Update iPhone 5s or iPhone 6 now, or iMessage and FaceTime will stop working: Here's why

If you're someone using iPhone 5s or iPhone 6, you'd better update them to keep using FaceTime and iMessage, as Apple has rolled out an update to ensure iPhone's crucial video-calling and messaging apps continue to work.

New iOS updates for older iPhone models and how to install them

Named iOS 12.5.8 or iPadOS 12.5.8, the new iOS update is rolling out for iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, or iPod touch (6th generation) right now, which users can install simply from Settings > General > Software Update.

The iPhone maker has released iOS 15.8.6 for iPhone 6s and iPhone 7, and iPhone SE (1st gen), iOS 16.7.13 for iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X, and iOS 18.7.4 for iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR. All iPhones that came after that are compatible with iOS 26.

“This update extends the certificate required by features such as iMessage, FaceTime, and device activation to continue working after January 2027,” Apple says in a support document.

Those wondering should keep in mind that Apple typically offers five years of software updates for iPhones, counting from their launch year. But the company keeps releasing security updates even after that time period in a bid to address security issues in older devices.

One such example is the iPhone 5s, launched in 2013 with iOS 7 out of the box, which just received an update twelve years later to keep some key Apple services running.

According to Apple's official support page, the last update for iPhone 5s was issued in January 2023.