Is Your iPad Obsolete and Outdated?

If you have an obsolete or outdated iPad, it may be unable to run the newest apps, or it won't update existing apps. In a technical sense, an obsolete device is one that the manufacturer no longer supports. Here's a list of iPads that are no longer supported, discontinued but supported, and supported.

Obsolete Models

The following iPad models became obsolete before April 2022. In this case, obsolete means the models are both discontinued and unsupported by Apple. These devices don't support the latest versions of iPadOS.

• iPad, original
• iPad 2
• iPad, 3rd and 4th generation
• iPad Air, 1st generation
• iPad mini, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation

Discontinued but Supported

The following models are no longer sold, but these devices remain within Apple's service window for iPadOS updates:

• iPad Air, 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation
• iPad mini, 4th and 5th generation
• iPad Pro (12.9-inch), 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation
• iPad Pro (11-inch), 1st and 2nd generation
• iPad Pro (10.5-inch)
• iPad Pro (9.7-inch)
• iPad, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th generation

Currently Sold and Supported

If you own one of these devices in 2022, you're in excellent shape:

• iPad Pro (12.9-inch), 5th generation
• iPad Pro (11-inch), 3rd generation
• iPad Air, 5th generation
• iPad mini, 6th generation
• iPad, 9th generation

Uses for Obsolete iPads

An iPad out of the service window isn't necessarily useless because it no longer receives iPadOS updates. An older tablet makes a great tableside companion in your living room, an effective e-book reader, or a light-duty device for reading mail or checking your favorite websites.

It's okay to use the device until it dies. Still, the longer your iPad goes without updates from Apple, the more likely it is that security glitches could affect your tablet. So, don't use an unpatched iPad for important or sensitive applications.