How to Update Your iPad (Including Older Models)

To update your iPad, back it up, connect it to power and Wi-Fi, then open Settings > General > Software Update. Install the compatible update offered there. On a Windows PC, you can also use Apple Devices; on a recent Mac, use Finder.

An old iPad cannot necessarily install the newest iPadOS. The iPad mini 2 cannot update to iPadOS 15 or 16. Check your exact model before treating a missing update as a download problem. This guide covers manual updates, automatic updates, computer updates and those older-model limits.

Before you update

Make a backup first. A normal software update is designed to keep your data and settings, but a backup gives you a recovery option if something goes wrong. Our iPad iCloud backup guide explains the wireless backup route. A computer backup is another option.

For the wireless method, plug the iPad into power and use a reliable Wi-Fi connection. Keep the device available for the installation: downloading and installing are separate stages, and the iPad will restart. For a computer update, use an internet-connected computer and a cable that supports data as well as charging. Do not rely on the iPad being updated to provide that computer’s Personal Hotspot connection.

How to update your iPad in Settings

1. Open Settings, the app with the gear icon.
2. Tap General, then Software Update. Wait for the check to finish.
3. Read the version offered. If an update is available, tap Download and Install, or the install control shown for that update.
4. Enter your iPad passcode if requested and follow the onscreen prompts. Keep the iPad connected to power while it installs.
5. After it restarts, unlock it and return to Settings > General > Software Update to check the result.

If that screen says your software is up to date, it means no further update is currently offered through that route for your device. It does not establish that an older model supports the newest major release. Apple’s wireless update instructions explain the installation prompts and options.

Which updates can an old iPad install?

First identify the device. Open Settings > General > About and check the model information. If you need the A-number, tap the value beside Model Number to switch from the part number to the model number, as shown in Apple’s model-number instructions. Match it against Apple’s iPad identification list. Do not confuse iPad mini 2 with iPad Air 2: they have different software support.

The table below summarizes Apple’s compatibility lists when iPadOS 15 and 16 launched. It helps explain older iPad limits; it is not a promise that a particular old release is available to install today. Devices introduced later may require a later operating system.

Release	Models included in Apple’s launch list	Older models excluded
iPadOS 15	iPad 5th generation and later; iPad mini 4 and later; iPad Air 2 and later; all iPad Pro models available at launch	iPad mini 2 and 3; original iPad Air
iPadOS 16	iPad 5th generation and later; iPad mini 5th generation and later; iPad Air 3rd generation and later; all iPad Pro models available at launch	iPad mini 2, 3 and 4; original iPad Air and iPad Air 2

Sources: Apple’s iPadOS 15 announcement and iPadOS 16 announcement. For example, an iPad Air 2 met the iPadOS 15 requirements but did not meet the iPadOS 16 requirements. A compatible computer cannot change that hardware limit.

Can an iPad mini 2 update to iOS 15?

No. The iPad mini 2 belongs to the iOS 12 software generation. Apple documents iOS 12.5.7 for the iPad mini 2; Apple’s iPadOS 15 compatibility list starts with iPad mini 4. Check Software Update for any update actually offered to your mini 2, rather than looking for an iPadOS 15 download.

Jailbreak tweaks that imitate a feature do not establish that the device runs iPadOS 15. Resetting the iPad, changing update settings or connecting it to a PC does not make it eligible either. If an app requires a newer operating system than your iPad supports, check whether the service offers a usable web version or another supported-device option.

How to update an iPad using a Windows PC

Use the Apple Devices route if your PC has that app. The legacy iTunes route is listed separately below. Update the app you are using before starting, connect the iPad by cable, unlock it and approve Trust This Computer if requested on your own trusted computer.

1. Open Apple Devices on the PC and connect the iPad.
2. Select the iPad in the app’s sidebar.
3. Click General.
4. Click Check for Update if needed, then Update.
5. Follow the prompts and leave the iPad connected until the installation finishes and it restarts.

Apple’s Apple Devices update instructions describe this route. The computer downloads the software, so the iPad itself does not need the wireless-download route. The computer still needs internet access.

How to update using a Mac

For a Mac with macOS Catalina (10.15) or later, use Finder. On a Mac with macOS Mojave (10.14) or earlier, use the iTunes steps in the next section.

1. Connect the iPad to the Mac with a data cable. Allow the accessory and trust the computer if the appropriate prompts appear.
2. Open Finder and select the iPad in the sidebar.
3. Click General, then Check for Update.
4. Click Download and Update when an update is available.
5. Follow the prompts, enter the iPad passcode if requested and keep it connected until finished.

See Apple’s Finder update guide for this method. If Finder’s sidebar is hidden, choose View > Show Sidebar from the menu bar.

Legacy iTunes method on Windows or an older Mac

1. Open iTunes and connect the iPad.
2. Click the device button near the top left of the iTunes window.
3. Select Summary, then Check for Update.
4. Click Download and Update and follow the prompts.

These are Apple’s iTunes update steps. Choose the update control for this task. Do not substitute a factory restore as a routine update step.

How to check your installed version

Open Settings > General > About and read the iPadOS or iOS version. You can also see the software version in the computer app’s General or Summary section. Apple’s software-version guide covers both ways. Write down the installed version if you are comparing it with an app’s minimum requirement.

How to turn automatic updates on or off

1. Open Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates.
2. Turn on Automatically Install if you want automatic installation. On versions with different labels, use the corresponding iPadOS download and install switches shown there.
3. If you prefer to approve installation yourself, turn automatic installation off. On the current interface, that exposes Automatically Download so you can download updates for later installation.

Automatic installation happens overnight while the iPad is charging and connected to Wi-Fi, with advance notification. Apple’s iPad User Guide also describes automatic downloads while the iPad is locked, charging and on Wi-Fi. Leaving the setting enabled does not bypass model compatibility.

Some versions also show a separate System Files automatic-install option. These files can update without changing the displayed iPadOS version. Controls vary across releases, so an older iPad may not show the same options as the illustrations.

What to do when an iPad update will not install

There is no newer update

Check the exact model against the release’s compatibility requirements first. If it is eligible but nothing appears, try the computer update method: Apple notes that some updates are not available wirelessly. For an ineligible model, repeatedly retrying the download cannot solve the limitation.

Not enough storage

Open Settings > General > iPad Storage and review what is using space. There is no single free-space target that applies to every update. Use the amount requested by the installation prompt. If iPad offers to temporarily remove apps, Continue lets it reinstall those apps after updating. You can also check available iPad storage and make room yourself.

Unable to check, download or verify the update

Confirm your internet connection works. VPN or proxy connections can prevent access to Apple’s update servers. Try another suitable network, or use a computer if the problem continues. If the downloaded update repeatedly fails, open Settings > General > iPad Storage, select the downloaded update and tap Delete Update. Then return to Software Update to download it again. This removes the update download; it is not an instruction to erase the iPad.

The computer cannot find the iPad

Unlock the iPad and check the trust prompt. Try a different data-capable cable or USB port, then check that the computer software is current. A charging-only cable is not enough. Follow Apple’s device-recognition troubleshooting if the iPad still does not appear.

The installation progress bar seems stuck

An installation bar can move slowly. Keep the iPad connected to power and allow the process to finish. Do not interrupt an active installation simply because it is taking longer than a fixed estimate. If the device will not complete the update or start normally, use the appropriate recovery instructions linked from Apple’s update troubleshooting guide rather than applying one button combination to every iPad model.

Frequently asked questions

Will updating delete my photos and apps?

A normal update is intended to retain data and settings. Make a backup first anyway. An update and an erase or restore are different operations; read any recovery prompt carefully before selecting a step that removes data.

Can I choose iPadOS 15 or 16 specifically?

Use the versions Apple currently offers for your exact model. Historical compatibility does not guarantee that an old release is available now, and Software Update is not a catalog of every previous version. For a current update, install the compatible version offered rather than following a guide that calls an old release “the latest.”

Can I use the iPad during the download?

Yes, downloading is different from installation. The device becomes unavailable while it installs and restarts. Leave enough time to finish before you need the iPad; duration depends on the update, connection and device.

Does this also update all my apps?

App updates are a separate task. After checking the operating system, follow our guide to update all your iPad apps at once. An app update still must meet the software requirements for your device.