When I checked Samsung's own security update list in September 2026, these Galaxy A phones were still getting security updates: the A05s, the A14, A15, A16 and A17 (4G and 5G versions), the A23 5G, A25, A26 and A27, the A33, A34, A35, A36 and A37, and the A54, A55, A56 and A57. Updates have stopped for the A12, A13, A22, A32, A51, A52, A52s, A71 and A72. A phone without updates still works, but it no longer gets fixes for newly found security holes.
Samsung reviews its list regularly, and models drop off it as their support period ends, so this is a snapshot. How to check your own phone is further down.
Still getting security updates
The A54, A55, A56 and A57
The business (Enterprise Edition) versions of these four are on Samsung's monthly update list. The standard versions most people own aren't listed separately, but all four are inside the update periods Samsung promised at launch.
- Galaxy A54, A55, A56 and A57
Quarterly updates
These get a security update roughly once a quarter:
- Budget models: the Galaxy A05s, and the A14, A15, A16 and A17 in both 4G and 5G versions.
- A2x models: Galaxy A23 5G, A25, A26 and A27.
- A3x models: Galaxy A33, A34, A35, A36 and A37.
The Galaxy A53 appears only in the business section of the quarterly list. Samsung promised it five years of security updates from its 2022 launch, which runs to around spring 2027.
No longer getting security updates
- Galaxy A51: ended in early 2024 (the A51 5G later in 2024).
- Galaxy A71: ended in early 2024.
- Galaxy A12: ended in early 2025.
- Galaxy A32 (4G and 5G): ended in 2025.
- Galaxy A52 and A72: ended in 2025.
- Galaxy A22 (4G and 5G): ended in 2025.
- Galaxy A52s: ended in autumn 2025.
- Galaxy A13: ended in 2026.
What Samsung promised each generation
Samsung's update promises have grown a lot. Roughly:
- The 2021 and earlier models (A12, A22, A32, A51, A52, A71, A72) got a few years of security updates, and they've all now ended.
- The A33 and A53 (2022), A34 and A54 (2023) and A35 and A55 (2024) were promised four Android upgrades and five years of security updates.
- The A26, A36 and A56 (2025) and the A37 and A57 (2026) were promised up to six Android upgrades and six years of security updates. The A16 5G and A27 have the same six-year promise.
Security updates and Android upgrades are different things. An Android upgrade brings a new version with new features. A security update patches holes in the version you have. A phone can stop getting Android upgrades and still get security updates for a while, as the A05s and A23 5G do now.
How to check your own phone
- Open Settings > About phone > Software information and look at the Android security patch level. That's the date of the last security update your phone installed.
- Open Settings > Software update and tap Download and install to see if anything newer is waiting.
If your patch level is more than a few months old and there's nothing waiting, your phone has probably reached the end of its support. Updates can also arrive later on some networks.
What it means when updates stop
The phone keeps working. Calls, messages, the camera and your apps carry on as before. What stops is the flow of fixes for newly discovered security problems, so over time the phone becomes more exposed to them. How much that matters depends on how you use it.
- Apps still work, for now. Apps set their own minimum Android version. WhatsApp now needs Android 6 or newer, and Google Play services needs Android 7. Every phone on this page runs a far newer version than that, so these limits don't affect them yet.
- Banking apps set their own rules too. Barclays, for example, asks for Android 8 or later. None of the phones here are close to those cut-offs.
- The sensible approach: keep the phone's apps updated from the Play Store, don't install apps from outside it, and think about whether you want to do your banking and payments on a phone that's no longer patched.
Is it still worth repairing a phone without updates?
It can be. Plenty of people keep an older Galaxy A going as a second phone, a phone for a child or an older relative, or a phone they simply like. A battery or charging port repair costs £49 or £59 with me, which is much less than a replacement. A screen is a bigger decision on a phone that's out of support. This guide weighs it up for every model, and every model's prices are on the Samsung Galaxy A repair page.
Frequently asked questions
Does my Samsung A52 still get updates?
No. Samsung ended security updates for the A52 in 2025 and for the A52s in autumn 2025. Both still work, but they no longer receive security fixes.
Is it safe to use a phone that no longer gets security updates?
For everyday use, most people carry on without problems, but the risk grows over time as new security holes are found and not fixed. Be more cautious with banking and payments on an unsupported phone.
Will WhatsApp stop working on my Galaxy A12?
Not yet. WhatsApp currently needs Android 6 or newer, and the A12 runs a much newer version. WhatsApp raises its minimum from time to time, so it may change in future.
How long will my Galaxy A56 get updates?
Samsung promised the A56 up to six Android upgrades and six years of security updates from its 2025 launch.
