When you have an iPad already or are pondering of choosing up an older one, perhaps a refurbished mannequin, you’ll have to know the way lengthy it can nonetheless have the ability to use the most recent model of iPadOS. Apple is normally wonderful on this space, typically holding older generations of its merchandise on the most recent variations of the working system or a minimum of blessed with safety updates to maintain them protected. However there comes a time when the software program on an iPad can now not be up to date to a safe model of iPadOS, and when that occurs chances are you’ll discover that apps and providers will now not work and your information could possibly be in danger.
Right here’s a fast information to how lengthy it is best to count on an iPad to stay usable.
Which variations of iPadOS does Apple assist?
The essential factor is whether or not Apple will replace the working system software program that runs in your iPad if it discovers a safety flaw. Whereas Apple solely points updates with new options for the present model of the iPadOS, it does difficulty safety updates to older variations of iPadOS to maintain older iPads safe.
Safety updates are launched comparatively regularly and easily replace the code within the system to shut any potential areas the place hackers or malware may acquire entry. These seem in your system as “point” releases, corresponding to iPadOS 17.1, 17.1.1, 17.2, and so forth., and so they make small changes to iPadOS and repair any safety points.
Which means that the true defining aspect of how lengthy an iPad can final is safety updates. As soon as these cease, it’s not advisable to proceed utilizing the system, because it could possibly be weak. Usually, Apple points safety updates for 2 generations after ending assist for the most recent model. For instance, when iPadOS 17 arrived in 2023, Apple nonetheless issued updates for iPadOS 16 and 15 all year long. With iPadOS 18, Apple is anticipated to cease issuing common safety updates for iPadOS 15.
Sometimes, Apple will difficulty updates for older fashions, corresponding to an iOS 12 replace (earlier than Apple break up iOS and iPadOS) in January 2023.
Apple
Which model of iPadOS can I run?
The secret’s to know which model of iPadOS your iPad can run, that manner you possibly can determine whether or not Apple continues to be dedicated to updating it with security-related fixes. Apple tends to proceed safety assist for the three most up-to-date variations of iPadOS.
iPadOS 18
iPadOS 18 will arrive on September 16, 2024. It runs on the next fashions:
- iPad Professional (M4)
- iPad Professional 12.9-inch (Third gen and later)
- iPad Professional 11-inch
- iPad Air (M2)
- iPad Air (Third gen and later)
- iPad (seventh gen and later)
- iPad Mini (fifth gen and later)
With this iteration of iPadOS Apple dropped assist for the 2nd-gen 12.9-inch iPad Professional, the ten.5-inch iPad Professional, and the Sixth-gen iPad.
iPadOS 17
iPadOS 17 arrived in 2023 and was final up to date in August 2024. It runs on the next fashions:
- iPad Professional 12.9 (2nd gen and later)
- iPad Professional 11
- iPad Professional 10.5
- iPad Air (Third gen and later)
- iPad (Sixth gen and later)
- iPad mini (fifth gen and later)
iPadOS 17 dropped assist for 2016 iPad Professional 9.7-inch (A9X chip), 2015 iPad Professional 12.9-inch (1st gen) (A9X chip) and 2017 iPad (fifth gen) which runs on a fair slower A9 processor.
iPadOS 16
iPadOS 16 arrived in 2022 and was final up to date in August 2024. It runs on the next fashions:
- iPad Professional
- iPad Air (Third gen and later)
- iPad (fifth gen and later)
- iPad mini (fifth gen and later)
iPadOS 16 dropped assist for iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4 from these supported by iPadOS 15.
Which iPads usually are not supported with any updates?
With the arrival of iPadOS 18 Apple is prone to drop assist for iPadOS 15, which signifies that iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4 might be dropped from the supported iPads. iPadOS 15 arrived in 2021 and was final up to date in July 2024.
Again in January 2023 Apple issued an replace to iOS 12, which was the final model of the iPhone OS that ran on iPads earlier than the iPadOS launched. iOS 12 ran on iPad Air (1st era) and iPad mini (2nd and Third era), which arrived ten years earlier than that closing safety replace.
As a result of Apple now not helps them with safety updates, we’d keep away from any iPads that may’t run iPadOS 16. That features these fashions:
- iPad Air (2nd gen and earlier)
- iPad (4th gen and earlier)
- iPad mini (4th gen and earlier)
Remember that in late 2025 iPadOS 16 assist will doubtless finish, at which level the next iPads will now not be supported:
- 2016 iPad Professional 9.7-inch (A9X)
- 2015 iPad Professional 12.9-inch (1st gen) (A9X)
- 2017 iPad (fifth gen) (A9)
Which iPads are supported with full updates?
With the launch of iPadOS 18, these are the iPads that may get the most recent model of the iPadOS together with the brand new options:
- iPad Professional (M4)
- iPad Professional 12.9-inch (Third gen and later)
- iPad Professional 11-inch
- iPad Air (M2)
- iPad Air (Third gen and later)
- iPad (seventh gen and later)
- iPad Mini (fifth gen and later)
How lengthy does Apple assist iPads with safety updates?
The oldest mannequin Apple makes that’s nonetheless in a position to set up iPadOS 18 is from 2018, however assuming that Apple continues assist of iPadOS 16 till September 2025, the decade-old 1st gen 12.9-inch iPad Professional from 2015 will nonetheless be supported for one more 12 months, as will the 2016 9.7-inch iPad Professional and the 2017 iPad (fifth gen). Word although, the primary 12.9-inch iPad Professional is already thought-about out of date by Apple (as you will note within the part beneath!)
That’s seven to 10 years of safety assist. Apple may even sometimes push updates to older iPads, although it’s very uncommon and solely in excessive instances. Nonetheless, when shopping for an iPad, you possibly can assume between eight and 10 years of safety updates.
If it’s the total model of iPadOS you’re after, you possibly can count on about six years of assist–the Third-gen iPad Professional 12.9-inch being the oldest iPad that may run iPadOS 18, launched in 2018.
How lengthy does Apple assist iPads for restore?
Usually, Apple strikes units onto the Classic record between 5 and 7 years after it stops promoting them. Round seven years after Apple stops promoting a product it’s moved into the Out of date record, although some international locations have totally different guidelines.
As soon as thought-about Classic by Apple, your probability of with the ability to get substitute components is troublesome, however when a product is Out of date you will be unable to get substitute components. Subsequently if it has been 5 years since Apple stopped promoting an iPad you’re unlikely to have the ability to get substitute components if one thing goes fallacious.
The merchandise thought-about classic and out of date are listed beneath.
Classic iPads
- iPad Air 2
- iPad mini 2
- iPad Professional 9.7-inch (1st gen)
- iPad Professional 12.9-inch (1st gen)
- iPad (fifth gen)
Out of date iPads
- iPad Air (1st gen)
- iPad mini (Third gen and earlier)
- iPad (4th gen and earlier)
- iPad Professional 12.9-inch (1st gen)
How lengthy ought to an iPad final?
On the software program aspect of issues, it appears from the present examples laid out above you could count on software program safety assist as much as 9 years from when an iPad went on sale, nevertheless, we wouldn’t rely on that.
As a result of Apple doesn’t think about a product classic till 5 years after it stopped promoting it, you possibly can count on a minimum of six years of assist (assuming the product was bought for a 12 months, although Apple typically sells merchandise for for much longer than that).
After all, {hardware} is the opposite aspect of the equation and that may be extra random as components deteriorate or fail. Say your battery life falls off a cliff, you’ll have to nonetheless be inside your one-year guarantee interval to have it repaired without spending a dime. Apple does have a battery substitute service although, normally costing $99/£99 for a substitute and becoming, so this might lengthen the {hardware} aspect of issues for whereas (primarily up till it was moved to the classic record 5 years after Apple stopped promoting it).
Apple presents {hardware} servicing and components for a spread of older iPads, all at a price in fact. On its web site, the corporate states, “Owners of iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac or Apple TV products may obtain service and parts from Apple service providers, including Apple Store locations and Independent Repair Providers, for a minimum of 5 years from when Apple last distributed the product for sale”. That is clarified later within the textual content, saying you could get iPads repaired as much as seven years after they had been final on sale from Apple. So, if you wish to know in case your iPad qualifies, merely Google when it was discontinued by Apple.
Naturally, a 10-year-old iPad is a powerful feat of sturdiness, but it surely gained’t be as enjoyable or highly effective as a brand new one. So, check out our iPad shopping for information to see what’s at the moment on provide. In spite of everything, you can be utilizing it for a really very long time.
Need to know the way lengthy Apple helps iPhones and the way lengthy Apple helps Macs, we now have that lined too.