What is the oldest Samsung phone that still has software support?

One UI 9, based on Android 17, has been rolling out regularly to supported Samsung phones since September 2026. Older flagships are expected to get the update in October. Unfortunately, not all Samsung phones will get this update, and some, like the Galaxy S23 line (the base S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, and S23 FE), will be on their last legs after One UI 9. Unfortunately, this also means that flagship devices before the Galaxy S23 line won’t get One UI 9 and won’t be supported; in other words, the Galaxy S22 and S21 FE series will remain on One UI 8 but will still get security updates until 2027. These devices do not have a longer lifespan because Samsung has set the deadline for its seven-year update promise for flagship phones released in 2024 or later.

Technically, the oldest Samsung flagship that still has software support after One UI 9 is the Galaxy S24 series, assuming One UI 10 is released in July and August. For the non-flagship A series, the Galaxy A16, A26, A36, and A56 will continue to be supported. The Galaxy A15, A15 G, and A25 5G are expected to end support by the end of December 2027 and have already reached their full upgrade potential, as has the Galaxy S23 series.

A few ways to tell if your phone’s software future is what Samsung promises. First, there’s an important distinction between the number of upgrades and the number of years you actually have on your smartphone. The seven-year promise shouldn’t be taken literally, because a generational leap (which is what Samsung actually promises) is not the same as a calendar year from when you bought it.

Technically, it’s better to say that Samsung promised seven major updates with seven years of security support (counted independently). This makes more sense, because it also means that schedule changes (delays or early removals) will not affect the number of OS upgrades your device receives; you will still receive seven updates in total. So one way to know if your device will receive it is to count how many you’ve received since you received your phone. For a Samsung Galaxy S23, Samsung launched the device with One UI 5.1, based on Android 13. Officially, Samsung has promised four major Android version upgrades, with One UI 9 as the latest.

Another way to check is to follow or sign up for Samsung’s One UI beta cycles. These beta cycles are device and usually region specific. To sign up, use the Samsung Members app and follow the instructions to install the beta. Just note that Samsung recommends backing up your data in case of bugs or anomalies. Generally, if your device has an open beta or is under testing, that means the stable public release is just around the corner.