According to Apple’s newly published support documentation, devices running iOS 10 or macOS 10.12 no longer meet the minimum system requirements for iCloud services. As a result, these systems will lose access to key features such as backups, photo synchronization, and the Find My service.
Apple routinely updates the baseline requirements for iCloud. For instance, in December 2024, the company discontinued iCloud support for iOS 8, at which time all iOS 8 data stored in iCloud was permanently deleted.
The updated policy now requires users to run at least iOS 11 or later in order to continue using iCloud’s suite of services, including cloud storage, backups, Keychain, and device location tracking. Those unable to upgrade their systems may still access the web version of iCloud, though it does not support essential features such as system backups or automatic photo synchronization.
iOS 10, first released in September 2016, was the final version supported by the iPhone 5 (2012) and iPhone 5c (2013). Both the devices and the operating system are now considered obsolete and have been formally dropped from Apple’s support lifecycle.
Given the dwindling number of users still reliant on such outdated hardware and software, Apple is gradually retiring support for older versions. This strategy streamlines iCloud’s infrastructure, enhances efficiency, and reduces long-term maintenance costs.
