products are covered by IEC 62368-1?

IEC 62368-1 is intended for electrical and electronic equipment in areas such as:

audio,
video,
information technology,
communication technology.

Typical examples can include:

computers and servers,
network equipment,
routers and switches,
telecommunications equipment,
set-top boxes,
audio and video equipment,
displays and monitors,
certain office equipment,
communication equipment,
equipment containing electrical power supplies,
other equipment falling within the scope of the standard.

The current European/German implementation also explicitly addresses components and assemblies intended for incorporation into equipment within the scope of the standard, as well as certain external power supply units.

However, the fact that a product contains electronics does not automatically mean that IEC 62368-1 applies.

Other product categories have their own product safety standards, for example:

IEC 60601-1 for medical electrical equipment,
IEC 61010-1 for measurement, control and laboratory equipment,
IEC 60335-1 for certain household and similar appliances.

The correct safety standard therefore has to be determined from the product, its intended use and its technical characteristics.

3. Power supplies: when does 62368-1 apply?

A point that is often overlooked is that IEC 62368-1 does not only address complete end products.

The scope also covers certain:

components and assemblies intended for incorporation into equipment,
external power supply units intended to supply equipment within the scope,
accessories intended for such equipment.

For example, an external power supply specifically intended to supply an IT or communication device may itself fall within the scope of IEC 62368-1.

This should not, however, be simplified to:

“Every power supply has to comply with IEC 62368-1.”

That statement would be too broad.

The assessment depends on factors such as:

intended use,
product type,
application,
electrical characteristics,
whether the power supply is placed on the market as an independent product,
or whether it is exclusively considered as part of another piece of equipment.

The actual product being placed on the market therefore needs to be clearly identified before selecting the applicable safety standard.

4. Components and assemblies

IEC 62368-1 is not limited to fully assembled end equipment.

The European version explicitly addresses components and assemblies intended to be incorporated into equipment within the scope of the standard.

There is, however, an important qualification.

A component or assembly does not necessarily have to satisfy every requirement of the complete equipment standard independently if it is intended for incorporation into equipment and the completed equipment complies with the applicable requirements after integration.

This distinction is particularly important for:

modules,
assemblies,
power supplies,
electronic subassemblies,
communication modules,
other components incorporated into larger systems.

The manufacturer therefore needs to distinguish between:

a component placed on the market independently,
a component intended for a specific end product,
a module,
an external power supply, and
the complete end product.

The compliance assessment must always identify exactly what product is being assessed.

5. Why was IEC 62368-1 developed?

The development of IEC 62368-1 is closely connected with two older safety standards:

IEC 60950-1 – Safety of information technology equipment
IEC 60065 – Audio, video and similar electronic apparatus

The boundaries between these product categories became increasingly difficult to maintain as technology evolved.

A modern product could simultaneously contain:

IT functionality,
network functionality,
audio/video functionality,
telecommunications functionality.

A common safety standard was therefore developed to bring these previously separate product areas together.

IEC 62368-1 was not simply created as a new edition of IEC 60950-1 or IEC 60065.

The safety philosophy was fundamentally changed towards a hazard-based approach.

6. Development and editions of IEC 62368-1

The international IEC standard has gone through several editions.

Edition	Publication	Status
IEC 62368-1:2010	Edition 1.0	Superseded
IEC 62368-1:2014	Edition 2.0	Superseded
IEC 62368-1:2018	Edition 3.0	Superseded
IEC 62368-1:2018 + AMD1:2020	Edition 3.1 consolidated	Superseded
IEC 62368-1:2023	Edition 4.0	Current IEC edition

IEC 62368-1:2023 is Edition 4.0 and is listed by IEC as the current valid edition. It was published on 26 May 2023. (IEC Webstore)

A particularly important detail concerns Edition 3.

IEC 62368-1:2018 is Edition 3.0.

Amendment 1 was published in 2020. The consolidated document is therefore commonly referred to as Edition 3.1.

This does not mean that Edition 3.1 was a new standalone major IEC edition between Edition 3 and Edition 4.

The current international major edition is:

IEC 62368-1:2023 – Edition 4.0.

7. What is the current European version?

This is where the situation becomes more complicated.

The international standard is:

IEC 62368-1:2023

The European adoption is:

EN IEC 62368-1:2024

In addition, there is:

EN IEC 62368-1:2024/A11:2024

In Germany, this has been implemented as:

DIN EN IEC 62368-1:2025-01 (VDE 0868-1:2025-01)

The German standard is identified as being based on:

IEC 62368-1:2023, modified; German version EN IEC 62368-1:2024 + A11:2024

The German edition is currently listed by DKE as the current national version. (DKE)

A simplified view is therefore:

International:
IEC 62368-1:2023

Europe:
EN IEC 62368-1:2024 + A11:2024

Germany:
DIN EN IEC 62368-1:2025-01

8. Why does it say “EN IEC”?

The designation EN IEC does not mean that there are two separate standards.

It indicates that an IEC publication has been adopted as a European Standard.

However, a European adoption does not necessarily mean that the document is simply an identical copy of the IEC publication.

European standards can contain:

European modifications,
European additions,
national conditions,
national deviations.

For IEC 62368-1, an important distinction has to be made.

EN IEC 62368-1:2024 adopts IEC 62368-1:2023 without the European modifications introduced by A11.

The European modifications are introduced through:

EN IEC 62368-1:2024/A11:2024.

Therefore, when the German standard refers to:

IEC 62368-1:2023, modified; EN IEC 62368-1:2024 + A11:2024

the term “modified” refers to the European version including A11.

9. What does A11 do?

A11 is a European amendment.

Therefore:

EN IEC 62368-1:2024/A11:2024

is not a new IEC edition.

It modifies and supplements the European version of the standard.

Among other things, the European version contains dedicated European annexes, including:

Annex ZA
Annex ZB
Annex ZC
Annex ZD

These Z-annexes are important when determining how the international IEC document is applied in the European context.

10. Where can the differences between IEC and EN be found?

If a manufacturer only has IEC 62368-1:2023, the manufacturer should not automatically assume that all European requirements are covered.

The European version needs to be considered separately.

An important starting point is the European Foreword.

The European annexes should then be reviewed.

Annex ZA

Annex ZA addresses the relationship between international normative references and their corresponding European publications.

This can be important because a reference to an IEC publication in the international standard may correspond to a specific EN publication in the European implementation.

Annex ZB

Annex ZB addresses Special National Conditions.

These may become relevant where national conditions have to be taken into account.

Annex ZC

Annex ZC contains A-deviations.

These are national deviations required because of national provisions where changing those provisions is currently not possible for the respective CENELEC member.

Annex ZD

Annex ZD addresses IEC/CENELEC code designations for flexible cables.

The important point is that the European version must be reviewed as a European document rather than treating it simply as another cover page for the IEC publication.

11. What are A-deviations?

A-deviations are particularly important when applying European standards across different national markets.

An A-deviation is a national deviation from the international or European normative requirements that is required because of national provisions and whose change is currently not possible for the respective CENELEC member.

This means that a manufacturer should not simply state:

“We applied IEC 62368-1:2023, therefore the European requirements are automatically covered.”

For the European market, the applicable European version and its European and national provisions need to be considered.

12. How long do older editions remain valid?

This question cannot be answered simply by looking at the publication date of a newer edition.

At least three different questions need to be separated:

Is the standard technically current?
Is the corresponding national standard still published?
Is a particular edition still listed as a harmonized standard under the relevant EU legislation?

These three answers do not necessarily have to be the same.

For example, IEC lists IEC 62368-1:2018 as revised, while IEC 62368-1:2023 is the current valid edition.

At the European level, additional transition and withdrawal dates apply.

For EN IEC 62368-1:2024 + A11:2024, the relevant CENELEC dates include:

DOP: 15 February 2025 – latest date for national implementation
DOW: 15 February 2027 – latest date for withdrawal of conflicting national standards

The DOW is a CENELEC standards lifecycle date.

It should not be interpreted as a general legal expiry date.

In particular, it does not mean:

“Every manufacturer may use every previous edition until 15 February 2027.”

For a specific conformity assessment, the manufacturer still needs to determine:

which edition is technically applicable,
which national implementation applies,
which EU legislation is relevant,
which edition has been published as a harmonized standard for that legislation,
and whether any transition or withdrawal provisions apply.

13. Current situation in Germany

In Germany, the current national edition is:

DIN EN IEC 62368-1:2025-01

based on:

EN IEC 62368-1:2024 + A11:2024

and ultimately:

IEC 62368-1:2023.

The German edition is currently listed by DKE as current.

There are also corrigenda associated with the German edition.

Corrigendum 1:2025-12 corrects wording concerning the shattering test in Annex T, T.10.

Corrigendum 2:2026-08 corrects, among other things, the heading of Annex E and the legend of a formula in G.5.3.4.7.

These corrigenda should not be confused with older corrigenda belonging to previous editions.

For a reliable compliance assessment, it is therefore not sufficient to search a database simply for:

“62368-1”

The exact edition, amendment and applicable corrigenda should be identified.

14. IEC 62368-1 is not a radio standard

This is one of the most important points for manufacturers of wireless products.

IEC 62368-1 is not a radio standard.

It does not define, for example:

permitted transmitter power,
radio frequency bands,
channel parameters,
ETSI radio requirements,
radio emission limits.

Those requirements are addressed through the relevant radio standards and regulatory requirements.

IEC 62368-1 is a product safety standard.

15. Why is 62368-1 so often associated with radio products?

The reason is largely historical and technological.

Many products containing radio functionality are also:

network equipment,
computers,
telecommunications equipment,
communication devices,
audio/video equipment,
information and communication technology equipment.

Historically, many of these products were assessed under IEC 60950-1.

As IEC 60950-1 and IEC 60065 were replaced by IEC 62368-1, many modern communication and network products therefore moved into the 62368-1 product safety framework.

This led to a simplified statement sometimes heard in the industry:

“Radio product = 62368-1.”

That statement is technically incorrect.

The correct statement is:

A radio product may fall within the scope of IEC/EN 62368-1 if its product type and intended use place it within the scope of the safety standard.

The presence of radio technology itself is not the deciding criterion.

16. WLAN or Bluetooth do not determine the safety standard

A product does not become a 62368-1 product simply because it uses:

WLAN,
Bluetooth,
Zigbee,
cellular technology,
or another radio technology.

For example, a Bluetooth-enabled medical device may be subject to the applicable medical equipment safety requirements.

A measurement device with Bluetooth may fall under the applicable safety requirements for measurement, control or laboratory equipment.

A wireless network device, on the other hand, may fall within the scope of IEC 62368-1.

The radio technology is therefore not the criterion used to select the safety standard.

The product itself and its intended function are what matter.

17. Is IEC 62368-1 a RED standard?

This is another common misconception.

The Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU (RED) contains essential requirements for radio equipment, including requirements relating to health and safety, electromagnetic compatibility and the efficient use of the radio spectrum.

However, this does not mean:

“Every radio product must use EN 62368-1 under RED.”

That would be incorrect.

IEC/EN 62368-1 is a product safety standard.

It can be relevant to a radio product when the product itself falls within the scope of the standard.

The radio-specific requirements are addressed separately through the relevant radio standards and other applicable requirements.

Standards are generally voluntary. Applying a harmonized standard can provide a presumption of conformity for the requirements covered by that standard, but harmonized standards are not the only possible route for demonstrating compliance.

18. RED does not mean “radio testing only”

A radio product normally has to be considered across several technical areas.

Area	Typical question
Product safety	Which safety standard applies to the equipment?
Radio	Which radio requirements apply to the radio technology?
EMC	Which electromagnetic compatibility requirements apply?
EMF / exposure	Which exposure requirements apply?
Additional requirements	Are there product-specific or other regulatory requirements?

For a product using WLAN, Bluetooth or another radio technology, it is therefore not sufficient to start with:

“Which 62368-1 test do we need?”

The correct process is:

Identify the product → determine intended use → identify applicable legislation → determine the applicable product safety standard → identify radio requirements → identify EMC and other applicable requirements.

19. IEC 62368-1 and RED can still apply to the same product

The fact that 62368-1 is not a radio standard does not mean that it cannot be relevant to a radio product.

Consider a network device with an integrated wireless interface.

The product may simultaneously be:

radio equipment under RED,
information and communication technology equipment,
equipment for which IEC/EN 62368-1 is the applicable product safety standard.

The resulting conformity assessment may therefore involve:

a radio standard,
an EMC standard,
an exposure assessment,
and EN IEC 62368-1.

The important question is always:

Which requirement is being addressed by which standard?

This prevents the common mistake of treating one standard as if it covered the entire conformity assessment.

20. “Applicable standard” and “harmonized standard” are not the same thing

This distinction is essential.

A standard can be technically suitable for a product without its reference being published as a harmonized standard for a specific EU legal act.

For the corresponding presumption of conformity, the publication of the standard reference in the Official Journal of the European Union under the relevant legislation is important.

For the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU, the currently available consolidated Commission decision (EU) 2023/2723, consolidated through 30 April 2026, continues to list:

EN 62368-1:2014 + AC:2015

as a harmonized standard under the LVD. (EUR-Lex)

This creates an important distinction:

Current European technical edition

EN IEC 62368-1:2024 + A11:2024

Harmonized edition currently listed under the LVD

EN 62368-1:2014 + AC:2015

These are not the same edition.

This is exactly why “the latest edition” and “the harmonized edition” must not automatically be treated as synonymous.

For a specific conformity assessment, the manufacturer should therefore verify:

Which standard is technically applicable?
Which edition is being applied?
Which EU legal act is relevant?
Which edition is published as harmonized under that legal act?
Are there applicable transition, withdrawal or other conditions?

This distinction is particularly important when creating a compliance or test plan.

21. What should a manufacturer document?

Where IEC/EN 62368-1 is relevant, the technical documentation should make the decision traceable.

It should be possible to identify:

What product is being assessed?
What is its intended use?
Why does the product fall within the scope of 62368-1?
Which edition was applied?
Which European version was used?
Was A11 considered?
Were relevant corrigenda considered?
Which European or national deviations are relevant?
Which other safety standards may also apply?
Which radio, EMC and exposure requirements apply separately?
Which EU legal act is being addressed?
What is the harmonization status of the specific standard edition?

This becomes particularly important for products with several functions.

22. IEC 62368-1:2023 vs. EN IEC 62368-1:2024 + A11:2024

The relationship can be summarized as follows:

	IEC 62368-1:2023	EN IEC 62368-1:2024 + A11:2024
Level	International	European
Edition	4.0	Based on IEC Edition 4
Organization	IEC	CENELEC
Technical basis	IEC 62368-1:2023	IEC 62368-1:2023
European modifications	No	Yes, through A11
Annex ZA	No	Yes
Annex ZB	No	Yes
Annex ZC	No	Yes
Annex ZD	No	Yes
National implementation	Not applicable	e.g. DIN EN IEC 62368-1:2025-01

IEC lists Edition 4.0 as the current international edition.

The corresponding European and German implementation is based on the same IEC edition but includes the European provisions introduced through A11.

23. So, which 62368-1 edition is the “right” one today?

The answer depends on what exactly is meant by “right”.

For the current international technical standard

IEC 62368-1:2023 – Edition 4.0

For the current European technical standard

EN IEC 62368-1:2024 + A11:2024

For Germany

DIN EN IEC 62368-1:2025-01

However, this answer alone is not sufficient for a legal conformity assessment.

The manufacturer must additionally determine whether the selected edition has the required harmonized status under the relevant EU legal act.

For example, under the currently available consolidated LVD decision, EN 62368-1:2014 + AC:2015 remains the published harmonized reference. (EUR-Lex)

Therefore:

Latest technical edition ≠ automatically harmonized edition

This is one of the most important points to understand when selecting standards for a European compliance assessment.

24. What does this mean for a test plan?

IEC 62368-1 should not simply be selected from a standards database based on the product name.

A proper test plan should consider at least:

Product category

Is the product:

IT equipment?
ICT equipment?
audio/video equipment?
communication equipment?

Product function

What is the primary intended function of the product?

Power supply

Is it:

mains powered,
externally powered,
battery powered,
powered through PoE,
or supplied by another energy source?

Components and assemblies

Which power supplies, modules and assemblies are integrated?

European edition

Is:

EN IEC 62368-1:2024 + A11:2024

the technically applicable European standard?

National implementation

For example:

DIN EN IEC 62368-1:2025-01

for Germany.

Regulatory framework

Is the product subject to:

RED,
LVD,
another EU legal framework,
or several frameworks?

Harmonization status

Is the specific edition being used published as a harmonized standard for the relevant legal act?

Additional standards

Which radio, EMC, exposure and product-specific standards are required?

This changes the question from:

“Does this product need 62368-1?”

to the much more useful question:

“Which product safety standard applies to this product under the intended regulatory framework, and which edition is relevant for the conformity assessment?”

25. Key takeaways

IEC 62368-1 is an international product safety standard for audio/video, information technology and communication technology equipment.

The current international edition is:

IEC 62368-1:2023, Edition 4.0.

The current European technical version is:

EN IEC 62368-1:2024 + A11:2024.

In Germany, the corresponding national edition is:

DIN EN IEC 62368-1:2025-01.

The European version is not simply another name for the IEC publication. European amendments, national conditions and deviations have to be considered.

A11 is a European amendment and introduces important European provisions and annexes.

Power supplies, components and assemblies can also fall within the scope, depending on their intended use and relationship to equipment covered by the standard.

Most importantly:

IEC 62368-1 is not a radio standard.

The presence of WLAN, Bluetooth or another radio technology does not by itself determine whether 62368-1 applies.

A radio product can nevertheless require IEC/EN 62368-1 if its product type and intended use place it within the scope of the standard.

Likewise:

IEC 62368-1 should not simply be described as “a RED standard”.

A radio product may require both radio standards and a product safety standard such as EN IEC 62368-1, but the standards address different requirements.

Finally, manufacturers need to distinguish between:

the technically current standard edition

and

the edition harmonized under a specific EU legal act.

For 62368-1, this distinction is particularly important because the current European technical edition and the edition currently listed under the LVD are not the same.

Therefore, a reliable compliance assessment should never stop at:

“EN 62368-1 applies.”

It should identify the exact edition, European amendments, national implementation, applicable legislation and harmonization status.