iOS 19 rumoured system requirements: will it run on your iPhone?

Apple is working on its next major software update – iOS 19. We won’t be seeing the free major update for a few more weeks, when it debuts at Apple’s developers conference. As you’d expect, iOS 19 will work best with the latest iPhones, and it’ll come pre-installed on the upcoming iPhone 17. But a whole bunch of older iPhones will also get the free software update – stretching back around five years.

But will your current iPhone get the iOS 19 update? Here’s our guide to the rumoured iOS 19 system requirements.

• Read more: I think iOS 19 will be the biggest free iPhone upgrade yet

Will my iPhone get iOS 19?

Unfortunately, it looks like iOS 19 won’t run on all of the same devices that can run iOS 18. Apple has done this before, but not for a few years. According to rumours, iOS 19 will ditch support for the iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max – all of which are from 2018.

That makes the earliest iPhones on the compatibility list the iPhone SE 2 and iPhone 11 series from 2019. That’s fairly impressive considering a lot of Android devices still only offer fewer than three years of security updates.

iOS 18 supported the same devices as the iOS 17 update, which killed compatibility for the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus from 2017, the iPhone X, the original iPhone SE, and the 7th generation iPod touch. This news comes courtesy of a MacRumors contributor, with a track record of accurate iPhone leaks.

iOS 19 is set to be the biggest iPhone upgrade in a while. Early leaks and rumours point to a major redesign – in fact, the biggest change in design since the launch of iOS 7 in 2013. Couple that with Apple Intelligence’s roll-out finally finishing (so we can put it behind us), and we’re in for a big treat.

Here’s a full list of the devices expected to be compatible with iOS 19:

• iPhone 17 series (upcoming)
• iPhone 16e
• iPhone 16 Pro Max
• iPhone 16 Pro
• iPhone 16 Plus
• iPhone 16
• 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 SE (2020, 2nd generation)

Expect the new software to debut at Apple’s WWDC 2025 developers conference in June, before it rolls out to everyone in September.

• Related: These new iPhone features are our first real look at iOS 19

Connor Jewiss

About

Connor is a writer for Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website. He has been writing for around nine years now across the web and in print too. Connor has attended the biggest tech expos, including CES, MWC, and IFA – with contributions as a judge on panels at them. He's also been interviewed as a technology expert on TV and radio by national news outlets including France24. Connor has experience with 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 and venture capital scene, which puts him at the front of new and exciting tech - he is always on the lookout for innovative products.

Areas of expertise

Mobile, macOS, EVs, smart home