Lifecycle directory
Feature and settings lifecycle records: where the feature went, and what replaced it.
A lifecycle record connects renamed settings, removed features, discontinued devices and superseded instructions so an old answer never silently becomes the current one. Each entry names the old path, what replaced it and the software version where the change happened, so you can match a guide to the screen in front of you.
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Settings that moved, features that were removed and devices that were retired
Instructions go stale in three ways. A setting is renamed or moved, so the old path no longer exists. A feature is removed or replaced by an app, so the old steps lead nowhere. A device stops receiving updates or support, so a fix that worked last year no longer applies. This page explains each of them, with examples, so that you can tell whether a guide you found online still fits your phone, television or appliance.
Moved settings are the commonest. On the iPhone, the reset options that used to sit under Settings, General, Reset moved to Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, and an older guide that tells you to tap Reset will not match the screen. In Windows, many Control Panel pages have moved into the Settings app, so network reset, default apps and display options now sit in Settings, and the old Control Panel route may open a page that tells you to go to Settings. On Android, the path differs by maker: Samsung's One UI, Google's Pixel software and Motorola's near-stock Android label and order menus differently, so look for the setting by name with the search box at the top of Settings.
Removed or replaced features include apps that were folded into others, such as thermostat and doorbell controls that moved from a maker's own app into a combined home app, and accounts that moved to a different sign-in. If a guide says to open an app you cannot find, check whether the maker has replaced it. Retired devices matter for safety as well as convenience: a smoke alarm, router or phone that no longer gets updates can have unfixed security problems or sensors past their rated life. Check the maker's support page for the end-of-support date for your model before you spend time on a repair.
To check a guide's age, look for the software version and the date it was written, find your own version in the About or System page and compare. If a menu name does not match, search the setting by name, and prefer the maker's current support page. When something has moved, our device and model pages are updated with the current path, and a correction request lets us know about a path that is out of date.
How do I find a setting that has moved?
Use the search box at the top of the Settings app and type the name of the setting.
Why does an old guide not match my screen?
The setting may have been renamed or moved in a software update.
How do I know whether my device is still supported?
Check the maker's support page for the end-of-support date for your model.