iPad End of Life: How Long Every Model Gets Updates

Updated: July 2026  ·  Reference — 45 iPad models tracked  ·  Methodology on our accuracy page

An iPad typically receives software updates for five to eight years after release — but Apple never announces the end date in advance. Support ends the day a new iPadOS version drops your model from its compatibility list, and after a final tail of occasional security fixes on its last iPadOS, the device is done. Of the 45 iPad models we track, 15 are already past their last update.

The pattern to understand: an iPad's lifespan is set by its chip. Models sharing a processor generation tend to fall off the iPadOS compatibility list together, regardless of price tier — a Pro and a base iPad from the same chip era usually die the same September. That's why a newer-looking iPad can outlive an older Pro, and why "how old is it" matters less than "which chip is in it."

iPad Support Table (newest models first — sample of 45)

All 45 tracked iPad models with dates → · iPadOS version support: see our iOS/iPadOS end-of-life guide.

Reading an iPad's remaining lifespan

1. Find your model's last supported iPadOS — if it runs the current major version, you likely have years left; if it's stuck one or more majors behind, the tail has begun.
2. Personal iPads past updates: fine for video and reading; retire them from banking, email, and anything with saved credentials.
3. School and business fleets: iPads age in cohorts (same chip, same death date) — budget replacements by purchase cohort, not one-by-one, and enforce minimum-version policies in MDM. Track the fleet against our iPad table or the API.

Frequently Asked Questions