Apple says it will shut down its Apple Support Community forums after 28 years

If you've ever had a problem with your MacBook, iPhone, or Apple account, a quick Google search for a fix likely sent you to a relevant thread on the Apple Support Community at discussions.apple.com, where Apple customers tried to help their fellow Apple fans out.That won't be the case anymore.On Tuesday, Apple announced that it would be closing down the Apple Support Community, the official forum for Apple customers looking for help from other Apple users with their Apple products. Apple disabled posting in the Apple Support Community on Tuesday. The platform is still viewable in a read-only state. However, the forums will be shuttered for good on Nov. 20.A prompt now appears at the top of the Apple Support Community website and all of its posts with Apple's announcement of the forum's closure: The best tech deal this week The Apple iPhone 18 Pro is free right now with T-Mobile Products available for purchase through affiliate links. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission. Mashable Light Speed "The Apple Support Community will permanently close on November 20, 2026. Starting today, the site will no longer accept new posts and is available in a read-only state. You can continue to find trusted guidance and support on the official Apple Support site. We want to thank the community members who have contributed their time and expertise to help others with their Apple products."Anyone who has ever had an Apple product likely found themselves on the Apple Support Community at some point. Even if they didn't sign up to ask a question themselves, the answer to their question likely existed in the Apple Support Community archives, helping numerous customers avoid reaching out directly to Apple's official support.The forum launched in 1998 as the Apple Tech Exchange. According to MacRumors, the forums went through numerous name changes over the years, going by Apple Discussion in 2000, before the company finally settled on the Apple Support Community in 2022. The last post on the Apple Support Community appears to have been published by a user looking for help with their Apple account at 5:41 p.m. on Nov. 10. One last reply was posted in the thread minutes later at 5:49 p.m. Apple appears to have moved the forums to a read-only state shortly after that.Apple reportedly told MacRumors that "it decided to sunset the Apple Support Community after a careful evaluation of strategy and customer needs."What if you need help with your Apple products going forward? Apple suggests that you contact its official support directly.