On Monday, iOS 17 will be available to download on most iPhones, Apple said at its Wonderlust event earlier this week. It also showcased the new iPhone 15 models.
The newest version of iOS will introduce new features like StandBy mode, the Journal app and major changes for Messages. But some users of older iPhones won't get to experience the new features in iOS 17. That could be you if you've got an iPhone from 2017 or before.
If you aren't sure which iPhone you've got, a quick check in your settings can show you. Open your Settings app and tap General > About. Next to Model Name, you'll see which iPhone you have.
We'll tell you how to find out whether your iPhone will be compatible with iOS 17. If you'd like to try out the new operating system, the iOS 17 public beta is now available. Also, check out our list of best iPhones to discover if there's a newer model that might work for you.
If you've got one of these iPhones, you'll have access to iOS 17 when it's available this year, Apple said.
With the release of iOS 17, there will be three more iPhone models that won't run Apple's latest mobile operating system: iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. Apple stopped providing feature upgrades for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 7 series with the release of iOS 16 last year. Those phones still run iOS 15.
If your iPhone isn't listed above, it won't support iOS 17, and you won't get a notification to download the newest software. For instance, if you have an iPhone X or iPhone 8, the latest software you'll ever be able to use on that phone is iOS 16.
Although older iPhones won't support the latest version of iOS or get any of the new features, they should still be functional for a while. They will also continue to receive security updates for iOS 16. Apple released the latest security update for iOS 15 in July 2023 and will continue to release iOS 16 security updates for the near future.