Apple to shut Support Community forums on 20 November after 28 years

Apple confirms forum closure

Apple is closing its official support forums for good on 20 November 2026, according to TechRadar. The announcement appeared without warning, and the company did not give a reason for the decision.

Visitors to the site now see a notice from Apple stating that the AppleCare Support Community will permanently close on that date. The notice directs people to the official Apple Support site for guidance instead.

Apple also used the message to thank the community members who gave their time and expertise to help others with Apple products.

Posting is already locked down

The shutdown is not just scheduled but already partly in effect. Apple has barred users from starting new discussions or replying to existing threads, so the forums now sit in a read-only state.

That gives people only a short window to find any answers still stored there. After 20 November, the archive goes offline entirely, taking 28 years of accumulated troubleshooting advice with it.

A resource dating back to 1998

The forums existed in one form or another since 1998, when the service launched under the name Apple Tech Exchange. Over nearly three decades it became a common destination for people with problems on an iPhone, Mac or other Apple device.

The boards were not only frequented by knowledgeable customers. Company representatives also took part, offering advice and suggestions alongside the community.

That mix of official and peer support is what ends this month, and there is no indication from Apple that an equivalent replacement is planned.

Users are divided on the news

Reactions among users have been mixed, according to TechRadar's reporting. Some Reddit commenters expressed disappointment, saying the forums held good advice that showed up often in web searches. One user called the closure a shame, noting that the site often surfaced useful material when searching for help.

Others welcomed the change. Several commenters described poor experiences there, complaining about unhelpful replies. One wrote that the forum was routinely a useless top hit on Google, and another summed up the mood as good riddance.

TechRadar suggests that this limited usefulness may have played a part in Apple's decision, though the company has not confirmed any motive.

What it means for Apple users

Anyone still hoping to dig up an old answer on the forums has until 20 November to do so. After that, Apple points users to its official support site for documentation and help.

The closure removes a long-standing public archive of device problems and fixes. It also marks the end of an era for a community that, in various forms, supported Apple customers for 28 years.