diff --git a/.github/workflows/go.yml b/.github/workflows/go.yml
index b261414..9f7eab9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/go.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/go.yml
@@ -15,18 +15,7 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
         go:
-          - "1.11"
-          - "1.12"
-          - "1.13"
-          - "1.14"
-          - "1.15"
-          - "1.16"
-          - "1.17"
-          - "1.18"
-          - "1.19"
-          - "1.20"
-          - "1.21"
-          - "1.22"
+          - ">=1.26.0-rc.2"
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v6
       - name: Set up Go:${{ matrix.go }}
@@ -46,7 +35,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Set up Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@v6
         with:
-          go-version: "1.21"
+          go-version: ">=1.26.0-rc.2"
       - name: Make check
         run: make check
       - uses: codecov/codecov-action@v5
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0663825..6f191b5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -8,6 +8,14 @@
 Package pointer contains helper routines for simplifying the creation
 of optional fields of basic type.
 
+## Deprecated in Go 1.26+
+
+Starting with **Go 1.26**, the built-in `new` function supports expressions:
+`p := new(42)` or `&Age: new(calculateAge())`.
+
+This replaces all helpers like `pointer.Of[Value](v)` or type-specific `pointer.Int(1)`.
+**No need to use this package anymore — copy the generics version locally only if stuck on Go 1.18–1.25.**
+
 ## A little copying is better than a little dependency
 
 With the advent of generics in go 1.18, using this library in your code is
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 2d625f0..bea0717 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+// Deprecated: Use built-in `new(expr)` in Go 1.26+ instead of pointer helpers.
+// See https://tip.golang.org/doc/go1.26#language
 module github.com/xorcare/pointer
 
-go 1.18
+go 1.26
diff --git a/pointer_118.go b/pointer_118.go
index 42fe8c5..318f7a4 100644
--- a/pointer_118.go
+++ b/pointer_118.go
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
 // license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
 
-//go:build go1.18
-// +build go1.18
+//go:build go1.18 && !go1.26
 
 package pointer
 
diff --git a/pointer_126.go b/pointer_126.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..90ca9ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pointer_126.go
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+// Copyright © 2022 Vasiliy Vasilyuk. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+// Deprecated: Use built-in `new(expr)` in Go 1.26+.
+// Only for Go 1.18–1.25.
+//go:build go1.26
+
+package pointer
+
+// Of is a helper routine that allocates a new any value
+// to store v and returns a pointer to it.
+func Of[Value any](v Value) *Value {
+	return new(v)
+}