Apple is working on its next major software update for the iPhone – iOS 18. As you’d expect, iOS 18 will work best with the latest iPhones, and it’ll come pre-installed on the upcoming iPhone 16. But a whole bunch of older iPhones will also get the free software update – stretching back around five years.
But will your current iPhone get the iOS 18 update? Here’s our guide to the iOS 18 system requirements.
Will my iPhone get iOS 18?
Surprisingly, iOS 18 will run on all of the same devices that can run iOS 17. Apple has done this before, but not for a while. Last year’s iOS 17 update killed compatibility for the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus from 2017, the iPhone X, the original iPhone SE, and the 7th generation iPod touch. This news comes courtesy of a MacRumors contributor, with a track record of accurate iPhone leaks.
The earliest iPhones on the list for compatibility are 2018’s iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max, which is fairly impressive considering a lot of Android devices only offer three years of security updates.
But why is Apple opening up iOS 18 to as many devices as possible? The next version of the iPhone’s software offers a number of new AI-powered features, potentially including a revamped Siri. The design also gets a major refresh, with new UI elements and customisation options. With so many changes, making this update as broad as possible can only be a good thing – giving users an extra reason to keep their iPhone. And upgrade to the next one, naturally.
Here’s a full list of the devices expected to be compatible with iOS 18:
iPhone 16 series (upcoming)
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15
iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14
iPhone 13 mini
iPhone 13
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11
iPhone XS Max
iPhone XS
iPhone XR
iPhone SE (2020, 2nd generation)
iPhone SE (2022, 3rd generation)
The new software debuted at Apple’s WWDC 2024 developers conference in June, and is available as a beta. You should not install this on your main device. The software update will roll out to everyone in September.
