Unfortunately For Some, These iPhone & iPad Models Won't Be Getting iOS 26

If you have an older iPhone or iPad, you know there's always a chance that, come June, Apple might not include your device on the list of supported models for the next iOS or iPadOS update. When that happens, no matter how many things you do to make your old iPhone feel like new, being stuck with an old operating system can make your device feel like it's frozen in time. And that's exactly what's happening this year with iOS 26, as a few popular iPhone and iPad models are officially getting left behind.

Apple formally introduced iOS 26 and iPadOS at WWDC 2025, continuing its tradition of yearly OS updates. However, this year brought a twist: Apple is skipping over quite a few version numbers and going directly from iOS 18 to iOS 26 to match the upcoming calendar year. While its OS naming convention has changed, what hasn't is its approach to phasing out older hardware. With iOS 26, Apple will drop support for the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and the 7th-generation iPad won't be getting iPadOS 26 either. That said, these devices are expected to continue receiving security updates for at least a couple more years.

If you're still using an iPhone with the A12 Bionic chip, you won't be able to update to iOS 26. While the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max with their edge-to-edge Retina displays were considered the start of a new generation of iPhones when Apple released them back in 2018, they're now aging out of new updates. These devices received iOS 18 but will not be eligible for iOS 26 or future updates.

If you're a longtime Apple user, this might not come as much of a surprise, since Apple typically supports devices with major iOS updates for about six or seven years. Apple typically cites aging hardware as the main reason for ending support. With iOS 26 set to be released this fall, these devices are hitting the end of their iOS lifespan right on schedule. If you have an iPhone 11 series or newer or the 2nd or 3rd generation iPhone SE, you'll be eligible for the latest upgrade. That means you'll get to use new features like the new Apple Liquid Glass interface, live translation, and store more in Wallet.

Most iPad owners can breathe a sigh of relief, since only the 7th-generation iPad is being left out of iPadOS 26. The 7th-generation iPad was released in 2019 and powered by the A10 Fusion chip. The 7th-generation iPad received iPadOS 18, but it seems that will be the last major update. All other iPads from 2019 will receive the iPadOS 26 update when it's released, including the 8th-, 9th-, and 10th-generation iPads (A12 and newer), the iPad Air starting with the 3rd generation, the iPad Mini 5th-gen and newer, and all iPad Pro models still in circulation.

The iPadOS 26 update feels more like macOS and introduces a new windowing and tiling system that brings more of a desktop feel to the iPad. Still, even among supported models, not every device will benefit equally from the iPadOS 26 release. For example, Apple Intelligence features, such as system-wide writing tools, Genmoji, and better multitasking, will be limited to iPads with M-series chips or the A17 Pro because older hardware can't handle the required on-device AI processing.