iOS 16 Is Here, but It Won't Run on Every iPhone. Here's How to Find Out

Apple released iOS 16 last week to all iPhones -- well, all the iPhones that are able to run Apple's newest mobile software update. Unfortunately, not every iPhone supports iOS 16, though the iPhones that don't are typically older devices.

If you're unsure about whether your iPhone will get the latest update, we'll walk you through how you can check.

This story is part of Focal Point iPhone 2023, CNET's collection of news, tips and advice around Apple's most popular product.

If you want to learn more about iOS 16, check out all the new features, including unsending text messages and automatically removing people and objects from photos. Also, be sure to read the full review of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, as well as the review of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Apple's Newest Releases

Every iPhone model that supports iOS 16

The following iPhones are compatible with iOS 16:

And although it hasn't been released yet, the iPhone 14 series will come preinstalled with iOS 16.

Watch this: Testing iOS 16 (Edit/Delete Sent Messages, New Lock Screen and More!)

16:23

Find out which iPhone model you have

Not sure which iPhone you own? You can easily figure out the model from within your settings to check if it will run iOS 16.

To find your iPhone model, launch the Settings app and go to General > About. Next to Model Name, you should see what type of iPhone you own. Underneath that, you'll see a Model Number, which you can use to find out more specifics about your model, such as capacity and year introduced, but that's not necessary (only for iPhone SE) for checking whether your phone will support iOS 16 or not.

Model Name of iPhone — To check your iPhone model, go to Settings > General > About.
Nelson Aguilar/CNET

What happens to older iPhones like the iPhone 7 Plus?

Any iPhone older than the iPhone 8 will not support iOS 16, including the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Many people on Twitter were surprised by this, because many expected at least the iPhone 7 Plus to support iOS 16. Instead, the iPhone 7 series and some older models will only support up to iOS 15.

iPad 2021 and iPad Mini — The latest generations of the iPad and iPad Mini will both support iPadOS 16.
Scott Stein/CNET

Will my iPad work with iOS 16?

Yes, the iPad has its own version of iOS 16 that's known as iPadOS 16, but that won't be released until October according to Apple. This newest operating system will be supported on the following iPad models:

iPad Mini (fifth generation and later)
‌iPad‌ (fifth generation and later)
iPad Air (third generation and later)
iPad Pro (all models)

Whether you're going to keep your current iPhone or buy a new iPhone 14, here are 22 little known iPhone settings you should know about to make their phones faster, safer and more fun to use.