Apple is all set to release iPadOS 14 for all compatible iPads on September 16. With iPadOS 14, Apple opted for refinements over radical changes. The first major update to last year’s iPadOS focuses hugely on streamlining the user interface while enhancing productivity. It’s filled with numerous tweaks to native apps, enhanced Apple Pencil support, superior web browsing capabilities, and more. You can find the best iPadOS 14 features here. Sounds exciting? Before you hit the Download button in the Settings menu, you should go through the checklist for a smooth iPadOS 14 installation.
How to Prepare Your iPad for iPadOS 14 Release
For a successful upgrade process, you need to make sure that your device is eligible for the iPadOS 14 update. You should free up space for a smooth installation, backup iPad data before the upgrade in case the things go south, and more. Here is the complete checklist to help you prepare for the iPadOS 14 release.
1. Check for Device Compatibility
If your iPad supports iPadOS 13, you’re in luck — iPadOS 14 will be available for all iPad devices that support the previous generation of Apple’s tablet operating system. Despite adding a number of new features, Apple has not dropped support for any of the older iPads with iPadOS 14.
iPadOS 14 Compatibility: Supported iPad, iPad Pro
- 2020 iPad Pro
- 2018 iPad Pro
- 2017 iPad Pro
- 2015 iPad Pro
- 7th gen. iPad
- 6th gen. iPad
- 5th gen. iPad
- iPad Air 3
- iPad Air 2
- iPad mini 5
- iPad mini 4
2. Delete Unused Apps
A major OS upgrade is a good time to think over the apps you have installed and delete ones that you hardly use. While you can always delete apps from your home screen, another way is to go to Settings > General > Storage and then tap on the app you don’t need and hit Delete App from the following menu.
You will be able to see how much space is being occupied by the apps, so you can at least delete the ones that are taking up too much storage space and leave the ones that consume low storage.
3. Free Up Space
iPadOS 14 update will require at least 2GB of free space, so if you’re running low on free space on your iPad, it might be a good idea to free up some space by deleting unwanted stuff from your device. You should have at least 2.5GB or more free space to be on the safe side.
Read: 15 Tips to Free up Storage Space on Your iPhone or iPad
4. Install Latest App Updates
Apple starts releasing the iPadOS 14 beta updates around June and it gives App developers enough time to keep their apps ready before the stable launch.
App Developers have been working hard to get their apps ready for iPadOS 14. So don’t forget to install updates for the apps to enjoy all the new iPadOS 14 features such as redesigned widgets, multiple widget sizes, and don’t face any issues.
5. Update to Latest iTunes
If you are planning to install iTunes to install the iPadOS 14, then make sure you’ve updated to the latest version of iTunes on your Windows PC. Mac users won’t have to do this since macOS Catalina does away with iTunes.
6. Backup Your iPad
It is always a good idea to take a backup of your iPad before updating it with the latest iPadOS software update. Note that if you choose to encrypt your backup using iTunes along with normal data, secure information like passwords, etc. are also backed up.
You can back up your iPad using iTunes or iCloud. If you need help then check out our step-by-step guides.
If you are having problems with the iCloud backup process then read our dedicated guide to fix the iCloud backup error.
We recommend taking a backup of your iPad using the iTunes method, as it will allow you to downgrade to iPadOS 13 if required.
Warning for Jailbreakers
If you have jailbroken your iPad and cannot live without your favorite jailbreak apps and tweaks then it is recommended that you avoid updating to iPadOS 14, until a tool is released to jailbreak iPadOS 14.
Ready to Install iPadOS 14
After you’ve followed the steps mentioned above, you should be ready to download and install iPadOS 14 as soon as it is available. While you are at it, don’t forget to read all the new iPadOS 14 features that we have discovered so far.
iPadOS 14 will be available as an update via iTunes as well as an over-the-air (OTA) update, which allows you to download iPadOS software updates without plugging your iPad to the computer.
You can also update your iPad to iPadOS 14 using iTunes by plugging it to your computer. If you want to jailbreak your device in the future, it is recommended to update via iTunes. We’ll be publishing direct download links as soon as they’re available.
Jailbreakers, note that if your device is jailbroken then OTA updates will be disabled, which is good if you plan to hold off updating, but if do want to upgrade, you’ll have to restore via iTunes.
It can take an hour or two to download and install an update, so don’t do it if you’re in a hurry. On the day of the release due to the surge in traffic, it could take even longer to download iPadOS 14. So you should do it when you have enough time. If you plan to upgrade to iPadOS 14 using the OTA update then it’s advisable to keep the device connected to power.
iPadOS 14 Release Time
Apple will release iPadOS 14 to the public on September 16 at around 10 a.m. PT.
The only piece of advice I would have is to wait for a day to install the update or at least not immediately after iPadOS 14 is released. There is usually a flood of users downloading a major iPadOS software update, which can slow down the download process on your device, and at times, it can cause major issues. So be patient and download the iPadOS 14 software update after the floor of requests has slowed down.
The waiting period also gives you enough time to find out if there is a major issue with the update. After all, Apple isn’t having a great time with major iOS/iPadOS updates.
Keep Your iPad Ready for iPadOS 14 Update
iPadOS 14 is an excellent update from Apple. It bridges the gap for power users looking to get things done on the iPad. What iPadOS 14 features are you looking forward to using the most? Drop a comment and let us know!
