How Long Will Your Google Pixel Phone Get Software Updates?
Despite some models having problems with battery swelling (looking at you, Pixel 7), Google Pixel phones are generally robust. In fact, plenty of Pixel users report phones lasting for over five years. Add to that the fact that the tech giant behind the device promises seven years of updates for newer models, and you can get a lot of mileage out of one phone. So, how long will your Google Pixel phone receive fresh software updates?
It depends on the model, of course. Some Google Pixel phones will no longer receive support, including all models from the original Pixel to the Pixel 5 and Pixel 5a. Depending on when you're reading this, the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro may have been added to the list, with support scheduled to end in October 2026. Meanwhile, the Pixel 6a is moving into the legacy section in July 2027. If that seems a bit too quick for a phone released in 2022, remember that Google didn't make the 7-year promise until the release of the Pixel 8.
The Pixel 8 and more recent models still have significant leeway, thankfully. Here are the end-of-life dates for all currently-supported Pixels as of Fall 2026:
- Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro: October 2026
- Pixel 6a: July 2027
- Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro: October 2027
- Pixel 7a: May 2027
- Pixel Fold: June 2028
- Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro: October 2030
- Pixel 8a: May 2031
- Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold: September 2031
- Pixel 9a: April 2032
- Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold: August 2032
- Pixel 10a: March 2033
- Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold: August 2033
Does Google Pixel have the longest support out of all brands?
The models considered fresh (Pixel 10 models and the latest Pixel 11) will be supported until around 2032 and 2033, respectively, which is a massive chunk of time in the world of tech. So, if your device stays healthy (especially in terms of battery), you can theoretically hold on to it for quite some time. Is this on the long end? Absolutely. Google Pixels aren't the phones with the longest support, as Fairphone promises seven years of Android updates and eight years of security patches. With Google, the figure is seven for both types, but it's still in the upper echelons.
Top manufacturers tend to support their products for longer. Samsung users say Galaxy phones are reliable in terms of hardware, so the manufacturer offering seven years of support is certainly a good sign (although midrange devices receive "just" six years). What about Apple? iPhones are much more colorful in that regard. The average is five years of guaranteed iOS updates and seven years of security patches, but it can vary between models, and Apple makes no guarantees in this regard.
So, if you've got a Pixel, consider yourself lucky — not all phones have such a precise update schedule. Sure, top-end manufacturers like Honor (in particular, its Magic series) promise seven years, too, but phones produced by Motorola and some others may receive as little as three years of Android updates and four years of security patches. Blink, and the update schedule goes bye-bye, it seems.