Why You Should Stop Using Your iPhone If It’s On This List

Something needs to change. There are now more than a billion smartphones that are no longer eligible for security updates and fixes. Every new vulnerability and every new attack becomes a serious threat. Is your phone now at risk?

If you own an Android, it's complicated . Updates come from both Google and the manufacturers. With iPhones, though, it's very simple. And now there's a visual guide that lets you check your model against the list of obsolete iPhones. That means iPhones with unpatched threats, iPhones that are now at risk.

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In the last year, we have seen multiple " mercenary spyware " warnings from Apple, and we have had countless update now warnings in the press, as the iMaker releases a train of major and minor iOS updates.

If your iPhone is on the list of "obsolete" models, meaning no more updates, then you should upgrade to a new or newer device. You can also use the new visual guide, courtesy of @privatetalky on X, to check which iPhones are safe to buy.

If your phone is not obsolete but is now just receiving security updates or nearing the end of support, then you should consider a new phone. What you must not do is assume your device will remain safe — the scourge of AI has accelerated the pace and expanded the scale of attacks. Do not take the risk.

This new chart is simple but effective. It's also timely. With Apple's recent release of critical updates for older phones, coming not long after its battle to push iOS 18 users to upgrade to iOS 26, the install base is more complex than usual.

The detailed list of iPhones now off support can be found here . It includes the iPhone 8, which dropped support 12-months ago, and any devices older than that.

You can also find the list on Apple's own website :

• iPhone

• iPhone 3G (China mainland) 8GB

• iPhone 3G 8GB, 16GB

• iPhone 3GS (China mainland) 16GB, 32GB

• iPhone 3GS (8GB)

• iPhone 3GS 16GB, 32GB

• iPhone 4 CDMA

• iPhone 4 CDMA (8GB)

• iPhone 4 16GB, 32GB

• iPhone 4 GSM (8GB)

• iPhone 4S

• iPhone 4S (8GB)

• iPhone 5

• iPhone 5C

• iPhone 5S

• iPhone 6

• iPhone 6 Plus

• iPhone 6s (32GB)

• iPhone 6s Plus (32GB)

• iPhone 8 (PRODUCT)RED™

• iPhone 8 Plus (PRODUCT)RED™

• iPhone SE

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Jamf's latest mobile threat report warns that "an out-of-date OS means unpatched, exploitable vulnerabilities." Yet despite this, more than half of all organizations are now being put at risk from employees with outdated phones.

"Over 50% of mobile devices are running outdated OS versions, and a significant number are compromised or infected," Zimperium warns, adding that "a significant percentage of devices are not upgradeable due to the device's age." Don't be that user. Check the list. And if you've timed out, stop using your old iPhone now.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com