Unsure which version of iOS your iPhone can run? Here’s a quick guide so you can find out if your iPhone is compatible with the latest iterations of the iPhone operating system and if it’s not which version you can install on your iPhone.
Apple gives iOS a major update every year, which usually introduces new features and some stability upgrades to the previous version, plus several minor updates in between. The current version of iOS is iOS 18, arriving in September 2024, but since then there have been several updates, including iOS 18.5 in May 2025.
A new update for iOS will come later in 2025. IOS 26 (the jump from 18 to 26 is due to the fact that Apple has adapted the numbering that matches the year) will bring a whole new design and lots of new features to iPhones. But will iOS 26 run on your iPhone? Unfortunately, the compatibility list for iOS 26 is slightly less than for iOS 18. If your iPhone is older than iPhone 11, you miss the new iOS.
Even with an iPhone 11, you won’t get all the new features that come with iOS 26. For the Apple Intelligence-driven features you need iPhone 16, 16E, 16 Plus, 16 Pro or 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16E or iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Not being able to run the latest iOS is not necessarily a reason to upgrade your iPhone. Although you cannot take advantage of the latest features, Apple will continue to issue software updates to tackle safety vulnerability in the recent versions of iOS. It is likely that Apple will support iOS 18 with security updates after iOS 26 arrives. That’s when your iPhone can’t run a supported version of iOS that you really need to consider upgrading. We explain how long Apple supports the iPhone in a separate article and you can see which iPhones support which version of iOS in the diagram below.
Although Apple is better than most people keeping older models on the list of supported devices, hardware restrictions may mean an iPhone is left behind. If your iPhone is unable to run one of Apple’s supported versions of iOS, it’s probably time to upgrade your iPhone. To find out more read how long Apple supports the iPhone for.
To see a short story about iOS, take a look at our guide to any version of iOS released so far.
Recent iOS version supported by each iPhone
To show you which version of iOS your iPhone can run, we have broken down each iPhone generation so you know which version it is originally sent with (as it will be the earliest it can run) and the latest iteration it is currently supporting – including whether this iPhone will support iOS 26.
It should be noted that Apple has stopped supporting a lot of the older versions of iOS now, which means there are no new security fixes for them. Alongside the latest iOS, Apple usually supports two (or sometimes three) generations of the iPhone operating system with security updates. The last update for iOS 17 was iOS 17.7.2 in November 2024. The last security update for iOS 16 (iOS 16.7.11) was released in March 2025.
With iOS 26, Apple is likely to end support for iOS 16 and iPhones X, 8 and 8 plus. When iOS 18 arrived, Apple ended support for iOS 15 (last updated in July 2024) and with IT support for iPhones 7, 6s, 6S Plus and 1st. General SE.
iOS 18 supports the same iPhones that were able to run iOS 17, so Apple can also end support for iOS 17 with the arrival of iOS 26 later in 2026.
Each version of iOS and the supported iPhones
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iPhone 16, 16E, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max
- Original iOS version: iOS 18
- Running it iOS 26: Yes
iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max
- Original iOS version: iOS 17
- Running it iOS 26: Yes
iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max
- Original iOS version: iOS 16
- Running it iOS 26: Yes
iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max
- Original iOS version: iOS 15
- Running it iOS 26: Yes
iPhone SE (3rd Generation)
- Original iOS version: iOS 15
- Running it iOS 26: Yes
iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max
- Original iOS version: iOS 14
- Does it run iOS 18: Yes
iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max
- Original iOS version: iOS 13
- Running it iOS 26: Yes
iPhone SE (2nd generation)
- Original iOS version: iOS 13
- Running it iOS 26: Yes
iPhone XR, XS, XS MAX
- Original iOS version: iOS 12
- Runs it iOS 26: No
- Last compatible version: iOS 18
iPhone X.
- Original iOS version: iOS 11
- Last compatible version: iOS 16
iPhone 8, 8 plus
- Original iOS version: iOS 11
- Last compatible version: iOS 16
iPhone 7, 7 plus
- Original iOS version: iOS 10
- Last compatible version: iOS 15
iPhone 6s, 6s plus
- Original iOS version: iOS 9
- Last compatible version: iOS 15
iPhone SE (1. Generation)
- Original iOS version: iOS 9
- Last compatible version: iOS 15
iPhone 6, 6 Plus
- Original iOS version: iOS 8
- Last compatible version: iOS 12
iPhone 5s
- Original iOS version: iOS 7
- Last compatible version: iOS 12
iPhone 5c
- Original iOS version: iOS 7
- Last compatible version: iOS 10
iPhone 5
- Original iOS version: iOS 6
- Last compatible version: iOS 10
iPhone 4s
- Original iOS version: iOS 5
- Last compatible version: iOS 9
iPhone 4
- Original iOS version: iOS 4
- Last compatible version: iOS 7
iPhone 3GS
- Original iOS version: iOS 3
- Last compatible version: iOS 6
iPhone 3G
- Original iOS version: iOS 2
- Last compatible version: iOS 4
iPhone
- Original iOS version: iOS 1
- Last compatible version: iOS 3
If your iPhone is not supported by iOS 24 or 18, you may want to consider upgrading to a newer device. Look at our best iPhone deals, where we share the latest money-saving offers. Read our best iPhone guide for advice.
How to tell which version of iOS you are running
If you are not sure which version of iOS you are currently running, it is very easy to find out.
- Open settings.
- Press General.
- Press and look for the iOS version number.
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How to upgrade iOS
Now that you know the latest version of iOS that your iPhone supports, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re running on that platform. We have a guide on how to update iOS on your iPhone, so take a look at it and follow the simple instructions to get your iPhone up to date.