iOS End of Life: Which iPhone and iPad Versions Still Get Updates
iOS 26 and iOS 18 are fully supported as of July 2026, and Apple has continued shipping occasional security patches to iOS 15 and 16 for devices that can't go newer. Apple publishes no official end-of-life calendar for iOS — support ends when the patches quietly stop — and Apple's actual behavior is more generous and less predictable than any written policy would be: iOS 12 received its final security patch in January 2026, more than seven years after it shipped.
That January 2026 patch to a 2018 operating system is the perfect illustration of how iOS end of life really works. Apple maintains a soft second tier: when a serious flaw is exploited in the wild, older iOS versions that remain the last stop for older iPhones and iPads sometimes get emergency fixes. Sometimes. The unpredictability is the risk — an iPhone stuck on iOS 15 might get the next emergency patch, or might already have received its last one, and Apple will never announce which.
iOS End-of-Life Table
| Version | Released | Last update / EOL | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| iOS 26 | Sep 15, 2025 | Still receiving updates | Supported |
| iOS 18 | Sep 16, 2024 | Still receiving updates | Supported |
| iOS 17 | Sep 18, 2023 | Nov 19, 2024 | EOL |
| iOS 16 | Sep 12, 2022 | Still receiving updates | Supported |
| iOS 15 | Sep 20, 2021 | Still receiving updates | Supported |
| iOS 14 | Sep 16, 2020 | Oct 26, 2021 | EOL |
| iOS 13 | Sep 19, 2019 | Sep 16, 2020 | EOL |
| iOS 12 | Sep 17, 2018 | Jan 26, 2026 | EOL |
| iOS 11 | Sep 19, 2017 | Oct 8, 2018 | EOL |
| iOS 10 | Sep 13, 2016 | Jul 22, 2019 | EOL |
| iOS 9 | Sep 16, 2015 | Jul 22, 2019 | EOL |
| iOS 8 | Sep 17, 2014 | Sep 30, 2015 | EOL |
| iOS 7 | Sep 18, 2013 | Oct 20, 2014 | EOL |
| iOS 6 | Sep 19, 2012 | Sep 26, 2013 | EOL |
| iOS 5 | Oct 12, 2011 | Nov 1, 2012 | EOL |
"Still receiving updates" for older versions (15, 16) means Apple has continued shipping occasional security fixes; cadence is not guaranteed. Per-version pages: endoflife.ai/ios. iPad hardware support by model: endoflife.ai/ipad.
The device clock: when your iPhone or iPad hits its last iOS
Like Macs, every iPhone and iPad has a final iOS version its hardware supports — and that, not the version table, usually decides when your device's updates end. An iPhone 8 tops out at iOS 16; early iPads topped out years ago. Once a device is stranded on its final iOS and that version leaves even the emergency-patch tier, the device is done. We track iPad models' support windows individually — the spread between a model's release and its last update runs five to eight years.
If your device is stranded on an old iOS
- Update as far as the hardware allows (Settings → General → Software Update) — being on your device's final iOS at its latest point release is materially safer than sitting several updates behind it.
- Personal devices on iOS 16 or older: usable, but treat as increasingly unsafe for banking and 2FA as emergency patches taper; plan replacement rather than assuming the next patch comes.
- Fleets: mobile-device-management should enforce a minimum of the previous major iOS; stranded devices go on the refresh schedule. Track versions across the estate with the API or Checker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which iOS versions still get security updates in 2026?
iOS 26 and iOS 18 are fully supported. iOS 15 and 16 remain on Apple's soft second tier — they receive occasional security patches for devices that can't upgrade further, with no guaranteed cadence. iOS 17 stopped receiving updates in November 2024, and iOS 12's final patch arrived in January 2026.
Does Apple publish iOS end-of-life dates?
No. Apple publishes no lifecycle calendar for iOS. End of life is observable only in retrospect — when security patches stop arriving. endoflife.ai tracks last-update dates per version and labels the methodology openly.
Why did iOS 12 get a security patch in 2026?
Apple occasionally ships emergency fixes to old iOS versions that are the final supported release for older devices, when a vulnerability is being actively exploited. iOS 12's January 2026 patch — over seven years after release — is the most recent example. These patches are real but unpredictable; they are a courtesy, not a commitment.
Is an iPhone on iOS 16 still safe to use?
Increasingly less so. iOS 16 devices have received occasional security patches, but the cadence is unguaranteed and tapering. The device works, but for banking, 2FA, and sensitive accounts, plan replacement rather than counting on the next emergency patch arriving.