Your phone could be out of support even though it seems to be running fine otherwise. Your phone doesn't blare an alarm the day it stops getting security patches; there's no banner warning or anything else like that. Support simply ends, and your device keeps working exactly as it did the day before.
Security updates matter more than all the fancy new features you get with Android version upgrades. While version updates add features, security patches close the vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit to steal data or install malware. A phone can look and feel fine while running for a long time without the patches that actually keep it safe.
Check your phone's most recent security update by opening Settings, tapping About Phone, then looking for Android version. The patch date tells you when your phone last received a fix. If the date is more than three to six months old, it's a good sign your device could be approaching its support cutoff. Also check Google Play system updates via the Play Store.
Manufacturers rarely advertise an expiration date, which is where endoflife.date comes in handy. Under Operating Systems > Android OS, compare your device's Android version. For instance, the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE will get updates until September 2033, while the Google Pixel 6 Pro reached end of support in October 2026.
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing