How can I upgrade my iPhone 4 with ios7.1 to iOS 12?

No. Unfortunately older models are not built with the capacity to run the newest OS. You are usually safe two to three models below, max. The newer operating systems just require so much more processing power and battery usage and the older models can’t run them/ keep up. Like putting a sports car engine in a station wagon. You won’t get the right experience and can be dangerous even. (Phone could overheat etc).

Don’t toss the if you upgrade. Still people out there who LOVE the iPhone 4 models.

Some excellent prices out there for new iPhone 7 and 8 right now through most carriers.

Good luck.

Hi, unfortunately iPhone 4 devices are not compatible with iOS 12. The oldest compatible iPhone for iOS 12 is the iPhone 5S.

Have a great day.

You can’t. iOS 7.1.2 is the highest possible.

App developers went along with upgrades too. Some upgrades were optional for a long time for the consumer, and you could choose not to upgrade the app on older model phones if you knew they wouldn’t work. If people accidentally tried to upgrade an app they could reimage their phone to a previous backup of their phone. Lately, With the last few OS upgrades, the language between apps and OS seems not to work. So even without updating the apps, they still wouldn’t work once you updated the OS. I’m not sure who decided to “change the language” making developers upgrade the language/code to work with new OS, but I know I have apps that won’t work because I upgraded my OS. It’s frustrating for sure.

You basically need need an old image/backup on your computer of your phone, back when everything worked. If you can manage to reimage your phone from that backup, you might be in luck. It does seem less user friendly these days as developers are forced to upgrade apps to work with the new OS, or they lose their functionality and people with new OS can’t run those apps. People who don’t upgrade their OS however, in time won’t be able to run the upgraded apps.

kind of seems like another Apple way to keep us all buying new products at least every two to three years. Up until the last two years, it was much simpler. Definitely harder now due to the catch 22.

good luck. If you can’t afford new phones, plenty on eBay and Kijiji for sale used. I’ve bought several used devices over the years and luckily have had no issues.

Also major deals with with phone providers now on iPhone 7 and 8. Just got my daughter a 6s with two yr for $0. She wanted aux port. The 7 and 8 etc don’t have aux connectivity any longer. ***** if you have an old car without Bluetooth or USB. Even if you have USB, not all have Bluetooth. So listening and charging in car at same time can’t always work with newer phone models.

Thank you for one of the funniest posts I've seen on this forum in quite a long time. Your use of complete nonsensical gibberish is very well put together leading to a totally incorrect conclusion. How long did you have to work on this until you were able to form it in this satirical and humorous manner?

I wouldn’t joke about iOS upgrades.

What is old is the iPhone 4.

The iPhone 4 was introduced in 2010!

You can get apps, but not apps that require iOS newer than 7.1.2

Unless WhatsApp offers a version that works with 7.1.2 (they don't) there is no way to install it on your iPhone.

To add to deggie's point, realize that iOS 7.1.2 was released in June, 2014.

What requires an "upgrade" is your iPhone hardware.