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When the supposed iPhone 16 lineup is officially announced at an Apple event in less than a week (here's how to watch it), it will include iOS 18, which Apple already detailed at its developer conference earlier this year. But if you don't plan to upgrade to a new iPhone model this year, you could be left with an operating system that is no longer supported by Apple.
Usually every year, some older iPhone models are removed from Apple's iOS eligibility list. Last year, for example, the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X were left off the compatibility list. This means those iPhone owners couldn't update to iOS 17 and missed out on some notable features.
We'll help you find out if your iPhone supports iOS 18, as well as Apple Intelligence Not sure what's coming with the new update? Here's a summary of the biggest announcements from WWDC, along with an overview of iOS 18
iPhones are compatible with iOS 18
We have good news: If you had an eligible phone when you updated to iOS 17 last year, that device should still be compatible with iOS 18, according to Apple. This means you don't have to buy a new phone to test most of the new software features.
- iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)
- iPhone XR
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
Put another way, if you have an iPhone from the 2017 model year or earlier (iPhone 8 or iPhone X), you can't upgrade to the latest iOS, but your phone should continue to work — albeit without the latest bells and whistles.
Is your iPhone compatible with Apple Intelligence?
While your older device will still be able to support the latest iOS, chances are you won't be able to try the Apple Intelligence beta just yet. If you don't have an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max — the best 2023 models — your iPhone isn't eligible. It's a safe bet that the new iPhone 16 models will be fully compatible with Apple Intelligence, but we'll have to wait for official details at the September 9 event.