Samsung’s Galaxy S21 lineup is officially done receiving updates. The phones won’t appear on any future security patch lists, and their software support has ended after four years.
It’s not a surprise. Samsung promised four major Android updates and five years of security patches when these devices launched in 2021. The S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra got their final major update (Android 15 with One UI 7) earlier in 2025. The last security patch rolled out in November.
That means owners are now using phones that won’t get regular protection against new vulnerabilities. Samsung might push out an emergency fix if something critical surfaces, but routine updates are over.
The timing matters because the Galaxy S21 was a flagship device. Plenty of people still use these phones daily, and cutting off security patches creates a real decision point: keep using a device that’s technically obsolete, or upgrade.
Samsung has also downgraded the Galaxy S22 series to quarterly security updates instead of monthly. That’s the next step before those phones eventually lose support too.
This shift is part of Samsung’s normal update lifecycle. Newer devices get priority, older ones phase out. But it’s worth noting that four years of support is better than what most Android manufacturers offer. Google and Samsung are among the few companies that commit to extended software timelines.
For Galaxy S21 owners, the choice is straightforward now. The phone still works, but it’s no longer protected. Whether that’s acceptable depends on how you use it.
