How long does Apple support iPads?

If in case you have an iPad already or are pondering of selecting up an older one, perhaps a refurbished mannequin that might prevent some cash, it’s a good suggestion to learn the way lengthy it’ll nonetheless be capable to use apps and companies. Apple is normally glorious on this space, usually conserving older generations of its merchandise on the most recent variations of iPadOS or at the least blessed with safety updates to maintain them secure. 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 you could discover that apps and web sites will now not work and your information may very well be in danger.

Right here’s a fast information to how lengthy you must count on an iPad to stay usable. 

Which variations of iPadOS does Apple help?

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 challenge safety updates to older variations of iPadOS, in an effort to hold older iPads safe.

Safety updates are launched comparatively incessantly and easily replace the code within the system to shut any potential areas the place hackers or malware might acquire entry. These seem in your system as ‘level releases’, reminiscent of iPadOS 16.1, .1.1, 2.1, and so forth., and so they make small changes to iPadOS and repair any safety points. 

Whereas full iPadOS updates usually require system sources that may be an excessive amount of for older units, safety updates work underneath the hood and may normally hold an older mannequin going for years after the purpose the place it may well obtain a brand new model of iPadOS. 

Which means that the actual defining ingredient 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 may very well be weak to assaults. 

Presently iPads that run the next variations of iPadOS are supported with safety updates:

• iPadOS 17 (launched September 18, 2023)
• iPadOS 16 (final up to date in September 2023)
• iPadOS 15 (final up to date in September 2023)

It’s attention-grabbing to notice that iOS 12, which runs on some iPads, was final up to date in January 2023, however we don’t count on these units to have protection sooner or later.

Regardless of this iOS 12 protection, it’s best to imagine that something previous to iPadOS 15 is now not supported with safety updates. Which means that in case your iPad can’t run iPadOS 15 you could be weak to safety flaws.

Additionally it is doable that Apple will stop supporting iPadOS 15.

Which model of iPadOS can I run?

Apple

The secret’s to know which model of iPadOS your iPad can run, that approach you possibly can determine whether or not Apple remains to be dedicated to updating it with security-related fixes.

iOS 12

This outdated model of iOS ran on varied iPads in addition to the iPhone, together with:

• iPad Air (1st era) – from 2013
• iPad mini (2nd and third era) – from 2013

Apple issued a safety replace in January 2023. We don’t count on any additional updates for this model.

iPadOS 15

iPadOS 15 arrived in 2021 and was final up to date in September 2023. It runs on the next fashions that had been bought previous to the launch of iPadOS 16 (you possibly can’t run an older model of iPadOS than the one the iPad shipped with):

• iPad Professional (all fashions) – from 2015
• iPad Air (2nd era and later) – from 2014
• iPad (fifth era and later) – from 2017
• iPad mini (4th era and later) – from 2015

iPadOS 16

The 2022 model of iPadOS runs on the next iPads:

• iPad Professional (all fashions) – from 2015
• iPad Air (third era and later) – from 2019
• iPad (fifth era and later) – from 2017
• iPad mini (fifth era and later) – from 2019

iPadOS 16 dropped help for iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4 from these supported by iPadOS 15.

iPadOS 17

iPadOS 17 is the present model of the iPad working system. It runs on the next iPads:

• iPad Professional 12.9 (fifth, 4th, third and 2nd gen) – from 2017
• iPad Professional 11 (third, 2nd and 1st gen) – from 2018
• iPad Professional 10.5 – from 2017
• iPad (tenth, ninth, eighth, seventh and sixth gen) – from 2018
• iPad mini (fifth and sixth gen) – from 2019
• iPad Air (fifth, 4th and third gen) – from 2019

iPadOS 17 dropped help for 2016 iPad Professional 9.7-inch (A9X chip), 2015 iPad Professional 12.9-inch (1st era) (A9X chip) and 2017 iPad (fifth era) which runs on an excellent slower A9 processor.

Which iPads are usually not supported with updates?

Apple

Whereas some iPads can run iOS 12, which did get a safety replace in January 2023, we’d keep away from any iPads that aren’t working a model of iPadOS that’s supported by Apple.

As a result of these iPads don’t run iPadOS 15 we contemplate that they’re now not supported:

• iPad Air (1st era) – 2013
• iPad (4th era and earlier) – 2012 and older
• iPad mini (third era and earlier) – 2014 and older

If Apple drops help for iPadOS 15, then we will add the next to the record of unsupported iPads:

• iPad Air 2 – 2014
• iPad mini 4 – 2015

Our recommendation is to not purchase any iPad that’s listed above.

Which iPads are supported with updates?

Whereas Apple continues to help iPadOS 15 with safety updates, the next iPads shall be on the supported record:

• iPad Professional (all fashions) – from 2015
• iPad Air (2nd era and later) – from 2014
• iPad (fifth era and later) – from 2017
• iPad mini (4th era and later) – from 2015

How lengthy does Apple help iPads with safety updates?

For instance of a mannequin that’s nonetheless supported by Apple, the iPad Air 2 made its debut in 2014, however obtained the iPadOS 15.7.9 replace in September 2023, that means that it’s nonetheless going virtually 9 years after its preliminary launch. One other senior mannequin that obtained that replace was the iPad mini (4th Technology) which got here out in 2015. 

And since Apple up to date iOS 12 in January 2023 we might embrace the unique iPad Air (2013), iPad mini 2 (2013) and iPad mini 3 (2014) in our record of supported units in 2023, though we wouldn’t suggest utilizing them. 

Which means that in January 2023 Apple was supporting ten-year-old iPads with safety updates, whereas in September 2023 the corporate issued a safety replace that was suitable with the then nine-year-old iPad Air 2.

Nonetheless, if you happen to have a look at the record above, many of the iPads which are being supported by iPadOS 17 had been launched in 2017 and 2019. It’s actually solely the iPad Professional that will get extra prolonged help.

How lengthy does Apple help iPads?

There’s one other issue within the query of whether or not an iPad is supported or not. Whereas safety updates are essential as a result of they shield the consumer from these with malicious intent, in case your iPad goes improper it would be best to know whether or not will probably be doable to repair it.

Between 5 and 7 years after Apple stops promoting merchandise it strikes them into the Classic record. Then round seven years after Apple stops promoting merchandise they’re moved into the Out of date record.

As soon as thought of Classic by Apple your likelihood of having the ability to get substitute elements if required is already unlikely, however when a product is Out of date you won’t be able to get substitute elements.

Subsequently if it has been 5 years since Apple stopped promoting an iPad you’re unlikely to have the ability to get substitute elements if one thing goes improper.

The merchandise thought of classic and out of date are listed beneath.

Classic iPads

• iPad Air 2
• iPad mini 2
• Authentic iPad Professional 9.7-inch
• Authentic iPad Professional 12.9-inch
• iPad fifth era

Out of date iPads

• Authentic iPad Air
• Authentic iPad mini
• iPad mini 3
• Authentic iPad
• iPad 2nd era
• iPad third era
• iPad 4th era

So, whereas Apple does help all iPad Professional fashions with safety updates, the unique iPad Professional fashions are already thought of classic.

So it’s not stunning that when iPadOS 17 launches the next iPads will fall off the supported record since they’re already classic:

• iPad Professional 12.9-inch (1st gen) – 2015
• iPad Professional 9.7-inch (1st gen) – 2015
• iPad (fifth gen) – 2017

How lengthy ought to an iPad final?

On the software program facet of issues, it appears from the present examples laid out above which you can count on software program safety help 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 contemplate a product classic till 5 years after it stopped promoting it, you possibly can count on at the least six years of help (assuming the product was bought for a yr – Apple usually sells merchandise for for much longer than that). That is probably the rationale why iOS 12 was nonetheless being supported by the corporate up till January 2023. 

In fact, {hardware} is the opposite facet of the equation and that may be extra random as elements deteriorate or fail. Say your battery life falls off a cliff, you’ll must nonetheless be inside your one-year guarantee interval to have it repaired without cost. Apple does have a battery substitute service although, normally costing $99/£99 for a substitute and becoming, so this might extend the {hardware} facet of issues for whereas (primarily up till it was moved to the classic record 5 years after Apple stopped promoting it).

Apple affords {hardware} servicing and elements for a variety of older iPads, all at a value after all. On its website, the corporate states that, “Homeowners of iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac or Apple TV merchandise might get hold of service and elements from Apple service suppliers, together with Apple Retailer areas and Impartial Restore Suppliers, for at least 5 years from when Apple final distributed the product on the market”. That is clarified later within the textual content, saying which you can 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 ten-year outdated iPad is a formidable feat of sturdiness, however they received’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 supply. In any case, you may be utilizing it for a really very long time.

Wish to know the way lengthy Apple helps iPhones and the way lengthy Apple helps Macs, we have now that coated too.