Apple's iPadOS 27 has finally arrived, and now we know which iPad models will be supported. Is your device on the list?

At WWDC 2026, Apple previewed long-awaited Apple Intelligence upgrades, with a redesigned Siri experience being one of the biggest software changes. There's also a new Liquid Glass slider, for easier user interface customization.

Stability and performance improvements are a cornerstone of iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 as well, and even owners of select older devices will benefit from the update.

Apple has managed to increase the speed of system animations, and apps open up to 30% faster than they did with the previous releases. The user experience will also be improved thanks to the software-based CPU scheduler, even on older hardware.

The iPadOS 27 update is compatible with the following iPad models:

However, not all iPadOS 27-compatible devices will be able to run the most advanced Apple Intelligence features. Apple has explained that its most powerful on-device AI models in iPadOS 27 will be limited to M4 or newer iPad models, with at least 12GB of RAM.

Several iPad models that support iPadOS 26 will not be able to run the latest iPadOS 27 update at all. Specifically, Apple has discontinued software support for the following iPads:

  • 11-inch iPad Pro (1st generation, 2018)
  • 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd generation, 2018)
  • 11-inch iPad Air (3rd generation, 2019)
  • iPad mini (5th generation, 2019)
  • iPad (8th generation, 2020)

In short, the oldest iPad models capable of running iPadOS 26 cannot be updated to iPadOS 27, though they will still receive security updates. This move stands in contrast to what Apple did with iOS 27, as all iPhone models that run iOS 26 can run the new release.

Apple has confirmed that its iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 updates will be released to the public this fall. We expect that to be this September 2026, when the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are set to debut.