How Long Does Samsung Support Galaxy Phones?

Samsung's support policy

Samsung's support duration for Galaxy devices varies by device series and generation. The support policy determines how many years of major Android updates, One UI updates, and security patches a device will receive.

Samsung has expanded its support commitments over the years, with recent flagship devices receiving significantly longer support than older models.

Galaxy S series support

The Galaxy S series is Samsung's flagship line and receives the longest support:

• Recent models (from Galaxy S24 series onward): Up to seven years of major Android updates and security patches.
• Previous models (Galaxy S22–S23 series): Up to four years of major Android updates and five years of security patches.
• Older models (Galaxy S21 and earlier): Three to four years of major updates, varying by model.

The seven-year commitment is a significant increase from Samsung's previous policies and brings Samsung in line with or exceeding some competitors' support durations.

Galaxy Z series support

The Galaxy Z series foldables follow a similar support policy to the Galaxy S series:

• Recent models: Up to seven years of major Android updates and security patches.
• Previous models: Up to four years of major Android updates and five years of security patches.

The foldable form factor does not affect the support duration — Galaxy Z devices receive the same update commitment as Galaxy S flagships.

Galaxy A series support

The Galaxy A series mid-range devices receive shorter support than flagships:

• Recent models: Typically three to four years of major Android updates and four to five years of security patches.
• Higher-end A series: May receive more updates than lower-end models.
• Older models: Two to three years of major updates, varying by model.

The exact policy depends on the specific A series model and its market positioning.

Galaxy M and F series support

The Galaxy M and Galaxy F budget series receive the shortest support:

• Recent models: Typically one to two years of major Android updates and three to four years of security patches.
• Older models: One major update and two to three years of security patches.

These devices are designed for value, and the shorter support window reflects their market positioning.

Galaxy Tab series support

The Galaxy Tab tablet series has varying support:

• Tab S series: Flagship tablets typically receive three to four years of major updates, similar to the Galaxy A series.
• Tab A series: Mid-range tablets receive fewer updates, typically two to three years of major updates.

Galaxy Watch series support

The Galaxy Watch series receives periodic firmware updates, but the support duration is less clearly defined than for smartphones. Recent models typically receive updates for several years.

Security patch frequency over time

Even within the support period, the frequency of security patches may decrease over time:

• Year 1–2: Monthly security patches for flagship devices.
• Year 3–4: May transition to quarterly patches.
• Year 5+: May transition to biannual patches or end of support.

This means a device may continue receiving security patches for longer than it receives major Android updates, but at a reduced frequency.

How to check your device's support status

To check how long your device will be supported:

1. Identify your device model in Settings > About phone.
2. Check our device pages for your device's latest known firmware version and support status.
3. Compare against Samsung's published support policy for your device model.

What happens when support ends?

When a device reaches the end of its support lifecycle:

• It will no longer receive major Android or One UI updates.
• It will no longer receive security patches.
• It will continue to function but may become increasingly vulnerable to security issues over time.
• Some apps may stop supporting the older Android version.

This does not mean the device stops working — it simply stops receiving new software updates. See our guide on what Samsung firmware is for more on how firmware works.

SamsungFirmware.com and support tracking

Our device pages show the latest known Android version, One UI version, and security patch level for each device. Our firmware ledger tracks each firmware release, so you can see the update history and current status of your device.