What you need to know
In a significant development for users of Android 12 and Android 12L, Google has officially declared the end of support for these operating systems. The final security patch was released in March 2025, marking the conclusion of updates for these versions. As of March 31, 2025, devices running Android 12 and 12L will no longer receive any further updates or security enhancements from Google.
- Google’s last official security patch for Android 12 and Android 12L was the March 2025 update.
- As of March 31, 2025, Google is no longer supporting the Android 12 and 12L operating systems.
- OEMs can still choose to manually backport security releases to their devices; alternatively, users can switch to a custom ROM.
This decision is not unexpected, as Google typically maintains support for its operating systems for several years after their initial release. Statcounter reports that over 12% of Android devices globally are still operating on either Android 12 or 12L, highlighting the prevalence of these versions despite the advancements in newer iterations.
For those still using these operating systems, it’s worth noting that while Google will no longer provide updates, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) may opt to backport security releases to their devices. Additionally, users have the option to transition to a custom ROM, which could allow them to continue receiving the latest security patches and features.
This situation is particularly relevant for popular devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S10 series, the Google Pixel 3a series, and the OnePlus 7 series, which have been among the models still running these now-obsolete operating systems.
