A robot vacuum maps your rooms, joins your Wi-Fi and takes orders from a phone app, so it needs security fixes the way a phone does. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre puts it plainly in its guidance on smart devices: makers need to release updates that fix security issues, and “without these fixes, your device becomes easier to hack.”
Several robot vacuum makers now publish how long they will keep sending those fixes, with end dates listed by model. We read the current pages from Roborock, SharkNinja, Ecovacs and Narwal on October 17, 2026. The promises run from two to three years after launch, some of the listed end dates have already passed, and Roborock’s own app has a listed end date of December 31, 2026.
What each brand promises
| Brand (page we read) | Security-update promise | Companion app |
|---|---|---|
| Roborock (global site) | At least 2 years for robot vacuums | Roborock app: listed end date December 31, 2026 |
| SharkNinja (UK site) | At least 3 years from launch for certain models | SharkClean app: April 8, 2034 |
| Ecovacs (Australia site) | At least 3 years from launch for certain models | ECOVACS HOME app: until at least December 31, 2034 |
| Narwal (US site) | At least 2 years from launch | Not covered on this page |
All four pages say a support period will not be shortened once it is published, and all four say they will update the page if a period is extended. These are minimums, then, not hard stop dates.
Model by model: what the lists show
Narwal. Narwal’s product support policy, marked “Updated on: April 24, 2024,” lists five robots, and every end date on it is now in the past: the Narwal T10 (June 1, 2023), Freo (September 15, 2024), Freo X Ultra (August 15, 2025), Freo Z Ultra (April 19, 2026) and Freo X Plus (April 20, 2026). The page’s list stops at those five models, launched between 2021 and 2024, so it does not tell owners of later Narwal robots anything about their dates. If you own a newer Narwal, ask Narwal support for the date that applies to your model.
Roborock. Roborock’s global page lists robots by model code, such as S80ULT or QX1PEC, rather than by product name. Eleven robot vacuum entries on that list have end dates before October 2026, from S80ULT and S81USP (January 4, 2025) to QX1PEC (June 30, 2026). Newer entries run into 2027 and 2028, such as RRE0BES, launched September 4, 2026, with an end date of September 4, 2028. Roborock also lists a wet and dry vacuum, WD5M2A, with an end date of November 1, 2026. If you cannot match your robot to a code, Roborock’s support team can tell you which entry is yours.
SharkNinja. Both groups of robot vacuums on SharkNinja’s UK list are still inside their window. Robots launched April 8, 2024 have security updates through April 8, 2027, and robots launched June 6, 2025 have them through June 6, 2028. SharkNinja lists model-number patterns rather than product names, so check your robot’s model number against those patterns, or ask Shark support.
Ecovacs. Ecovacs’ Australian page lists its Deebot robot vacuums by product name, along with its WINBOT and GOAT robots. The table loads in the browser a moment after the page opens. The oldest Deebot on it is the DEEBOT T20e OMNI, launched December 15, 2023, with an end date of December 15, 2026. Recent entries such as the DEEBOT X12S PRO OMNI, launched August 31, 2026, run to August 31, 2029. Older models no longer appear: Reviews.org Australia’s 2024 report listed the Deebot X1 Omni with a January 1, 2025 date, and it is not on the current list. If your Deebot is missing, ask Ecovacs support for its date.
The Roborock app date
Roborock’s list covers its app as well as its robots. The entry reads: Roborock app, launched June 1, 2019, end date of security update support December 31, 2026. That date is not new. Reviews.org Australia reported the same December 31, 2026 date for the Roborock app in November 2024.
The page gives no detail on what changes for the app after that date. Two lines in Roborock’s disclaimer matter here. First, “security update policies and devices are subject to change and will be reviewed regularly.” Second, “if a very serious security vulnerability is detected, we may provide you with the necessary security fix even beyond the period we declared.” For comparison, SharkNinja lists the SharkClean app through April 8, 2034, and Ecovacs says the ECOVACS HOME app will get update services until at least December 31, 2034.
If you use the Roborock app, check the page again in early 2027 to see whether the date has moved.
What the dates mean, and what they do not
- They are minimums. Roborock promises “a minimum of 2 years,” while SharkNinja and Ecovacs promise “at least 3 years from the launch day of certain device models.” A maker can extend a period; the pages say it will not be cut short.
- The clock starts at launch, not at purchase. Every list counts from the model’s launch date. A robot bought a year after launch has a year less of promised updates than one bought on day one.
- Regions can differ. Roborock says “security patch delivery times may vary by region and model,” and Ecovacs says the same of its patches. Two of the four pages we read sit on UK and Australian sites.
- Why these pages exist. The NCSC notes that since April 29, 2024, UK law requires smart devices to meet basic security requirements, “which includes stating the product support end date.” SharkNinja’s page sits at a UK address named for that law (PSTI).
- The end date is about security, not about cleaning. The NCSC warns that out-of-support smart devices “are easier to hack, or may stop working altogether,” and suggests treating the support date as a “use by” date.
What to do with your robot vacuum
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| You are shopping for a robot vacuum | Look up the model’s end date on the maker’s site before you buy. The NCSC advises avoiding devices whose support has ended or will end soon. |
| Your robot is still inside its window | Turn on automatic updates if they are available, and install manual updates when prompted, as the NCSC recommends. |
| You never control the robot away from home | The NCSC suggests switching off remote access if you do not need it. |
| Your robot’s listed date has passed | Treat it as a device that is easier to attack. A maker may still ship a fix for a very serious flaw, as Roborock’s disclaimer allows, but it has not promised to. |
| You use the Roborock app | Note the December 31, 2026 date and check the policy page again in early 2027. |
| Your brand is not on this list | Ask the maker for the security-update end date for your model number. |
| You are selling or giving the robot away | Do a factory reset first, which the NCSC says should remove your personal data. |
Support length is one more line on the spec sheet, next to suction and mopping. Our guide to choosing a robot vacuum for pet hair and carpets covers the cleaning side, and our check of which IFA 2026 robot vacuums support Matter covers smart home compatibility. For another device with published update dates, see how long Fire tablets get security updates.
How we checked: on October 17, 2026 we read the security-update support pages of Roborock (global, US and Australia sites), SharkNinja (UK site), Ecovacs (Australia site) and Narwal (US site), and the National Cyber Security Centre’s guidance on smart devices in the home. We also read Reviews.org Australia’s November 2024 report on robot vacuum support dates. The dates above are the ones each maker published on those pages; DecodeGear did not test any robot vacuum for this article.
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