Which iPhones and iPads Will Be Compatible With iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 and Which Will Be Left Behind?

Apple is expected to unveil iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June and it should hit the public’s devices sometime in September. That’s also when owners of older iPhones and iPads will find out if their devices have been left behind.

While we won’t know for sure until at least June, when the first developer previews should give us a hint about what devices Apple intends to support in its next major software releases, we’re already hearing some early rumors claiming to have some inside knowledge of Apple’s plans.

If these turn out to be accurate, there should be some good news in store for folks with older devices. It shouldn’t be a surprise that nothing that was left behind on iOS 16 will get iOS 18, but the early word is promising for iOS 17 devices.

Which iPhones Will Be Compatible with iOS 18?

A report this week from MacRumors claims that iOS 18 will be compatible with devices going several years back. The report cites a private X post yesterday that has since been deleted. However, it’s believed that the post was deleted due to the account’s wish to keep a low profile on the social network. MacRumors didn’t reveal which account posted the information but notes the leaker has a proven track record for sharing accurate information.

If true, then iPhone owners with devices stretching back to the iPhone XR and second-generation iPhone SE will be able to install iOS 18 on their precious. As usual, though, not all of iOS 18’s new features will be compatible with the older devices.

Specifically, the same iPhones that were able to run iOS 17 will be compatible with iOS 18:

• iPhone 15
• iPhone 15 Plus
• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max
• iPhone 14
• iPhone 14 Plus
• iPhone 14 Pro
• iPhone 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 13
• iPhone 13 mini
• iPhone 13 Pro
• iPhone 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 12
• iPhone 12 mini
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 11
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone XS
• iPhone XS Max
• iPhone XR
• iPhone SE (2nd generation)
• iPhone SE (3rd generation)

We’re beginning to see rumors as to what new features we’ll see in iOS 18, including design changes, RCS support in the Messages app, and generative AI functionality for Siri and some built-in apps, such as Health, Messages, Numbers, Pages, Shortcuts, and other apps.  Apple may also add AI-powered automatically generated playlists to Apple Music and Keynote.

Which iPads Will Be Compatible with iPadOS 18?

The same X user also posted information about which iPads will be dropped in iPadOS 18. That post has also been deleted, but it was spotted by MacRumors before it was taken down.

The post says Apple will drop support for iPad models powered by the A10X Fusion chips, which means iOS 18 will not be compatible with the first-generation 10.5-inch iPad Pro and the second-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, both of which were released in 2017.

Based on that, it’s also likely that iPadOS 18 will drop support for all iPad models that use the regular A10 Fusion chip, which would include the sixth-generation and seventh-generation iPads.

If this rumor proves to be accurate, iPadOS 18 would be compatible with the following older iPad models:

• iPad Pro: 2018 and later
• iPad Air: 2019 and later
• iPad mini: 2019 and later
• iPad: 2020 and later

As is usual for reports like these, all of this should be taken with a grain of your favorite low-sodium seasoning. Even though the reports come from a rumor monger with a proven track record, it’s possible Apple could change its plans between now and June, especially if it finds that some older devices aren’t up to the demands of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]