Samsung Galaxy S21 series loses security support after 5 years
Samsung appears to have wrapped up security updates for the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra, coinciding with the end of its five-year promise.
A January 2026 security update began rolling out and may be the final scheduled patch, though Samsung could still issue hotfixes or additional updates.
Last update: What's inside
The January 2026 patch fixes 55 vulnerabilities—including one critical and several severe ones—so it's worth installing if you haven't yet (just head to Settings > Software update).
What this means for users
No more updates means your S21 is now more exposed to hacks, especially if you use banking or payment apps.
If you want better protection (and longer support), Samsung's newer models like the Galaxy S24 and S25 offer seven years of updates.
The Galaxy S26 is expected to arrive in February 2026 if you're thinking about an upgrade.