If you're still using an old Android smartphone or tablet, we have some potentially bad news. Select models running vastly outdated software will lose access to Google Chrome later this summer. Google recently announced that Chrome will only support Android 10.0 or higher starting this August.

Announced on a support page and spotted by 9to5Google, Google Chrome will require devices to have Android 10 or higher starting in August. That means anything running Android 8.0 Oreo (from 2017) or Android 9 Pie will no longer be supported. This change will happen whenever Google gets around to releasing Chrome 139 for Android, which should arrive within the first 7–10 days of the month.

Two phones on a table, one displaying a digital clock, the other a photo.
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Instead of throwing it away.

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Google said in a support document, "Chrome 138 is the last version of Chrome that will support Android 8.0 (Oreo) and Android 9.0 (Pie). Chrome 139 (tentatively scheduled for release on August 5th, 2025) is the first version of Chrome that requires Android 10.0 or later. You'll need to ensure your device is running Android 10.0 or later to continue receiving future Chrome releases. Older versions of Chrome will continue to work, but there will be no further updates released for users on these operating systems."

So, what does this mean for those of you still rocking an ancient Android phone or tablet? Well, not much immediately, but in the coming weeks and months, updates, support, and compatibility will slowly expire. First and foremost, Google Chrome will continue to work as expected on your device, but you will become more vulnerable to security problems.

However, in the following months, some web pages might not operate correctly, struggle to display content, or eventually fail to load. Over time, you can expect to deal with disruptions and bugs, but for now, you'll be fine; you just won't receive new features or security patches for Google Chrome.

While the lack of new features isn't a deal-breaker, not getting security patches is a big deal and leaves your device vulnerable while surfing the web. As a result, we suggest users upgrade any older phones to Android 10 if it's an option. If not, you might be better off replacing that old thing with something else. You can always recycle outdated phones and tablets, or consider turning them into dashboard clocks, smart home displays, or finding another use for them.

Source: 9to5Google