If you are thinking of buy an older generation or used / refurbish iPhone , or wondering whether it ’s worth promote your current iPhone to a new one , one important divisor to consider is how long Apple will continue to offer backing for that French telephone . The good news program is that Apple supports iPhones for a longsighted prison term . In general , you ’ll get seven to eight years of software system updates , while battery and other repairs are often uncommitted on five to seven - year - old handsets , consort to Apple ’s own Vintage and Obsolete categorizations .
Read on to find outwhich iPhones are supported with the latest operating systems , and which are supported for servicing and repairs . We also have guides for gettinga reveal iPhone fixedandhow much Apple intersection repairs toll .
How long does Apple support iOS?
As a general rule , Apple does n’t guarantee that an iOS update will digest devices for a special length of clock time . However , buyers can expect at least five year of iOS updates and six years of certificate update , though Apple regularly goes beyond that .
When iOS 18 arrived in tardy 2024 it was compatible with the same iPhones as iOS 17 had been ( as you could see from the table below ) . However , we await the 2018 iPhone XS and XR to be incompatible with iOS 19 when it go far in tardy 2025 . This will mean those phones had seven years of iOS updates , which is n’t bad passing .
From prison term to meter , Apple issues important security updates for the current version of iOS as well as , usually , the two preceding versions . Currently it appears Apple is focused only on iOS 18 and iOS 17 , though . Since the arrival ofiOS 18 in September 2024 , certificate updates have been issued for both iOS 18 andiOS 17 : the last update to iOS 17 was 17.7.2 on November 19 . The last update toiOS 16was 16.7.10 on August 7 , 2024 , which suggests that there will not be security updates for that version and the phones it back ( 2017 ’s iPhone 8 , 8 Plus and iPhone X ) .
Every iOS and the iPhones supported by it.
This means that some iPhones will not get Apple ’s security department fixes for what could be dangerous vulnerability . Once your phone diminish in that category it is in all likelihood time to supervene upon it .
The chart below shows each version of iOS and the iPhones it ran on . As you could see , in late years financial support for new iOS versions has extend back for around six days , while , if you include the version that Apple supports with security updates , the cover plump back a further year .
Every iOS and the iPhones supported by it .
Every iOS and the iPhones supported by it.
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iPhone OS history
The firstiPhone , which launch in 2007 , was able-bodied to run iPhone OS 3 , which was supported by Apple up until 2010 . The iPhone is conceive obsolete by Apple .
TheiPhone 3 G , which launch in 2008 , was capable to operate iOS 4.0 , which was itself endorse until 2011 . The iPhone 3 G and iPhone 3GS are considered disused by Apple .
The duration of support increased with the launch of theiPhone 4sin 2011 . That telephone set was capable to scat operating systems all the means up to Io 9 . Apple was still supporting iOS 9 in 2019 when it issued a GPS - related update that July . The iPhones 4 and 4s are considered obsolete by Apple .
The iPhone 5S. Remember? It’s been a while.
TheiPhone 5cruns iOS 10 , which also received the GPS - related update in July 2019 . The iPhones 5 and 5c are considered disused by Apple .
TheiPhone 5sandiPhone 6both escape iOS 12 , for which Apple come forth a security update in January 2023 . This update was issued for those few devices that do n’t hold iOS 15 . Apple is unlikely to go forward support for iOS 12 . These telephone are considered vintage by Apple .
iOS 15 , which arrived in September 2021 , supports all iPhones fromiPhone 6sonwards , just as with iOS 14 and iOS 13 . Both iOS 14 and 13 are considered disused by Apple because the same phones can turn tail iOS 15 . The iPhone 6s is already considered vintage by Apple .
iOS 16 , which arrived in September 2022 run on all iPhones from theiPhone 8onwards – but do note that not all features are available on the older handsets .
iOS 17arrived in September 2023 and runs on all iPhones from theiPhone XSonwards – meaning the iPhone X and iPhone 8 will be bewilder with iOS 16 .
Io 18arrives on September 16 , 2024 , and , like iOS 17 , will incline on all iPhones from theiPhone XSonwards .
What is the oldest iPhone still supported?
As the oldest version of iOS supported with regular security updates is iOS 17 , the older iPhones hold by Apple will be the iPhone XS , iPhone XS Max , and iPhone XR . These phone were all introduced in 2018 .
That means the follow iPhone model will no longer encounter regular updates , though some manakin may occasionally get a critical surety update :
For more information , see our listing ofevery interpretation of iOS .
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When will Apple stop supporting each iPhone?
the true is we do n’t know for indisputable , but on the fundament that Apple supports telephone set for five to seven age after they are removed from sales agreement :
Apple Intelligence : It is possible that the reaching ofApple IntelligenceAI characteristic and their requirement will mean that the old iPhones become disused faster .
When does Apple stop fixing iPhones?
When it descend to fixing , Apple abide iPhones ( and all gadget it makes ) for seven years from the last meter it sold that fussy model . So as long as your iPhone was still being sell by Apple up to seven years ago , the company or a third - company service provider will still serve it .
Applestates on its websitethat “ Owners of iPhone , iPad , iPod or Mac products may obtain a service and parts from Apple or Apple table service providers for five yr after the product is no longer sold . ” The following iPhones are consideredObsolete , which means gross sales were discontinued more than seven years ago and Apple has now quit all computer hardware servicing .
And the iPhones below are list asVintage , which means they have not been sold for more than five year ( but less than seven years ) . Apple will still service these products as long as it has the required component part .
All iPhones that followed those handsets should be supported by Apple .
You may also be interested to learnhow tenacious Apple confirm Macsandhow long Apple support iPads .
Is your iPhone slipping into obscurity ? Find agreat deal on a novel iPhone hereor check the best toll below and take a face at our round - up to choose theBest iPhone for you .
