If you are thinking of buying an older generation or used iPhone, or wondering whether it’s worth upgrading your current iPhone to a new one, one important factor to consider is how long Apple will continue to offer support for that handset. The good news is that Apple supports iPhones for a long time. In general, you’ll get seven to eight years of software updates, while battery and other repairs are often available on five to seven-year-old handsets, according to Apple’s Vintage and Obsolete categorizations.

Read on to find out which iPhones are supported with the latest operating systems, and which are supported for servicing and repairs. We also have guides for getting a broken iPhone fixed and how much Apple product repairs cost.

How long does Apple support iOS?

As a general rule, Apple doesn’t guarantee any length of time for updates. However, buyers can expect at least five years of iOS updates and six years of security updates, though Apple regularly goes beyond that. For example, we expect the iPhone XS and XR to be dropped from support when iOS 19 arrives in 2025, giving those phones seven years of OS and security updates.

The chart below shows each version of iOS and the iPhones it ran on. As you can see, in recent years support for new iOS versions has stretched back for around six years, while if you include the past three versions, security support goes back a further year.

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</button><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Every version of iOS and the iPhones it ran on.</figcaption></figure>

Foundry

Apple issues security updates for the current version of iOS and, usually, the two preceding versions. Since the arrival of iOS 18 on September 16, 2024, we can expect security updates for iOS 18, iOS 17 and iOS 16. Indeed, iOS 17 received a security update on the day iOS 18 was released. (Note: It is possible Apple won’t continue to update iOS 17 because iOS 18 is compatible with the same phones.) iOS 16 was last updated on Augsut 7, 2024.

From time to time Apple issues important security updates for iOS. It doesn’t issue an update for every version of iOS though, which means that some iPhones will not get this fix for what could be dangerous vulnerabilities.

iPhone OS history

The first iPhone, which launched in 2007, was able to run iPhone OS 3, which was supported by Apple up until 2010. The iPhone is considered obsolete by Apple.

The iPhone 3G, which launched in 2008, was able to run iOS 4.0, which was itself supported until 2011. The iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS are considered obsolete by Apple.

The length of support increased with the launch of the iPhone 4s in 2011. That phone was able to run operating systems all the way up to iOS 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 5c runs iOS 10, which also received the GPS-related update in July 2019. The iPhones 5 and 5c are considered obsolete by Apple.

The iPhone 5s and iPhone 6 both run iOS 12, for which Apple issued a security update in January 2023. This update was issued for those few devices that don’t support iOS 15. Apple is unlikely to continue support for iOS 12. These phones are considered vintage by Apple.

iOS 15, which arrived in September 2021, supports all iPhones from iPhone 6s onwards, just as with iOS 14 and iOS 13. Both iOS 14 and 13 are considered obsolete by Apple because the same phones can run iOS 15. The iPhone 6s is already considered vintage by Apple.

iOS 16, which arrived in September 2022 runs on all iPhones from the iPhone 8 onwards – but do note that not all features are available on the older handsets.

iOS 17 arrived in September 2023 and runs on all iPhones from the iPhone XS onwards – meaning the iPhone X and iPhone 8 will be stuck with iOS 16.

iOS 18 arrives on September 16, 2024, and, like iOS 17, will run on all iPhones from the iPhone XS onwards.

What is the oldest iPhone still supported?

If the oldest version of iOS supported with regular security updates is iOS 17, the oldest iPhones supported by Apple will be the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR. These phones were all introduced six years ago in 2018.

That means the following iPhone models will no longer receive regular updates, though some models may occasionally get a critical security update:

• 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 more information, see our list of every version of iOS.

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