Samsung Ends Guaranteed Security Updates for Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 After Five Years

Sixty months after they launched—a duration that spans roughly two average smartphone upgrade cycles—Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 have officially reached the end of their guaranteed security support. The August 2026 security patch marks the final scheduled update for the 2021 devices, concluding a commitment that originally promised four generations of Android upgrades and five years of vulnerability patches.[1][2][4]

The cutoff does not mean the devices will stop functioning or lose access to the Google Play Store. Instead, it means that as future Android vulnerabilities are discovered and exploited, owners of the Fold 3 and Flip 3 can no longer assume Samsung will issue a patch to protect them.[1]

That growing security gap fundamentally changes how the devices can be safely used. "Future Android vulnerabilities will continue to be discovered, but Fold 3 and Flip 3 owners can no longer assume Samsung will patch them," notes TechRepublic's Matt Gonzales. "That gap becomes more important for anyone who uses a phone for banking, authentication, work email, corporate apps, storing passwords, or other sensitive information."[1]

Samsung has formally acknowledged the transition by removing both the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Z Flip 3 from its Knox security updates page. The removal serves as the definitive signal that the company's software engineering teams have moved on to newer hardware, leaving the 2021 models without regular maintenance.[2][3]

The end of support arrives exactly on schedule, fulfilling the specific terms Samsung marketed when the devices debuted. Both foldables launched in August 2021 running Android 11 and One UI 3. They received their fourth and final major operating system upgrade to Android 15 in 2025, and spent their final year receiving only security patches.[1][2][4]

The cadence of those patches had already slowed before the final cutoff. In August 2025, as the devices entered their fifth year on the market, Samsung transitioned both models from a monthly update schedule to a quarterly release cycle—a standard wind-down procedure for aging Galaxy hardware.[4]

A final software package containing the August 2026 Android security patch was pushed to devices in early September, though installation dates vary by region and carrier. While Samsung retains the ability to issue an exceptional out-of-band fix if a catastrophic vulnerability emerges, routine maintenance is permanently finished.[1][4]

The five-year lifespan highlights a stark contrast with the marketing language surrounding Samsung's current lineup. The company now advertises up to seven years of operating system and security updates for its newest flagship devices, matching similar commitments from Google. However, those extended policies do not apply retroactively to the 2021 foldables.[1][2]

For owners weighing an upgrade, the financial math of holding onto the older hardware has shifted. "At the moment, Samsung will take your Fold 3 or Flip 3 as a trade-in, but they won't give you much," writes Droid Life's Kellen. "The Fold 3 is currently only worth $130, although that will come off as an immediate discount."[4]

As the Fold 3 and Flip 3 exit the support window, the 2022 Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 now become the oldest foldables actively maintained by Samsung. Those devices have subsequently been moved to the quarterly update schedule, beginning their own final year of guaranteed security patches.[2]