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. The current version of iOS is iOS 26, which arrived on September 15, 2025.

iOS 26 is the successor to iOS 18 (the jump from 18 to 26 is because Apple has realigned the numbering to match the year) will bring a brand 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 smaller than that for iOS 18. If your iPhone is older than the iPhone 11 you miss out on the new iOS.

Even with an iPhone 11 you won’t get all the new features coming with iOS 26. For the Apple Intelligence-powered features you’ll need the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, or iPhone Air, the iPhone 16, 16e, 16 Plus, 16 Pro or 16 Pro Max, or the iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max.

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 Apple

If your iPhone can’t run the newest iOS that doesn’t mean you need to upgrade your iPhone. While you won’t be able to take advantage of the newest features, Apple does continue to issue software updates to address security vulnerabilities in the most recent versions of iOS. Even with the arrival of iOS 26, Apple will continue to support iOS 18 with security updates (and with is the iPhone XS and XR).

In some years Apple supports more than one older iOS with security updates, but because all phones that run iOS 17 can be upgraded to iOS 18 it is likely that iOS 17 is no longer be supported. Indeed, the last update to iOS 17 was iOS 17.7.2 in November 2024.

However, Apple issued security updates for iOS 16 and iOS 15 on September 15, 2025, which should keep 2015’s iPhone 6s through to 2017’s iPhone X safe for a while longer. We don’t expect further updates to these iOS versions.

It is when your iPhone can’t run a supported version of iOS that you really do have to consider upgrading for the sake of your security. We explain how long Apple supports the iPhone for in a separate article and you can see which iPhones support which version of iOS in the chart below.

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 supports iOS 26.




Every version of iOS and the phones it supports.Foundry

iPhone Air

Original iOS version: iOS 26

Does it run iOS 26: Yes

iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max

Original iOS version: iOS 26

Does it run iOS 26: Yes

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

Original iOS version: iOS 18

Does it run iOS 26: Yes

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

Original iOS version: iOS 17

Does it run iOS 26: Yes

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

Original iOS version: iOS 16

Does it run iOS 26: Yes

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

Original iOS version: iOS 15

Does it run iOS 26: Yes

iPhone SE (3rd generation)

Original iOS version: iOS 15

Does it run 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

Does it run iOS 26: Yes

iPhone SE (2nd generation)

Original iOS version: iOS 13

Does it run iOS 26: Yes

iPhone XR, XS, XS Max

Original iOS version: iOS 12

Does it run 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 (1st 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 isn’t supported by iOS 24 or 18 then you might want to consider upgrading to a newer device. Take a look at our best iPhone deals round-up where we share the most recent money-saving deals. Read our best iPhone guide for advice.

How to tell which version of iOS you’re running

If you’re not sure which version of iOS you’re currently running, it’s very easy to find out.

Open Settings.

Tap on General.

Tap About and look for the iOS Version number.




Screenshot
Foundry

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 that and follow the simple instructions to get your iPhone up to date.