What's next for you? The Galaxy S21 has reached the end of the line

We’ve followed the Galaxy S21 series throughout 2025 as this once-legendary trio slowly approached its final chapter. That chapter may now be officially closed on the back of a fresh firmware release.

The Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra are now getting a new software update that consists of the January 2026 security patch. It might be their last. Here's why and what you can do next.

Samsung launched the S21 lineup in January 2021. Major OS upgrades ended earlier in 2025 with the launch of One UI 7, and with these phones now five years old, the January 2026 patch is expected to mark the official end of support.

Although the series is still listed for quarterly updates, history suggests Samsung will delist it next month — five years and one month after launch.

First of all, congratulations are in order if you're still using the Galaxy S21, S21+, or S21 Ultra in January 2026. You've squeezed maximum value from your device.

But can you go on using the Galaxy S21? Technically yes. Without security patch support, the Galaxy S21 hasn't immediately turned into a security vulnerability.

Nevertheless, it is technically more susceptible to malicious attacks now, and in theory, Samsung has no obligation to patch it if things go wrong. You're in no man's land.

If that’s a concern, it’s time to consider an upgrade. Options include:

If you haven't experienced any of the Galaxy S21 series' sequels since 2021, you may be surprised by the level of optimization of newer Samsung phones. And foldables have greatly improved since 2021.

One last thing to keep in mind is that trade-in values for these 2021 phones are modest — around $100 toward a Galaxy S25 Ultra. And they will likely drop further once the Galaxy S26 arrives.