iPhone help: How lengthy do iPhones final?

If you’re pondering of shopping for an older technology or used/refurbished iPhone, or questioning whether or not it’s value upgrading your present iPhone to a brand new one, one vital issue to contemplate is how lengthy Apple will proceed to supply help for that handset. The excellent news is that Apple helps iPhones for a very long time. On the whole, you will get seven to eight years of security-related software program updates, whereas battery and different repairs are sometimes obtainable on 5 to seven-year-old handsets, based on Apple’s personal Classic and Out of date categorizations.

Learn on to seek out out which iPhones are supported with the newest working techniques, and that are supported for servicing and repairs.

Macworld says: the iPhone XS and iPhone 11, and any older iPhone are greatest averted as they gained’t help the 2025 iOS replace: iOS 26.

How lengthy does Apple help iOS?

As a normal rule, Apple doesn’t assure that an iOS replace will help gadgets for a selected size of time. Nevertheless, consumers can anticipate a minimum of 5 years of iOS updates and 6 years of safety updates, although Apple usually goes past that.

When iOS 18 arrived in late 2024 it was suitable with the identical iPhones as iOS 17 had been (as you possibly can see from the desk under). Nevertheless, when iOS 26 arrives in late 2025 the iPhone XS and XR won’t be able to put in the brand new iOS. (The bounce from 18 to 26 is as a result of Apple has realigned the numbering to match the 12 months).

These telephones have been launched in 2018 and 2019. So that’s about six years value of iOS updates, which isn’t unhealthy going. That doesn’t imply that these iPhones will not be supported by Apple although. Sometimes, Apple points vital safety updates for the present model of iOS in addition to, often, two or extra previous variations.

At present Apple points safety updates to iOS 18, iOS 17, iOS 16 and iOS 15. The final replace to iOS 17 was 17.7.2 in November 2024, however a safety replace to iOS 16 (iOS 16.7.11) and iOS 15 (iOS 15.8.4) was issued in March 2025 to repair zero-day exploits. Nevertheless, this may very well be the final replace for these variations of iOS. iOS 14 was final up to date in October 2021.

Which means some iPhones won’t get Apple’s safety fixes for what may very well be harmful vulnerabilities. As soon as your cellphone falls in that class it’s in all probability time to exchange it.

With the arrival of iOS 26 it’s attainable that Apple will finish help for iOS 15 and iOS 16 and subsequently the iPhones X, 8 and eight Plus and iPhones 7, 6S, 6S Plus and 1st gen SE.

The chart under exhibits every model of iOS and the iPhones it ran on. As you possibly can see, in recent times help for brand new iOS variations has stretched again for round six years, whereas, in case you embrace the variations that Apple helps with safety updates, the quilt goes again an additional 12 months.

Foundry

iPhone OS historical past

The primary iPhone, which launched in 2007, was in a position to run iPhone OS 3, which was supported by Apple up till 2010. The iPhone is taken into account out of date by Apple.

The iPhone 3G, which launched in 2008, was in a position to run iOS 4.0, which was itself supported till 2011. The iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS are thought-about out of date by Apple.

The size of help elevated with the launch of the iPhone 4s in 2011. That cellphone was in a position to run working techniques all the best way as much as iOS 9. Apple was nonetheless supporting iOS 9 in 2019 when it issued a GPS-related replace that July. The iPhones 4 and 4s are thought-about out of date by Apple.

The iPhone 5c runs iOS 10, which additionally acquired the GPS-related replace in July 2019. The iPhones 5 and 5c are thought-about out of date by Apple.

The iPhone 5s and iPhone 6 each run iOS 12, for which Apple issued a safety replace in January 2023. This replace was issued for these few gadgets that don’t help iOS 15. Apple is unlikely to proceed help for iOS 12. These telephones are thought-about classic by Apple.

iOS 15, which arrived in September 2021, helps all iPhones from iPhone 6s onwards, simply as with iOS 14 and iOS 13. Each iOS 14 and 13 are thought-about out of date by Apple as a result of the identical telephones can run iOS 15. The iPhone 6s is already thought-about ‘classic’ by Apple.

iOS 16, which arrived in September 2022 runs on all iPhones from the iPhone 8 onwards – however do be aware that not all options can be found on the older handsets.

iOS 17 arrived in September 2023 and runs on all iPhones from the iPhone XS onwards – that means the iPhone X and iPhone 8 are caught with iOS 16.

iOS 18 arrived on September 16, 2024, and, like iOS 17, runs on all iPhones from the iPhone XS onwards.

iOS 25 arrives in September 2025 and can run on all iPhones from the iPhone 11 onwards. Leaving the iPhone 11 and XR out within the chilly.

What’s the oldest iPhone nonetheless supported by Apple?

Because the oldest model of iOS supported with a safety updates is iOS 15, due to the iOS 15 replace in March 2025, which means the oldest iPhones ‘supported’ by Apple is the iPhone 6s. Nevertheless, that handset is already thought-about ‘classic’ by Apple.

If when iOS 25 arrives Apple stops help for iOS 16 and iOS 15, the iPhone 8 and iPhone X will not be supported. Since iOS 17 helps the identical handsets as iOS 18 – the iPhone XS onwards – Apple may additionally finish help for iOS 17 in favour of iOS 18.

We don’t advocate the next iPhone fashions as a result of they not obtain common updates, although some fashions could often get a crucial safety replace:

• iPhone 11 (2019)
• iPhone XR (2018)
• iPhone X (2017)
• iPhone 8/8 Plus (2017)
• iPhone 7/7 Plus (2016)
• iPhone SE (2016)
• iPhone 6s/6s Plus (2014)
• iPhone 6/6 Plus (2014)
• iPhone 5s (2013)
• iPhone 5c (2013)
• iPhone 5 (2012)
• iPhone 4s (2011)
• iPhone 4 (2010)
• iPhone 3GS (2009)
• iPhone 3G (2008)
• iPhone (2007)

For extra info, see our listing of each model of iOS.

IDG

When will Apple cease supporting every iPhone?

Fact is we don’t know for positive, however on the premise that Apple helps telephones for 5 to seven years after they’re faraway from sale:

• iPhone XS (2018-2019) – Approx 2024-2026
• iPhone XR (2018-2021) – Approx 2026-2028
• iPhone 11 (2019-2022) – Approx 2027-2029
• iPhone SE2 (2020-2022) – Approx 2027-2029
• iPhone 12 (2020-2023) – Approx 2028-2030
• iPhone 13 (2021) – Approx 2032
• iPhone SE3 (2022) – Approx 2033
• iPhone 14 (2022) – Approx 2034
• iPhone 15 (2023) – Approx 2035
• iPhone 16 (2024) – Approx 2036

Apple Intelligence: With the arrival of Apple Intelligence AI options and their {hardware} necessities the older iPhones grow to be out of date sooner.

When does Apple cease fixing iPhones?

In terms of repairs, Apple helps iPhones (and all gadgets it makes) for seven years from the final time it offered that exact mannequin. So so long as your iPhone was nonetheless being offered by Apple as much as seven years in the past, the corporate or a third-party service supplier will nonetheless service it.

Apple states on its web site that “Homeowners of iPhone, iPad, iPod or Mac merchandise could receive a service and elements from Apple or Apple service suppliers for 5 years after the product is not offered.” The next iPhones are thought-about Out of date, which suggests gross sales have been discontinued greater than seven years in the past and Apple has now discontinued all {hardware} servicing.

• iPhone
• iPhone 3G
• iPhone 3GS
• iPhone 4 (not all fashions are out of date)
• iPhone 4s
• iPhone 5c (discontinued September 2013, out of date in 2021)
• iPhone 5S (discontinued in 2016, classic in 2021, out of date in 2024)
• iPhone 6 (discontinued in 2016, classic in 2021, out of date in 2025)
• iPhone 6 Plus (discontinued in 2016, classic in 2021, out of date in 2024)
• iPhone 6s (32GB) (discontinued in 2018, out of date in 2024)
• iPhone 6s Plus (32GB) (discontinued in 2018, out of date in 2024)

And the iPhones under are listed as Classic, which suggests they haven’t been offered for greater than 5 years (however lower than seven years). Apple will nonetheless service these merchandise so long as it has the required elements. So you could possibly say that the oldest iPhone nonetheless supported by Apple is the 8GB iPhone 4, however we don’t anticipate that Apple could have the required elements.

• iPhone 4 8GB (discontinued in 2013, however offered in India till February 2014, more likely to be out of date very quickly)
• iPhone 5 (discontinued September 2013, more likely to grow to be out of date quickly)
• iPhone 6s (16GB, 64GB, 128GB) (discontinued in 2016, classic in 2022)
• iPhone 6s Plus (16GB) (discontinued in 2018, classic in 2022)
• iPhone SE, 2016 (discontinued in 2018, classic in 2023)
• iPhone 8 (discontinued in 2020, classic in 2024)
• iPhone 8 Plus (discontinued in 2020, classic in 2024)
• iPhone X (discontinued in 2018, classic in 2024)
• iPhone XS Max (discontinued in 2018, classic in 2024)

All iPhones that adopted these handsets ought to be supported by Apple.

You might also have an interest to learn the way lengthy Apple helps Macs and the way lengthy Apple helps iPads. We even have guides for getting a damaged iPhone fastened and the way a lot Apple product repairs value.

Is your iPhone slipping into obscurity? Discover an ideal deal on a brand new iPhone right here or examine the most effective costs under and try our round-up to decide on the Finest iPhone for you.