iOS compatibility: Find out the latest version your iPhone can run

Macworld

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 most recent iterations of the iPhone operating system, and, if it isn’t, which version you can install on your iPhone.

Apple gives iOS a major update each year, usually introducing new features and some stability upgrades to the previous version, plus numerous smaller updates in between. iOS 18 arrived on September 16, but since then there have been multiple updates, including iOS 18.3 in January 2025.

The good news is that the compatibility list for iOS 18 is the same as iOS 17, so those with the iPhone XR, XS or 2nd gen SE will get to enjoy iOS 18. However, to use the new Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18, you’ll need the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro or 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16e, or the iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max.

When Apple introduces iOS 19 later in 2025 we expect it to support every phone supported by iOS 18. That’s all phones sold since 2018. However, as with iOS 18 many Apple Intelligence features will not be available for older iPhones.

Although Apple is better than most at keeping older models on the list of supported devices, hardware limitations can sometimes mean that an iPhone gets left behind. This doesn’t mean the device will stop working, but you won’t be able to access the newer features and capabilities that come with the updated software and you may be vulnerable to security flaws. If your iPhone can’t run one of Apple’s supported versions of iOS then it’s probably time to upgrade your iPhone. To find out more read how long Apple supports the iPhone for.

If you want to see a brief history of iOS, then take a look at our guide to Every version of iOS released so far.

Latest iOS version supported by each iPhone

To show you which version of iOS your iPhone can run, we’ve broken down each iPhone generation so you know which version it originally shipped with (as that will be the earliest it can run) and the latest iteration it currently supports–including whether that iPhone will support iOS 18. We’ve not listed the smaller ‘point’ releases, as they change all the time, so take it as understood that any version of iOS that the iPhone is shown as supporting (such as iOS 16) also means any smaller point updates too (such as iOS 16.4.1).

It should be noted that Apple has stopped supporting a lot of the older versions of iOS now, meaning there are no new security patches for them. Alongside the latest iOS, Apple usually supports two (or sometimes three) generations of the iPhone operating system with security updates. Since September 2024: iOS 17 is the oldest supported version of iOS. The last version of iOS 16 was released in August 2024.

This means that Apple has now ended support for the iPhones X, 8 and 8 Plus as it is no longer issuing security updates for iOS 16. With the end of support for iOS 15 (last updated in July 2024), the iPhones 7, 6S, 6S Plus and 1st gen SE has also ended.

iOS 18 supports the same iPhones that were able to run iOS 17, so Apple is likely to end support for that version with the arrival of iOS 19 later in 2025. The last security update for iOS 17 was in November 2024.

Every version of iPhone and the iOS it supports.

Foundry

iPhone 16, 16e, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max

Original iOS version: iOS 18

Does it run iOS 18: Yes

iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max

Original iOS version: iOS 17

Does it run iOS 18: Yes

iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max

Original iOS version: iOS 16

Does it run iOS 18: Yes

iPhone 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max

Original iOS version: iOS 15

Does it run iOS 18: Yes

iPhone SE (3rd generation)

Original iOS version: iOS 15

Does it run iOS 18: 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

Does it run iOS 18: Yes

iPhone SE (2nd generation)

Original iOS version: iOS 13

Does it run iOS 18: Yes

iPhone XR, XS, XS Max

Original iOS version: iOS 12

Does it run iOS 18: Yes