Apple to permanently shut down its Support Community on November 20

Apple is permanently shutting down its online Support Community on November 20, 2026, bringing an end to the public forum where customers have spent years asking questions, sharing troubleshooting advice and helping one another solve problems with Apple products.

A notice now displayed on the Apple Support Community website confirms that the service has already stopped accepting new posts and has been placed in read-only mode. The community will close completely on Friday, November 20, giving users just over a week before the announced shutdown.

Apple has not provided a reason for the closure. In its message, the company directs customers to the official Apple Support website for guidance and assistance, while thanking the community members who contributed their time and expertise to helping others.

What the closure means for Apple customers

The Support Community at discussions.apple.com has long served as a public, user-to-user destination for problems involving iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, iCloud and other Apple products and services. Its discussions have also appeared in search results, making answers posted by other customers available to people encountering similar issues years later.

With new posting disabled, users can no longer start fresh discussions or add replies through the forum. Existing conversations remain viewable during the read-only period, but Apple has not said whether its archive of older questions and answers will remain accessible after November 20. The notice also does not identify a replacement community forum.

The change does not mean Apple’s technical support services or AppleCare protection plans are ending. Customers can still get help through Apple’s support website and the Apple Support app, which provides troubleshooting guidance and ways to contact Apple or arrange service. The shutdown specifically concerns the public discussion community.

Another change to Apple’s support services

Apple previously withdrew human customer assistance through its @AppleSupport account on X in 2023. The Apple Post reported at the time that Apple was redirecting people to its own support channels, following reports of a wider reorganization of online support roles.

More recently, The Apple Post covered a Bloomberg report claiming that Apple considered replacing thousands of AppleCare support positions with AI-powered agents before placing the proposal on hold. Apple has not linked that reported initiative to the Support Community closure, and there is no confirmed connection between the two decisions.

For the community’s longtime contributors, the closure marks the loss of a place where experienced users could share knowledge directly with other customers. Apple has not announced whether contributor profiles, reputation points or its Community+ recognition program will continue in another form. For now, the final date for the forum remains November 20.