Millions of Android phones have a worrying expiry date, and it's simple to find yours

If you own an Android phone, you might be surprised to discover that it has a worrying expiry date. That's because these devices only receive vital security updates and feature upgrades for a limited number of years, and some go out of date far sooner than you might think. Android updates come in two forms.

Firstly, there are Android version drops, which are basically changes that Google rolls out each year and bring new functionality to phones.

Then there are urgent Android security updates that instantly patch system bugs and flaws and are released regularly throughout the year.

Although most Android manufacturers, such as Samsung and Google, have now increased the number of years that devices are supported, many older models are not so lucky.

For example, the latest Galaxy S26 phones and Pixel devices get security and Android updates for seven years.

However, older Galaxy A-series smartphones are only supported for four years. Things get even worse for owners of some Xiaomi and Motorola devices, as these are only supported for three years.

If you want to know how long your Android device has left before it stops getting updates, there's a very helpful website that will reveal all.