Is the iPhone XR still a good phone for everyday use?

August 6, 2026 2 answers
Asked by MellowPine47
Hi! I just received my first iPhone from my cousin. It's an iPhone XR, and even though some people might consider it old or a downgrade, it's still a big upgrade from my previous phone, which had a swollen battery and a case that could no longer close properly. I mainly need this phone for school and basic everyday tasks, and I don't really use the camera. Is the build quality still good, what useful features should I know about, and can it continue receiving newer iOS updates?

Answers

ToastRanger6
The most important thing to check is the battery health under Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging. If the battery is badly degraded, the phone may feel slow or need frequent charging. Otherwise, the XR has Face ID, Apple Pay, a decent screen, reliable app support, and should handle normal school use without a problem.

MellowPine47: Thatโ€™s exactly what I need it for, so Iโ€™m not too worried about the camera or having the newest model. Iโ€™ll check the battery health and software update settings.

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SilverKite82
For schoolwork, messaging, browsing, videos, and other basic tasks, the XR should still be perfectly usable. Itโ€™s an older model, so it wonโ€™t be as fast as newer iPhones and its camera wonโ€™t compete with them, but that probably wonโ€™t matter if you rarely take photos. Check Settings > General > Software Update to see which iOS version it supports, and keep in mind that update eligibility eventually ends for older models.
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