Not Each iPad Is Suitable With iPadOS 26

iPadOS 26 is among the most vital software program updates for the iPad that Apple has launched in a very long time. Customers can look ahead to a revamped person interface with gleaming Liquid Glass visuals, new ways to organize windows and recordsdata, Apple Intelligence refinements, and a lot extra. And whereas the overwhelming majority of iPad fashions can be eligible for the iPadOS 26 replace, there are a number of variations of the Apple pill that did not make the lower.

Here is an entire listing of each iPad that’s appropriate with the iPadOS 26 replace, courtesy of Apple:

• iPad Professional (M4)
• iPad Professional 12.9-inch (third era and later)
• iPad Professional 11-inch (1st era and later)
• iPad Air (M3)
• iPad Air (M2)
• iPad Air (third era and later)
• iPad (A16)
• iPad (eighth era and later)
• iPad mini (A17 Professional)
• iPad mini (fifth era and later)

Apple is severe about rolling out iPadOS 26 to as lots of its tablets as potential, and as you may study within the subsequent part, there was just one mannequin able to operating iPadOS 18 that did not make the grade.

Cue all of the unhappy songs. Sure, there is a single iPad mannequin supported by iPadOS 18 that will not be eligible for the iPadOS 26 update, and that is the iPad (seventh era). We’re additionally going to inform you the explanation why: its processor is not cool sufficient.

Pausing our hyperbole, the element in charge is actually the seventh-gen iPad’s A10 chip. iPadOS 26 can solely be put in on iPads utilizing an A12 chip or newer, as a result of the A10 Fusion would not assist the Apple Neural Engine. Neither do any chips older than it. One can consider the Neural Engine as Apple’s AI suite, which makes use of machine-learning processes and language instruments to energy its AI options.

With AI persevering with to dominate the tech world, the Apple Neural Engine goes to be an integral a part of Apple {hardware} transferring ahead. And even when your iPad does function Apple’s Neural Engine, it is solely a matter of time earlier than iPadOS outgrows older AI accelerators, leaving much more iPad fashions within the mud.

Do you have to occur to personal a model of the iPad that is eligible for the iPadOS 26 update — and your system is not set as much as obtain computerized updates — downloading and putting in iPadOS 26 is comparatively simple. That stated, you may want to attend till September 15 for Apple to roll out the official replace.

Should you’re studying this text on or after September 15, and wish to replace to the brand new iPadOS, seize your iPad and launch the Settings app. Faucet Basic > Software program > Software program Replace, and iPadOS 26 needs to be featured as the newest construct you’ll be able to obtain. You may as well set your iPad as much as obtain computerized updates from this menu.

For these studying this earlier than September 15, you’ll be able to nonetheless obtain the beta model of iPadOS 26. Nonetheless, you may have to have your Apple ID enrolled in Apple’s Beta Software program Program to put in both the developer or public model of the software program.