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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11To find out whether your phone or laptop still gets security updates, identify its exact model and installed software version, then check the manufacturer’s support schedule or official update list for that model and version. The update screen tells you what is installed or available now; it usually does not tell you the device’s final support date.
What to check before you look up support
Write down the device maker and exact model, the operating-system version, and its security patch level or build number. On a laptop, also record the Windows edition if applicable. For phones, country or region and carrier can matter: manufacturers may vary availability or timing across markets and carriers.
These details let you distinguish three different situations: no update is waiting today; the device has the newest update available for its model; or the manufacturer still commits to issuing future security fixes. Only the manufacturer’s model- and version-specific information can establish the last of those.
Check an Android phone
Find the installed version and patch level
On a Google Pixel, open Settings > System > Software update to check for updates. Google says the Settings app also shows the Android version and security update level. A newly released update may take time to reach a device, and rollout timing can depend on the model and carrier; a brief delay alone does not show that support has ended. See Google’s Pixel update instructions.
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On other Android phones, find the Android version, security patch level, and system-update screen in Settings. Menu names vary by manufacturer. Then search the manufacturer’s official support site using the full model number and your country or region. Google advises owners of other Android devices to contact their manufacturer or carrier for update information.
Check the model’s support term
Google’s current Pixel support page lists Pixel 8 and later for seven years of OS and security updates, and the listed Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 families for five years. Both terms run from the model’s first availability on the Google Store in the US. These are Google’s Pixel-specific terms, not a rule for Android phones generally; consult the current Pixel update policy and model list before applying a term to a particular handset. The page also identifies older listed Pixel models that no longer receive Android version and security updates.
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Check an iPhone or Mac
Note the exact iPhone or Mac model and installed iOS, iPadOS, or macOS version. Then compare it with Apple’s security releases list, including the compatible-device information for the release. Apple publishes security updates for older OS branches as well as its newest major version, so the relevant check is whether Apple lists a security release for your device’s OS and hardware—not merely whether your device can install the newest major OS.
Apple’s deployment guidance explains that update deferrals can affect when a release appears or can be installed, and availability can change when a later update is released. Its official release records are useful evidence of updates, but they do not establish one guaranteed support duration that applies to every iPhone or Mac model. See Apple’s software-update deployment guidance.
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Check a Windows laptop
Identify the Windows version, build, and edition
Record the Windows version and build, along with the edition—such as Home, Pro, Enterprise, or Education. Lifecycle dates differ by version and edition, so a date for Windows 11 Home or Pro should not be applied automatically to an Enterprise or other edition.
Compare the device with Microsoft’s lifecycle pages
Use Microsoft’s Windows lifecycle page for edition-specific end dates and its Windows release information for release availability, builds, and update details. As checked on October 4, 2026, Microsoft listed Windows 11 version 24H2 Home and Pro as ending updates on October 14, 2026, and version 26H2 Home and Pro as ending updates on October 10, 2028. The release information page listed version 26H2 as available from September 29, 2026, with an end-of-updates date of October 10, 2028 for Home, Pro, Pro Education, and Pro for Workstations, and October 9, 2029 for the listed Enterprise, Education, and IoT group.
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Those are Windows release lifecycle dates, not guarantees that a particular laptop can install that release. Hardware compatibility and edition both matter. Check the pages for your actual version and edition, and verify the current dates because Microsoft’s lifecycle information can change.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check a Chromebook
Open Settings > About ChromeOS > Additional details and read Update schedule. Google says this shows when the Chromebook will receive its last update. A “Final software update” notification means the device will no longer receive ChromeOS or browser updates, including security updates, bug fixes, and new features. Google’s Chromebook automatic-update policy describes a ten-year automatic-updates period. For devices released before 2021, extended-update conditions can mean some features or services are unsupported. A Chromebook’s end-of-sale date is not the same as its update-eligibility date.
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How to interpret what you find
- An update is available: Install it, then check the version or patch level again.
- No update is available: This means the device has no update currently offered to it; it does not establish that its support period has ended.
- Your device is on its latest available version: That describes the latest version offered for that device, not whether the manufacturer will issue further fixes.
- The manufacturer lists an end date or final update: Treat that as the support status for the specified model, OS version, or edition. Make sure the information applies to your exact device and region or carrier where relevant.
There is no single support end date that applies to every phone or laptop. Compare the exact model and region or carrier, current patch or build, OS version and edition, the support term’s starting point, and any stated end-of-updates date. For Apple devices, also check whether Apple has released security fixes for the installed older OS branch.
What to do if security updates have ended
Install any final available update. Then avoid treating the device as though it still receives ongoing vendor security fixes. If you use it for sensitive work, consider moving that work to a device with a documented current support policy. Choosing a replacement depends on your budget, operating system needs, accessibility requirements, and use case; no one replacement recommendation fits every reader.
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