Apple now requires iOS and iPadOS apps uploaded to App Store Connect to target iOS 13 or later, a rule in effect since September 9, 2026. Apple’s submission page adds that starting April 2027, iOS and iPadOS apps must be built with the iOS & iPadOS 27 SDK or later and target iOS 15 or later.
The iOS 13 rule sits at the top of Apple’s upcoming requirements page under the heading “iOS and iPadOS minimum system requirements.” The iOS 15 step comes from Apple’s separate page on submitting apps, which lists the April 2027 minimums.
What “target iOS 13” means
Every app has a minimum version of iOS it is built to run on, which developers set in Xcode as the deployment target. Apple’s wording is short: “iOS and iPadOS apps uploaded to App Store Connect must target iOS 13 or later.”
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So from September 9, 2026, a developer can no longer upload a new app or an update whose minimum is iOS 12 or earlier. The rule applies to uploads, meaning new apps and new versions.
Two minimums, two dates
Apple now has two separate floors on the books for iPhone and iPad apps, plus the SDK rules that go with them:
| Requirement | In effect | What Apple says |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum target | Since September 9, 2026 | iOS and iPadOS apps uploaded to App Store Connect must target iOS 13 or later |
| SDK minimum | Since April 28, 2026 | Apps must be built with Xcode 26 or later using an SDK for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26, or watchOS 26 |
| Minimum target | Starting April 2027 | iOS and iPadOS apps must target iOS 15 or later |
| SDK minimum | Starting April 2027 | iOS and iPadOS apps must be built with the iOS & iPadOS 27 SDK or later; tvOS, visionOS and watchOS apps with their 27 SDKs |
The April 2027 SDK rule first appeared in Apple’s September 9 developer news post on App Store submissions for the latest OS releases. That post did not mention a minimum target. The “target iOS 15 or later” line appears on Apple’s submitting page.
How this lines up with Xcode
Apple’s own tools already lean further than the iOS 13 rule. Apple’s Xcode support page lists the supported deployment targets for each Xcode release:
| Xcode version | iOS deployment targets listed by Apple |
|---|---|
| Xcode 26 | iOS 15 to 26 |
| Xcode 26.6 | iOS 15 to 26.5 |
| Xcode 27 | iOS 15 to 27 |
| Xcode 27.1 | iOS 15 to 27 |
Since uploads have required Xcode 26 or later since April 28, 2026, and Apple lists iOS 15 as the lowest deployment target for both Xcode 26 and Xcode 27, the April 2027 iOS 15 floor matches what Apple’s current tools list. The iOS 13 rule is the App Store’s own written floor, and it sits below what those Xcode versions list.
What it means if you have an older iPhone or iPad
For most people on a current iPhone or iPad, nothing changes. Apps keep updating as normal.
The rule matters to people holding on to an older device that runs an older iOS release. A new app or app update uploaded under this rule is built for iOS 13 or later, and from April 2027 for iOS 15 or later. A device running an earlier version than an app’s minimum is outside what that build supports.
Apple’s requirement pages do not list which iPhone or iPad models that covers. To check your own device, Apple says to open Settings, tap General, tap About, and find the version next to iOS Version or iPadOS Version. If it is below iOS 13, new uploads from this point on are built for a later release than yours. If it is below iOS 15, the same will be true of uploads from April 2027.
What developers should do
For developers, Apple’s checklist is short:
- Make sure every iOS and iPadOS app you upload targets iOS 13 or later.
- Plan for the April 2027 step: build with the iOS & iPadOS 27 SDK or later, and target iOS 15 or later.
- Build tvOS, visionOS and watchOS apps with their 27 SDKs from April 2027.
Apple’s full list is on its upcoming requirements page. Our September report on the April 2027 SDK deadline covers the SDK side in more detail.
