Just like packet food, the Android smartphone in our hand also has a certain expiry date or period. In this case, the risk of hacking and malware increases from the day the manufacturer stops providing security updates to the phone.

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Few users know what Android smartphone ‘end-of-life’ or expiry date means and when it happens for the device. It is important to know what this expiration means and how long Samsung, Google and other companies support their devices.

From a report by technology news site TechAdvisor, let’s find out when and how to easily find the ‘end-of-life’ date of a smartphone –

What does expiration date mean?

There is no fixed or standard update policy for Android like iPhone. Even though Google developed the original operating system, how long a device gets updates depends entirely on the manufacturer of the phone, be it Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus or any other brand.

The phone’s end-of-life or expiration date is when the manufacturer stops sending new updates to it. This does not mean that the phone will become unusable as soon as the update stops.

However, the security risks in using the phone will continue to increase day by day, especially when using that phone for online banking, shopping or exchanging any sensitive information.

How long does the manufacturer support these devices?

This update period has increased in recent years. Samsung and Google have led the way and other manufacturers have followed suit, partly because of the EU’s ‘Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation’.

The law came into effect in June 2025 and created a minimum legal obligation to update devices.

In the case of all new smartphone models coming to the market after June 20, 2025, the manufacturing companies will be obliged to provide software updates for at least five years after the end of production or sale of that model.

How to know when device support ends

First of all it is necessary to know the brand, model name and model number of the phone. If you do not know this information for sure, go to the phone settings and go to the ‘About Phone’ option to get the full model name of the device.

The most reliable source for the exact ‘end-of-life’ or expiry date after the model is confirmed is the website ‘endoflife.dotdate’.

Under the ‘Devices’ tab of this website, you will see a list of manufacturers like Samsung, Google, OnePlus etc. Clicking on a specific manufacturer will bring up a table that lists the exact date security updates will stop next to each model.

Alternatively, you can search the internet by typing ‘end of software support’ or ‘update guarantee’ along with your phone’s model name. For example, ‘Samsung Galaxy S26 End of Support’ or ‘Pixel 8 Pro Software Update Until’.

Also, you can check the latest ‘security patch’ date from the phone’s settings to get a general idea. On most Android devices you’ll find the option under ‘Android Version’ or ‘Security Patch Level’ under ‘About Phone’ in Settings.

If that date is more than three to six months old, it’s an early sign that your device may not be receiving any updates or support anymore.

What should be done when the term expires?

It is not the case that a smartphone that is not receiving any more updates should be locked away in a drawer right now. But you should be aware of the various risks involved and how to protect yourself.

Online banking, shopping, using an email account or accessing a password manager with a phone that has stopped updating is particularly risky. This is because malware can easily attack your phone by exploiting security flaws or loopholes that are no longer addressed.

But you can use the phone for a while as a dedicated media device, such as listening to music, watching videos, playing simple games or car navigation or GPS without updates. But the condition is that it should not contain any sensitive or confidential information.

While buying a new device, users should pay special attention to its ‘update guarantee’. Among the Android devices, Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy ‘S’ or ‘Z’ series devices currently guarantee the longest support, i.e. up to seven years.