March 5, 2026, 7:13 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
Samsung is currently rolling out the February 2026 monthly security update to supported Galaxy devices. At the same time, the manufacturer is completely removing a popular smartphone series from the support list.
End of Updates for Galaxy S21
In 2021, Samsung promised four years of Android updates for the Galaxy S21 series. The company fulfilled this guarantee in 2025 with Android 15 and One UI 7 for the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra. Additionally, there was one more year of security updates. In January 2026, the three devices received their last Google patch–now the support is officially ended.
A year ago, the S21 series shifted from the monthly security update cycle to Samsung’s designated quarterly schedule. But now, that too has ended. All devices in the series–except for the S21 FE–no longer appear on the list of supported devices. This means they will not receive new Android updates or Google’s security patches. From now on, it is solely at Samsung’s discretion when and if patches for the devices are released.
S22 Series Moves to Quarterly Updates
For the one-year newer S22 series, the new update schedule also includes a change. Starting February 2026, Samsung will provide security patches for the Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra only every three months. These devices join the Galaxy S21 FE, which also debuted in 2022 and will continue to receive regular updates until October 2026.
Also of interest: Galaxy S26 Ultra protects against prying eyes
In February 2026, the semi-annual support for the budget devices Galaxy A03 and Galaxy Tab A8 was also ended.
For newer premium devices from the Galaxy S24 onward, Samsung now promises seven years of OS and security updates. Budget models in the A, M, and F series, however, receive six years of combined software support–with few exceptions like the Galaxy A06.