Posted on April 15, 2025
Vincent Paquette
Google has officially stopped providing support for its Android 12 and 12L operating system. This means that the phones and tablets that have this version of Android will no longer have access to new updates and safety corrections. We explain the repercussions to you.
All operating systems have an expiration date and for Android 12 and 12L, it was March 31, 2025.
Indeed, Google ceases the support for this version of its operating system for mobile device.
This means that the phones and tablets which roll on this system will no longer receive new updates or security corrections.
It is not negligible when nearly 360 million devices around the world roll on this system. It represents almost 12% of all Android devices worldwide.
How do I know if my phone or my tablet in Android 12?
To check which version of Android we have on our phone or tablet, we must:
- Go in: Parameters
- Select the option: About the phone
- Look under the tab: Version Android
Note that the exact labels may vary from one manufacturer to another.
What to do if you have a phone or tablet with Android 12?
The end of the Android 12 support does not mean that overnight, our phone or tablet will stop working.
What that means is that we are now vulnerable to security flaws, since we no longer have access to fixes.
It is a similar situation that with the end of the Windows 10 support.
Here are the options available to us if we have a device that rolls on this system.
Migrate to Android 13
If our device is able to install and roll Android 13, it is in your best interest to download this version.
To do this, we have to go to the settings of our device and go to the System tab, then select the option: Update.
Note that the exact labels may vary from one manufacturer to another.
The catch is that It’s not all devices that can migrate to Android 13.
Indeed, according to the manufacturer and the phone and tablet model that we have, it may not be able to migrate to Android 13.
Have an antivirus
If our phone or tablet is unable to install Android 13 and we want to continue using them, it is in your best interest to protect them.
Given that they are no longer entitled to security fixes, it has every interest in bringing a good mobile antivirus to protect ourselves from intrusions attempts and malicious software.
About $ 20-30 per year, it remains a less expensive solution than buying a new phone.
Our mobile antivirus choices
Change your phone
Possibly, you will have to think about changing a device if we want to make sure you keep our information safe.
An antivirus helps to block attacks, but the fact remains that it cannot clog safety flaws as such.
Fortunately, in the Android world, the different companies, such as Google, Samsung, OnePlus and others, often offer discounts on their devices.
Telephone discount
Give a second life to our phone
Ultimately, we can give a second life to our phone if we agree to cut it from the internet.
Our device can still have several uses!
9 ideas to give a 2nd life to a phone