iOS 18 system requirements: will it run on your iPhone?

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iOS 18 has now been released. It’ll come pre-installed on the upcoming iPhone 16. But a whole bunch of older iPhones will also get the free software update – stretching back around five years.Is yours on the list? Here’s our guide to the iOS 18 system requirements.

Read more: Our guide to all the OS 18 features

Will my iPhone get iOS 18?

Surprisingly, iOS 18 will run on all of the same devices that can run iOS 17. Apple has done this before, but not for a while. Last year’s iOS 17 update killed compatibility for the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus from 2017, the iPhone X, the original iPhone SE, and the 7th generation iPod touch.

The earliest iPhones on the list for compatibility are 2018’s iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max, which is fairly impressive considering a lot of Android devices only offer three years of security updates.

The next version of the iPhone’s software offers a number of new AI-powered features, including a revamped Siri. For this though, you need to have a newer chip inside your iPhone – not all of the iOS 18 device can support Apple Intelligence, as it’s called. So you need to have a A17 Pro chip or later. And these are only available on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. So even if you have an iPhone 15, it won’t get all the new AI bells and whistles. Depending on where you live, Apple Intelligence will roll out either later this year or into 2025.

The design also gets a major refresh, with new UI elements and customisation options. With so many changes, making this update as broad as possible can only be a good thing – giving users an extra reason to keep their iPhone. And upgrade to the next one, naturally.

iOS 18 device compatibility

Here’s a full list of the devices compatible with iOS 18:

iPhone 16 series
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15
iPhone 14 Pro Max
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14
iPhone 13 mini
iPhone 13
iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 12
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11
iPhone XS Max
iPhone XS
iPhone XR
iPhone SE (2020, 2nd generation)
iPhone SE (2022, 3rd generation)

The new software debuted at Apple’s WWDC 2024 developers conference in June and it’s now rolling out to all users.

Related: Apple iPhone 16: all models compared

About

Connor is a writer for Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website. He has been writing for around seven years now, with writing across the web and in print too. Connor has experience on most major platforms, though does hold a place in his heart for macOS, iOS/iPadOS, electric vehicles, and smartphone tech. Just like everyone else around here, he’s a fan of gadgets of all sorts! Aside from writing, Connor is involved in the startup scene. This exciting involvement puts him at the front of new and exciting tech, always on the lookout for innovating products.