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Apple Sports Live Activities require iOS 18 or later. The Apple Sports app can be installed on an iPhone running iOS 17.2 or later, but that lower app requirement does not enable live scores and play updates on the Lock Screen. Your iPhone must both appear on Apple’s iOS 18-compatible list and actually be updated to iOS 18 or newer.
Supported models begin with the iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, continue through the iPhone 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 families, and include the iPhone SE (2nd generation or later). Availability of the app and some features can vary by country or region.
The short answer: iOS 18 is the Live Activities requirement
There are two separate compatibility thresholds:
- Apple Sports app: available, where offered in the App Store, on any iPhone with iOS 17.2 or later when you are signed in to your Apple Account.
- Apple Sports Live Activities: requires iOS 18 or later. This is the feature that places live scores and play updates on the iPhone Lock Screen.
Consequently, being able to download or open Apple Sports does not prove that your phone can use Live Activities. An iPhone that remains on iOS 17.2, 17.3 or another iOS 17 release may install the app while lacking the operating-system support required for Lock Screen updates.
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Apple describes Live Activities as real-time scores and play updates. They are different from opening the Sports app and manually refreshing a game.
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Every iPhone model Apple lists as compatible with iOS 18
Apple’s iOS 18 compatibility list establishes the model cutoff for Apple Sports Live Activities. The following models are on that list; each still needs to be running iOS 18 or later for the feature itself.
| iPhone family | Supported models | Live Activities condition |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone XR and XS generation | iPhone XR; iPhone XS; iPhone XS Max | Update to iOS 18 or later |
| iPhone 11 family | iPhone 11; iPhone 11 Pro; iPhone 11 Pro Max | Update to iOS 18 or later |
| iPhone 12 family | iPhone 12 mini; iPhone 12; iPhone 12 Pro; iPhone 12 Pro Max | Update to iOS 18 or later |
| iPhone 13 family | iPhone 13 mini; iPhone 13; iPhone 13 Pro; iPhone 13 Pro Max | Update to iOS 18 or later |
| iPhone 14 family | iPhone 14; iPhone 14 Plus; iPhone 14 Pro; iPhone 14 Pro Max | Update to iOS 18 or later |
| iPhone 15 family | iPhone 15; iPhone 15 Plus; iPhone 15 Pro; iPhone 15 Pro Max | Update to iOS 18 or later |
| iPhone 16 family | iPhone 16; iPhone 16 Plus; iPhone 16 Pro; iPhone 16 Pro Max | Update to iOS 18 or later |
| iPhone SE | iPhone SE (2nd generation) and later | Update to iOS 18 or later |
There is no separate Live Activities model list within these families. The practical test is the combination of an iOS 18-compatible model and an installed iOS 18-or-newer release.
Does your specific iPhone work?
iPhone 11, 12 and 13
Yes. Every listed iPhone 11, iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 model is included in Apple’s iOS 18 compatibility list. That covers the mini, standard, Pro and Pro Max variants where Apple offered them. Install or update to iOS 18 or later, then configure Live Activities in Apple Sports.
iPhone XR, XS and XS Max
Yes, provided the phone is updated to iOS 18 or later. These models are the oldest iPhones named on Apple’s iOS 18 list. A phone from this generation that is still running iOS 17 can meet the Apple Sports app requirement but not the Live Activities requirement.
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iPhone SE
The iPhone SE (2nd generation or later) is supported when it runs iOS 18 or later. The first-generation iPhone SE is not included in Apple’s iOS 18-compatible model list, so it does not meet the stated Live Activities requirement.
iPhone 14, 15 and 16
All listed iPhone 14, iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models qualify at the model level. As with older supported phones, the operating-system version and feature settings still determine whether updates appear.
What Live Activities actually display
With the feature enabled for a team, Apple Sports can show live scores and play updates on the iPhone Lock Screen. Apple’s Sports User Guide also describes Live Activities on Apple Watch, but that companion use requires watchOS 11 or later in addition to an iPhone running iOS 18 or later.
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How to turn on Apple Sports Live Activities
Compatibility alone does not automatically create a Lock Screen card for every game. You must choose teams and allow the feature to update them.
- Open Apple Sports. Confirm that the app is installed and that you are signed in to your Apple Account as required for App Store availability.
- Open “Manage Live Activities.” This control is inside Apple Sports.
- Select the teams you want to follow. Live scores and play updates are associated with the teams you choose, so an unselected team may not produce a Live Activity even on a fully compatible iPhone.
- Review the system setting. Go to Settings > Apps > Sports > Live Activities and check the available Live Activities controls.
- Choose an update frequency. The Sports settings include an option to change how frequently Live Activities update. Select the frequency that fits your preference for timely information and update activity.
The exact games and competitions shown still depend on what Apple Sports supports in your location. Apple states that app availability and features may vary by country or region.
Why you can install Apple Sports but cannot see Live Activities
The iPhone is on iOS 17.2 but not iOS 18
This is the most common explanation for the apparent mismatch. iOS 17.2 or later is enough for the app, while iOS 18 or later is required for Lock Screen live scores and play updates. Installing the app is not an operating-system upgrade.
The model is older than Apple’s iOS 18 list
If the phone is not one of the models listed above, it does not satisfy Apple’s stated iOS 18 compatibility condition. In particular, the first-generation iPhone SE is outside the listed SE range.
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The phone is compatible but has not been updated
A supported model can still be running an older iOS release. Check the installed iOS version and update to iOS 18 or later before diagnosing the Sports app settings.
No teams are selected
Apple Sports requires you to use Manage Live Activities and select teams. Without that selection, there may be no team-specific Lock Screen update to display.
Live Activities are disabled in Sports settings
Open Settings > Apps > Sports > Live Activities. Review the setting and the update-frequency choice, then return to Apple Sports and verify the teams under Manage Live Activities.
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Apple notes that the app and its features are not necessarily identical everywhere. If the model, iOS version and team selections are correct but the feature remains unavailable, regional availability may account for the difference.
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A practical compatibility checklist
Use this order to separate model, software and configuration problems:
- Match the phone to Apple’s iOS 18-compatible list: XR/XS generation or newer, or iPhone SE (2nd generation or later).
- Confirm that the installed operating system is iOS 18 or later.
- Install or update Apple Sports if it is available in your App Store region.
- In Apple Sports, open Manage Live Activities and select the teams you follow.
- In Settings > Apps > Sports > Live Activities, review the feature and update-frequency controls.
- If every software and setting check passes, account for country or region availability when interpreting what Apple Sports displays.
Important distinctions when comparing iPhones
When someone asks whether one iPhone is “better supported” than another for Apple Sports Live Activities, four separate questions should be kept apart:
- Model eligibility: Is the exact model on Apple’s iOS 18-compatible list?
- Installed software: Is that model actually running iOS 18 or later?
- Regional access: Is Apple Sports and the relevant feature offered where the user is located?
- Personal setup: Has the user selected teams and enabled Live Activities in the Sports settings?
An iPhone 13 and an iPhone 11 both meet the model requirement, for example, but either can fail to show a Lock Screen update if it remains on an older iOS release or has no teams configured. Conversely, installing the app on an iOS 17.2 phone does not bypass the iOS 18 feature gate.
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What Apple Sports Live Activities do not require
Apple’s stated requirement is iOS 18 or later on a supported iPhone. The information provided does not establish a separate processor, storage, display, or iPhone size requirement. It also does not state that a Pro, Pro Max, Plus or mini model receives a different Live Activities capability from other supported models in the same generation.
The meaningful compatibility variables are therefore the model list, the installed iOS version, regional availability, and whether Live Activities has been configured for selected teams.
Bottom line for common purchase and upgrade questions
If you already own an iPhone XR, XS, XS Max, any listed iPhone 11 through iPhone 16, or an iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), the phone is on Apple’s iOS 18-compatible list. Update it to iOS 18 or later, install Apple Sports where available, select teams under Manage Live Activities, and review Settings > Apps > Sports > Live Activities.
If you can install Apple Sports but cannot get Lock Screen scores, first check the iOS version. The app’s iOS 17.2 threshold and Live Activities’ iOS 18 threshold are different by design.
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