Is the iPhone XR Still Supported in 2026?

Short answer: partly. The iPhone XR can't run iOS 26 (September 2025) or iOS 27 (September 2026), so its last major version is iOS 18: no new features, ever. But Apple hasn't abandoned it yet. It keeps shipping security-only iOS 18 updates for the XR, and the latest, iOS 18.7.10 on 17 August 2026, was a big one. Apple doesn't say when those fixes will stop, so the XR is in its final phase: fine as a spare, but no longer the phone to trust with your bank for years to come.

The facts (checked 17 October 2026)

Apple's security releases page lists iOS 18.7.10 as available for "iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPad 7th generation", released 17 August 2026. Its security notes list well over 100 CVE entries and say the update "delivers security fixes that were first made available in the iOS 26.6 and 27 … betas". The same page shows iOS 26 (15 September 2025) and iOS 27 (14 September 2026) are only for "iPhone 11 and later". Apple's How to download iOS 27 list starts at the iPhone 11 and the iPhone SE (2nd generation); the XR isn't on it.

Does the iPhone XR still get security updates?

Yes, for now. Since iOS 26 left it behind, Apple has released these iOS 18 updates that list the iPhone XR, all on its security releases page:

There was no iOS 18 update alongside iOS 27 on 14 September 2026 or iOS 27.0.1 on 28 September 2026, so by 17 October 2026 the XR's latest fix is two months old. That's normal for an older iOS line: the updates come in batches, not on a fixed schedule.

When will the iPhone XR stop getting updates completely?

Apple doesn't announce it, so nobody can give you a date. Apple's own history is the best guide, and it says "probably not soon":

• iPhone 8 and iPhone X were dropped by iOS 17 on 18 September 2023 (Apple) and were still getting iOS 16.7.16 on 11 May 2026, more than two and a half years later (Apple). See Is the iPhone X still supported?
• iPhone 6s and the first iPhone SE were dropped by iOS 16 in September 2022 and got iOS 15.8.8 on 11 May 2026.
• Old lines can also go quiet for months and then come back. Ars Technica noted in June 2024 that iOS 15 updates had "apparently" stopped, yet Apple released more of them later (Ars Technica).

Our estimate: the iPhone XR will probably keep getting occasional iOS 18 security fixes into 2027, and possibly longer, with fewer and smaller updates over time. That's our reading of Apple's track record, not a promise from Apple.

So is the iPhone XR "supported" or not?

It depends on what you mean:

• New features and app support: no. The XR is stuck on iOS 18. Apps will gradually start requiring iOS 26 or later, one app at a time, not on a set date. Banking and messaging apps tend to drop old iOS versions eventually.
• Security fixes: yes, for now, but limited. New fixes land in the current iOS first. The XR gets a back-ported subset on iOS 18, on Apple's schedule.
• No end date. Apple never publishes one for older iPhones, so trackers disagree. We list the iPhone XS / XR as ending: still patched, but on borrowed time.

Should you keep using an iPhone XR?

1. Install iOS 18.7.10 now: Settings → General → Software Update.
2. Fine as a second phone, music player, kid's first phone without banking apps, or backup.
3. For banking, payments, DigiD, work email or a child's main phone, an iPhone that runs iOS 27 (iPhone 11 or newer) is the safer choice.
4. Don't buy a used iPhone XR in 2026 except as a very cheap spare. It will never get iOS 26, and its security fixes could end without warning.

What to buy instead (refurbished is fine)

If you're replacing an XR, a refurbished iPhone that runs iOS 27 gives you full support today. Facts from Apple:

For our estimates on the middle options, read When does the iPhone 12 stop getting updates?, When does the iPhone 13 stop getting updates? and When does the iPhone SE (2022) stop getting updates?. An iPhone 11 is the cheapest way off iOS 18, but it's the most likely to miss the next major version.

Check the live status on our iPhone XS / XR page, and compare it with the iPhone X and iPhone 8, which are a step further along the same path.

Buying a used replacement?

A cheap used phone can still be a bad deal if it is Activation-Locked, reported stolen, carrier-locked or close to its own end-of-support date. Our own guide, Safe to Buy Used? The Second-Hand Phone & Gadget Checklist, walks you through every check before you pay. It is a paid PDF we make ourselves; checking a model on our device list stays free.

Not sure what to get instead? Our guide to which used or refurbished phone to buy in 2026 ranks iPhones, Pixels and Galaxys by years of updates left.

Looking for a replacement with years of updates left? Compare prices for iPhone 13 at bol.com or iPhone 15 at bol.com (search results; check the seller, condition and warranty before you buy).

Affiliate disclosure: bol.com links are affiliate links; we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. See our disclosure.

Sources

• Apple, Apple security releases (published 28 Sep 2026, checked 17 Oct 2026)
• Apple, About the security content of iOS 18.7.10 and iPadOS 18.7.10 (17 Aug 2026, checked 17 Oct 2026)
• Apple, About the security content of iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 (15 Sep 2025)
• Apple, How to download iOS 27 (checked 17 Oct 2026)
• Apple, Apple security updates (2022 to 2023) (iOS 17 on 18 Sep 2023, checked 17 Oct 2026)
• Apple Newsroom, Apple introduces iPhone XR (12 Sep 2018)
• Ars Technica, Apple will update iPhones for at least 5 years in rare public commitment (6 Jun 2024)

Apple can change its plans at any time. Always check Software Update on your phone and Apple's security releases page for the latest.