Your phone probably looks fine. It charges, it takes photos. But somewhere in Settings there is a date, and that date decides whether the next round of security fixes reaches you or quietly skips your device.
The short answer: recent Pixels and Galaxy flagships promise seven years of security updates, Apple's written minimum is five, and the EU now demands at least five years after a model stops being sold. Your own patch date is under About phone (Android) or About (iPhone). If it is months old, something is off.
Why the date matters right now
Security patches are not cosmetic. The Android Security Bulletin for October 2026 listed 25 issues, seven rated Critical and 18 High. The worst is a System flaw that could let an attacker on the device gain higher privileges with no extra permissions and no tap from you.
Any phone on patch level 2026-10-01 or later has all 25 closed. A phone that stopped getting updates has them wide open, and next month adds more. An unsupported phone does not break; it just stops closing doors.
Check yours in two minutes
On Android, Google's steps are Settings, then About phone, then Android version. Look for the line labelled Android security update. That is your patch date. Menu names shift a little between makers.
On iPhone, the version sits under Settings, General, About, and updates under Settings, General, Software Update. Apple lists what each release fixes on its security releases page.
Now a rule of thumb. On an Android phone that should get monthly patches, a date more than about three months old means one of three things: an update is waiting to be installed, your carrier is slow to approve it, or support is winding down. Check which first.
How long each maker promises
Google's Pixel support page gives the Pixel 6, 6a, 7, 7a, their Pro versions and the Pixel Fold five years. Pixel 8 and everything after it, a-models included, gets seven. The clock starts from first availability on the US Google Store.
Samsung matched that with the Galaxy S24 series in January 2024: seven years of security updates and seven OS upgrades. The S23 before it had five years. Samsung warns that timing can differ by model and market.
Apple is more cautious on paper. In a UK compliance statement for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple committed to a minimum of five years from 22 September 2023, so at least to September 2028. Older iPhones have often done better in practice, but five years is the written promise.
| Phone or rule | Security updates | Clock starts |
|---|---|---|
| Pixel 6 and 7 families, Pixel Fold | 5 years | First sale on US Google Store |
| Pixel 8 and later | 7 years | First sale on US Google Store |
| Galaxy S23 | 5 years | Varies by model and market |
| Galaxy S24 and later | 7 years | Varies by model and market |
| iPhone 15 Pro Max (written minimum) | At least 5 years | First supply, 22 September 2023 |
| EU legal floor, models sold from 20 June 2025 | At least 5 years of OS updates | When the last unit is placed on the market |
Samsung also publishes update tiers. Current flagships such as the Galaxy S23 through S26 and recent Z Fold and Z Flip models get monthly patches. The S22, S21 FE and many A-series phones get quarterly ones. Phones slide from monthly to quarterly before support ends, so the slide is itself a signal.
What the law now forces makers to tell you
In the UK, the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure regime has applied since 29 April 2024. Phone makers must publish the minimum update period with an end date, clearly and free, without you having to ask. The law does not say how long that period must be.
The EU goes further. Its ecodesign rules for smartphones and tablets cover models placed on the EU market from 20 June 2025. Those models must get operating system updates for at least five years after the last unit of the model is placed on the market, roughly when it stops being sold, not from launch. Spare parts must last seven years, and batteries must hold 80% capacity after 800 cycles. More in our piece on replaceable phone batteries returning in 2027.
A rule of thumb for shopping: the end date matters more than the launch date. A discounted two-year-old phone may have three years of patches left, or fewer on a five-year policy. Look up the end date before the price tag wins the argument.
What to do when the updates stop
The phone keeps working. What changes is that every new flaw stays open. Rule of thumb: an unsupported phone should not be the device holding your bank, your email or your passkeys. Here is the order to do things in.
- Confirm it really has ended. Check the maker's published end date, then look at Software updates once more on Wi-Fi with at least 75% charge, which Google recommends before installing.
- Move the sensitive stuff first. Set up banking, email and passkeys on a supported device. Our guide to what happens to your accounts if you lose a phone covers the passkey side.
- Strip the old phone back. Remove banking apps and saved cards, and sign out of email.
- Give it a new job. It makes a fine music player or kitchen timer, and a poor front door.
- When you replace it, buy on the end date. Pick the model whose published support runs longest from today.
Frequently asked questions
My patch date is two months old. Should I worry?
Probably not yet. Quarterly-tier phones can legitimately show a date a few months old. The three-month rule of thumb applies to phones that should be on monthly updates, such as current Galaxy flagships. Check your model's tier first.
Does a seven-year promise include seven years of new Android versions?
For the Galaxy S24 series, yes: Samsung paired seven years of security updates with seven OS upgrades. Elsewhere, read the fine print, because a maker can keep patching security holes after it stops shipping new OS versions.
The two-minute version: open Settings, find the security update date and compare it with today. Recent means relax. Stale means find out why, and move your important accounts before the phone becomes a problem.
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