Which iPads will work with iPadOS 18, and what's getting left behind

iPadOS 17 running on an iPad

Last updated 1 week ago

Apple is set to introduce iPadOS 18 on Monday, but not every iPad that runs iPadOS 17 will be able to use it. Here's what works, and what's getting left behind.

The keynote of WWDC 2024 is hours away, but even at this late stage, rumors are surfacing. In one leaker's posting, it seems that some iPad owners may discover they can't update their devices to iPadOS 18.

An X post on Monday from a leaker known by AppleInsider for accuracy doubled down on a previous claim from April 1. That post was about device support for Apple's future operating systems.

In Monday's follow-up, they reposted the tweet, as well as the word "Confirmed."

iPads that are getting dropped in iPadOS 18

iPad: sixth Generation (2018)
12.9-inch iPad Pro: second generation (2017)
10.5-inch iPad Pro (2017)

The list of iPads that are compatible with iPadOS 18 is as-expected.

iPads that support iPadOS 18

iPad mini: fifth-generation and later
iPad: seventh-generation and later
iPad Air: third-generation and later
12.9-inch iPad Pro: third-generation and later
11-inch iPad Pro: all models
13-inch iPad Pro: all models

Like other rumors from leakers, especially for software support, there's no guarantee that the details are going to be correct. Indeed, there's also some disparity between leaker opinions.

In February, one early leaker said iPadOS 18 wouldn't work on iPads with the A10X Fusion processor and earlier. If that leaker's correct, then more models of iPad won't be able to run iPadOS 18 at all.

AppleInsider will be reporting on the news announced from WWDC throughout the week.