How long will your phone get updates? Software support explained

Most new flagship phones now get far longer software support than they did a few years ago. As of 2026, Google and Samsung promise seven years of updates for their recent flagships, and Apple commits to at least five years of security updates for recent iPhones, often supporting them for longer. The clock usually starts when a model launches, not when you buy it, so your phone’s real end date depends on which model you have and how old it is.

OS upgrades vs security updates

“Software updates” covers several different things, and phone makers often promise them separately.

Update type	What it does	How often it arrives
OS upgrade	A new major version, such as iOS 26 to iOS 27, with new features and design changes	About once a year
Security update	Fixes flaws that attackers could use to break into the phone or steal data	Monthly on many Android phones; as needed on iPhone
Bug-fix and feature update	Fixes glitches and adds smaller features between major versions, such as Google’s Pixel Drops	Varies by brand

Security updates are the ones that decide whether a phone stays safe to use. A phone stuck on last year’s OS that still gets patches stays protected against the flaws its maker fixes. A phone that gets no patches does not, whatever version it runs.

Apple shows the difference clearly. The iPhone XS and iPhone XR can’t run iOS 26, but Apple still shipped them a security update, iOS 18.7.10, in August 2026.

So when you read a support promise, check which kind of update it covers. Google’s and Samsung’s flagship promises include both OS upgrades and security updates. Apple’s formal commitment covers security updates only.

How long the big brands support their phones in 2026

These are the makers’ own published promises as of September 2026.

Phones	OS upgrades	Security updates	Clock starts
Google Pixel 8 and later, including the Pixel 10a and Pixel 11 series	7 years	7 years	First sale on the US Google Store
Google Pixel 6 and 7 series, and the original Pixel Fold	5 years	5 years	First sale on the US Google Store
Samsung Galaxy S24, S25 and S26 series	7 generations	7 years	Global launch
Samsung Galaxy A57 5G and A37 5G	Up to 6 generations	Up to 6 years	First global launch
Recent iPhones	No published schedule	At least 5 years	First supply date

Google Pixel

Google counts support from the day each model first went on sale on the US Google Store, and it publishes those availability dates on a separate page. The Pixel 8 went on sale in October 2023, so its seven-year promise runs to about October 2030.

The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are a timely example of the other end. They went on sale in October 2021 with five years of support, so their window closes around October 2026. The Pixel 5a and older models no longer get Android version or security updates.

Samsung Galaxy

Samsung promises seven generations of Android upgrades and seven years of security updates for the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S26 series. Its 2026 midrange phones, the Galaxy A57 5G and A37 5G, get up to six of each. Samsung adds that timing can vary by model and market.

How often patches arrive changes over a phone’s life, too. Samsung’s security updates page lists which devices get monthly patches and which get quarterly ones, and it notes that the monthly list changes “as the regular support period expires.” In September 2026, the Galaxy S23 to S26 series get monthly patches, while the older Galaxy S22 series and S21 FE are on the quarterly list. An aging Galaxy often moves to slower patches before support stops entirely.

Apple iPhone

Apple doesn’t publish an upgrade schedule for iPhones. Its formal minimum comes from UK compliance filings: the iPhone 16 statement, for example, lists a “Minimum 5 Years from the first supply date” of September 20, 2024.

In practice, iPhones have lasted longer than that. iOS 27, released on September 14, 2026, still runs on the iPhone 11, a 2019 phone. Apple’s security releases page also shows occasional patches for much older models: iOS 15.8.8 reached the iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 in May 2026. Apple doesn’t promise these extra patches or say how long they will continue.

Other Android brands

Google’s Android Help notes that update schedules vary by device, manufacturer and carrier. Promises can differ even within one brand, as Samsung’s S and A series show. Before you buy, find the maker’s written policy for that exact model rather than relying on a store listing or a review.

Rules that set a minimum: the EU and UK

The EU’s five-year rule

Since June 20, 2025, EU ecodesign rules have applied to new phones and tablets placed on the EU market. If a maker keeps releasing updates for an operating system, it must offer them free to every unit of a model for at least five years after the last unit is sold. The regulation also sets deadlines: security and bug fixes within four months of the underlying OS update’s public release, and feature updates within six months.

Because that clock starts when sales end, not at launch, the real window is often well over five years from a phone’s debut. The same rules cover durability and repair:

• Spare parts such as batteries and cameras must stay available for at least seven years after a model leaves sale.
• Batteries must keep at least 80% of their capacity after 800 charge cycles.
• An EU energy label shows battery endurance, drop resistance and a repairability class, with a QR code linking to more details.

The UK’s published support periods

Since April 29, 2024, the UK’s product security regime has required makers of connected devices to publish the minimum length of time they will provide security updates, along with an end date. That law is why Apple’s five-year statements exist, and anyone can read them.

How to check when your phone’s updates end

1. Find your exact model. On an iPhone, go to Settings > General > About. On Android, go to Settings > About phone.
2. Check your current software.
   • iPhone: Settings > General > Software Update shows your iOS version and any update waiting.
   • Pixel and many other Android phones: Settings > About phone > Android version shows your Android version and the date of your latest Android security update.
   • Samsung Galaxy: Settings > About phone > Software information shows your One UI and Android versions and your security patch level. Settings > Security and privacy > Updates > Security update checks for new patches, and Settings > Software update > Download and install checks for new software.
3. Add the promised years to the launch date. Use the maker’s own page for the launch date: Google’s availability list for Pixels, the global launch date for Galaxy phones, or the first supply date in Apple’s UK statements.
4. Watch the patch date. If it’s several months old and a manual check finds nothing new, your phone may have moved to a slower schedule or dropped out of support.

The same math applies when you shop. A discounted or refurbished phone has already used part of its window, which is why our buying cheat sheet and budget smartphone buying guide both put years of support left near the top of the list.

What to do when support ends

Your phone won’t stop working the day support ends. But security flaws found after that date stay unfixed, so the risk grows over time. Apps may also drop support for older OS versions eventually.

Straight away

• Install the last update your phone offers.
• Keep your apps updated from the official app store, and avoid installing apps from other sources.
• Take extra care with links in texts and emails, since phishing is a common way in. Our guide on how to spot phishing shows the warning signs.

Move your most sensitive accounts

Put banking, payments, work email, your password manager and your authenticator app on a phone that still gets patches. If an old phone is your only sign-in method for important accounts, add a second one first; our explainer on two-factor authentication methods covers the options.

Plan the replacement

• Back up first. Follow our guide on how to back up your phone and computer.
• Wipe it properly. Sign out of your accounts, then do a factory reset before you sell, trade in or recycle the phone.
• Or give it a quieter job. An old phone can work as a dedicated music player or bedside clock, as long as it stays signed out of your important accounts.

The bottom line

A phone’s update clock starts at launch, so look up your model’s launch date and the maker’s written promise, then check your security patch date now and then. Judge a phone by how long it will get security updates, not just new features, and start planning a move before that date arrives. Find more phone advice in our Smartphones section, or browse more plain-English guides on RedAndWhiteMagz.com.