iPadOS 14
iPadOS 14 is the second major version of the iPadOS mobile operating system developed for Apple's iPad tablet computers, succeeding iPadOS 13 and introducing features optimized for the device's large display and multitasking capabilities.[1][2] Announced by Apple on June 22, 2020, during its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), iPadOS 14 was made available as a free software update on September 16, 2020.[1][2] A developer beta was released immediately following the announcement, with a public beta following in July 2020.[1] Key innovations in iPadOS 14 include Scribble, a feature allowing users to handwrite notes with the Apple Pencil that are converted to typed text in any text field on-device, along with shape recognition for drawing perfect geometric forms.[1][2] The update also features redesigned widgets that can be placed directly on the Home Screen in various sizes, including interactive Smart Stacks that rotate based on usage, and a compact interface for Siri, Search, and incoming calls to minimize screen disruption.[1][2] Apps received significant updates, such as a new sidebar in Photos for easier library navigation, enhanced toolbars in Files with APFS encryption support, and improved Notes with searchable handwriting and PDF annotation tools.[2] ARKit 4 brought advancements like the Depth API for LiDAR-enabled devices and Location Anchors for placing AR content in real-world spaces, expanding augmented reality applications.[1][2] iPadOS 14 shares many features with iOS 14, including App Library for organized app management, picture-in-picture video playback, and enhanced privacy controls like app tracking transparency.[2] It supports the same compatible devices as iPadOS 13: all iPad Pro models, iPad Air 2 and later, iPad (5th generation and later), and iPad mini 4 and later.[1][2] Subsequent point updates, such as iPadOS 14.5 (April 2021) adding expanded Scribble language support and iPadOS 14.7 (July 2021) introducing Apple Card family sharing, among others up to iPadOS 14.8.1 (October 2021), extended support following the release of iPadOS 15 in September 2021.[2]Development
Announcement
iPadOS 14 was announced on June 22, 2020, at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2020 keynote, which was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the second major iteration of the iPad-exclusive operating system following its debut in 2019.[3] The primary goals of iPadOS 14 centered on elevating iPad productivity through tailored features distinct from iOS 14, while leveraging a shared core architecture, with emphasis on advancing Apple Pencil capabilities, refining multitasking workflows, and optimizing user interface efficiency for the device's larger display.[1][4] In the initial preview, Apple showcased the first public demonstrations of the compact user interface for system overlays, resizable home screen widgets, and the Scribble handwriting-to-text conversion feature powered by Apple Pencil.[1][4] Internally codenamed "Azul," iPadOS 14 was developed as a fork of the iOS 14 codebase, adapted specifically for iPad's screen sizes and input methods, with work commencing after the launch of iPadOS 13 in September 2019 to address feedback on prior productivity limitations.[5]Beta program
The developer beta for iPadOS 14 was made available on June 22, 2020, to registered members of the Apple Developer Program, with the initial build identified as 18A5268w. This release followed the announcement at WWDC 2020 and provided early access for developers to test and integrate new features like the redesigned Home screen and Apple Pencil enhancements. Subsequent developer betas were issued iteratively, incorporating fixes and refinements based on reported issues, with builds continuing through multiple iterations up to the golden master version in September.[6] The public beta program began on July 9, 2020, allowing broader access through enrollment in the Apple Beta Software Program at beta.apple.com, without requiring a paid developer membership.[7] Public testers received aligned builds shortly after developer versions, starting with public beta 1 and progressing through eight major iterations, culminating in public beta 8 released on September 9, 2020. Participants used the Feedback Assistant app to report bugs and suggestions, focusing on stability and usability.[8] Feedback from both developer and public testers drove several key refinements during the beta phases, including UI adjustments to the compact Siri interface for better integration on larger iPad screens, stability improvements to the new widget system to reduce crashes and rendering issues, and enhancements to Scribble's handwriting recognition accuracy in early builds to minimize input errors with Apple Pencil.[6] These changes addressed iPad-specific concerns, such as Pencil input lag during multitasking, ensuring more reliable performance before the stable release.[9] Participation in the iPadOS 14 beta program was substantial, drawn from both the paid Apple Developer Program and the free public beta enrollment.[10] Testing emphasized iPad-unique aspects, including multitouch gestures, external keyboard support, and Pencil interactions, helping identify and resolve platform-specific issues like app crashes under split-view usage.[11]Release timeline
The golden master version of iPadOS 14, build 18A373, was released to developers and public beta testers on September 15, 2020, for final testing ahead of the public launch.[12] iPadOS 14 was made available to the public as a free over-the-air update on September 16, 2020, for all compatible iPad models including the iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air (2nd generation and later), iPad (5th generation and later), and iPad mini (4th generation and later).[13] The update was succeeded by iPadOS 15, which was released on September 20, 2021.[14] Support for iPadOS 14 continued through incremental updates addressing bugs and security issues, with the final version, 14.8.1, released on October 26, 2021; no additional security patches have been issued since, as all compatible devices are eligible for iPadOS 15 and subsequent versions.[15][16]User interface
Home screen redesign
iPadOS 14 maintained the familiar full-screen grid layout for app icons on the Home Screen, optimized for the iPad's larger display to accommodate more icons per page compared to iOS 14 on iPhone—typically supporting up to 30 icons in a 5x6 arrangement without the need for extensive page scrolling.[17] Unlike iOS 14, which introduced widgets directly onto the Home Screen grid, iPadOS 14 kept the icon-focused design intact, with no support for resizable icons or widget placement in the main grid area.[18] This approach leveraged the iPad's screen real estate to display a greater number of apps at once, reducing clutter while preserving a clean, app-centric interface.[19] A key enhancement was the increased prominence of the Spotlight search bar, accessible by swiping down from the middle of the Home Screen, allowing users to quickly locate apps, contacts, or content without navigating multiple pages.[20] This integration streamlined app discovery on the expansive iPad canvas, where the traditional grid could otherwise require more swiping. For organization, the system retained standard folder creation by dragging apps together, enabling users to group related items into customizable stacks that expand to reveal contents, though without new structural overhauls like automatic categorization.[21] Customization options saw modest expansions, including new wallpaper choices introduced with iPadOS 14, featuring three abstract designs available in both light and dark variants at high resolutions up to 3208x3208 pixels for compatibility across iPad models.[22] Users could apply these via Settings > Wallpaper, with options for static or perspective-shifting effects, enhancing personalization without altering core layout elements. Folder icons remained derived from the first apps within them, with no native emoji integration for labels or visuals at launch, though users could achieve similar effects through third-party shortcuts.[23] In contrast to iOS 14's transformative redesign—featuring an App Library for automatic app sorting into categories like Creativity and Productivity, and widget stacking on the Home Screen—iPadOS 14 omitted these elements entirely, citing the iPad's persistent Dock and sidebar as sufficient for app access and dynamic content.[17] Instead, redesigned widgets, including Smart Stacks that intelligently rotate based on time and activity, were integrated into the Today View sidebar, accessible by swiping right from the Home Screen for glanceable information without disrupting the primary icon grid.[18] This differentiation emphasized iPadOS's productivity-oriented ethos, prioritizing a spacious, uninterrupted app workspace over iPhone-style experimentation.[24]Widget system
iPadOS 14 introduced a redesigned widget system that expanded the functionality of widgets while keeping them confined to the Today View sidebar, accessible by swiping right from the Home screen.[1][25] This placement allowed users to view glanceable information without cluttering the main Home screen, which remained dedicated to app icons. Widgets in iPadOS 14 came in three sizes—small, medium, and large—to accommodate varying levels of detail, and users could stack up to 10 widgets of the same size vertically for efficient use of space.[26][27] A key innovation was the Smart Stack, a dynamic widget collection that automatically rotates through stacked widgets based on contextual factors like time of day, location, and user activity, prioritizing relevant content such as weather updates during commutes or calendar events in the morning.[1] Users could edit the order of widgets within a Smart Stack or create manual stacks for customized access.[28] Apple provided built-in widgets for apps like Clock, News, and Weather, offering quick insights into time, headlines, and forecasts directly from the Today View.[29] To enable third-party integration, iPadOS 14 introduced the WidgetKit framework, allowing developers to create customizable widgets using SwiftUI for rendering timelines of content that update efficiently on device.[30] This framework emphasized glanceable, non-interactive displays to maintain performance, with support for configurable options like user-selected data sources. Unlike iOS 14, where widgets could be placed on the Home screen, iPadOS 14 leveraged the iPad's larger display for bigger widget sizes in the sidebar, enhancing readability without supporting Home screen placement—a feature added in iPadOS 15.[31][25]Compact design
iPadOS 14 introduced a compact user interface design to minimize disruptions from system alerts and interactions, allowing users to maintain their workflow on the larger iPad screen. This approach replaces full-screen modals with banners, sheets, and resizable windows, particularly for communications and system notifications. Incoming phone calls and FaceTime requests now appear as a slim banner at the top of the screen when the device is unlocked, rather than taking over the entire display. Users can quickly accept, decline, or send a message directly from the banner, with the call ringing in the background if swiped away, indicated by a small persistent icon. This change applies similarly to iPadOS 14, enhancing focus during multitasking.[13][32][33] Siri invocation in iPadOS 14 features a compact orb animation that appears at the bottom of the screen, expanding into a bottom-sheet interface for responses without obscuring the active app. While primarily voice-based, the design supports continued interaction with underlying content by allowing users to swipe the sheet aside.[34][35] Other modal elements, such as video playback, benefit from picture-in-picture mode, which resizes content into a movable, resizable window that floats over apps. This extends to FaceTime calls, enabling ongoing video chats while switching to other tasks. Low Power Mode suggestions appear as non-intrusive compact alerts, prompting activation without halting current activities.[36][33] These compact elements collectively promote multitasking on iPadOS 14's expansive display, providing a hover-like experience that avoids full app interruptions and leverages the device's screen real estate for productivity.[36]Search enhancements
iPadOS 14 introduced a redesigned Spotlight search, rebuilt as a universal tool accessible from anywhere on the device, allowing users to swipe down on the Home Screen or invoke it over any app to search for apps, contacts, files, media, and web results.[1] This universal search functions similarly to Spotlight on macOS, serving as an app launcher with categorized results for quick navigation to installed applications or suggested websites.[4] Integration with system apps enables searching content within Mail, Messages, and the Files app, surfacing documents and attachments directly in results.[13] Personalized suggestions in Spotlight are tailored based on user habits, prioritizing frequently accessed apps, contacts, and media while providing as-you-type web search recommendations that launch Safari upon selection.[1] Quick actions appear inline for efficiency, such as performing calculations (e.g., entering "45 + 67" yields the result 112) or unit conversions (e.g., "5 km to miles" displays approximately 3.11 miles), without opening the Calculator app.[20] Similarly, translations can be requested directly, like "translate bonjour to English" to receive "hello," enhancing on-the-fly productivity.[20] Optimizations for the iPad's larger display include expanded preview cards that show more detailed snippets, such as contact photos or file thumbnails, alongside deeper integration with the Files app for browsing and searching local and cloud-stored documents.[13] The compact design references a streamlined interface that overlays at the bottom of the screen, minimizing disruption to ongoing tasks.[1] New capabilities extend to solving basic math problems and handling conversions inline, making Spotlight a versatile hub for information retrieval and computation on iPadOS 14.[20]Input and productivity
Apple Pencil features
iPadOS 14 introduced Scribble, a feature that enables users to handwrite directly into any text field using the Apple Pencil, with the system automatically converting the handwriting to typed text on-device for enhanced privacy. This functionality works across apps, allowing seamless input without switching to a keyboard, and initially supported English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and mixed Chinese-English handwriting. In subsequent updates to iPadOS 14, such as version 14.5, support expanded to include additional languages like German, French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, for a total of nine languages by the end of the iPadOS 14 lifecycle.[1][37][38] Complementing Scribble, Smart Selection leverages on-device machine learning to differentiate between handwritten text and drawings, facilitating intuitive selection, copying, cutting, and pasting of content as typed text where applicable. Users can employ a lasso tool to circle and select specific handwriting or sketches, enabling precise editing gestures similar to those used for typed content, such as dragging to move or tapping to copy. This improves workflow efficiency by treating handwriting more like digital text without manual conversion steps.[1][39] Shape recognition in iPadOS 14 automatically perfects imperfect drawings of geometric shapes, such as circles, lines, and arrows, snapping them into precise forms ideal for creating diagrams. When users draw a rough shape and pause, the system refines it while preserving the original orientation and position, enhancing accuracy in creative and technical tasks within compatible apps.[1] Additionally, data detectors extend to handwritten input, identifying elements like dates, addresses, and phone numbers to trigger contextual actions, such as adding an event to the Calendar app or initiating navigation in Maps. This integration makes handwritten notes more interactive, bridging the gap between analog writing and digital functionality. For instance, circling a handwritten date in the Notes app can prompt options to schedule it directly.[1][39]App navigation updates
iPadOS 14 introduced redesigned sidebars in various apps to streamline navigation and consolidate key functions into a single, accessible location. These sidebars appear on the leading edge of the screen and can be collapsed or expanded as needed, allowing users to manage space efficiently while keeping primary content in focus. By leveraging the iPad's large Multi-Touch display, sidebars provide persistent navigation elements that remain visible without resorting to full-screen overlays, enhancing overall usability for productivity tasks.[1] In addition to sidebars, iPadOS 14 featured new toolbars positioned at the top or bottom of app interfaces, offering context-sensitive actions tailored to the current task or view. These toolbars include streamlined pull-down menus and pop-overs that centralize frequently used controls, reducing the need to navigate through multiple layers of menus. Customizable in select apps, toolbars adapt to user preferences and promote quicker access to editing, sharing, and organizational tools, making app interactions more intuitive on the iPad's expansive screen.[13] The navigation updates in iPadOS 14 also integrated seamlessly with multitasking features, such as Split View, to facilitate smoother app switching and content management. Users can drag items directly from a sidebar to the Dock or another app in Split View, enabling efficient transfer of files, links, or media without interrupting workflow. This tie-in capitalizes on the iPad's screen real estate to support side-by-side app usage while maintaining organized navigation, ultimately improving productivity for complex, multi-app sessions.[1]Note-taking tools
iPadOS 14 introduced significant enhancements to the Notes app, emphasizing seamless integration of handwriting and digital document management to streamline idea capture and organization. A standout addition was the expansion of search capabilities to include handwritten text through on-device optical character recognition (OCR), enabling users to query and locate specific words or phrases directly within sketches without manual conversion. This feature leverages machine learning to index handwriting in supported languages, making vast collections of notes more accessible and reducing the need for typed entries.[40] PDF handling saw notable improvements, with the built-in scanner now producing sharper captures and more accurate auto-cropping for imported documents. This allows for expanded markup tools, such as adding annotations, highlights, and sketches directly on PDFs, facilitating detailed reviews and edits within the app. Collaboration was further supported through iCloud-shared notes, where multiple users could engage in real-time editing, with updates syncing across devices for efficient group workflows.[40][41] Inline sketching in Notes benefited from new shape recognition, automatically refining imperfect drawings—such as circles, squares, or lines—into precise geometric forms to enhance diagramming and illustrations. Checklist functionality was refined for quicker creation and toggling, with long-press options on the text formatting menu to convert bulleted lists into interactive checklists, improving task management within notes. These updates, combined with brief support for system-wide Scribble handwriting-to-text conversion, positioned Notes as a more versatile tool for creative and productive note-taking on iPad.[1][40]Apps and services
Built-in app redesigns
The Photos app underwent a redesign in iPadOS 14 to leverage the iPad's expansive display, incorporating a persistent sidebar for streamlined navigation that keeps the main content area unobstructed.[1] This update preserved the app's core three-tab structure—Library for browsing all photos and videos in chronological or custom views, For You for personalized suggestions like featured content and shared albums, and Search for querying by people, places, or objects—while enhancing accessibility on larger screens.[42] Editing tools for Live Photos were expanded, allowing users to apply effects such as Loop (repeating the motion segment), Bounce (mirroring the motion for a looping effect), and a new Long Exposure mode that simulates blurred motion from moving elements like waterfalls or car lights.[42] The Music app received a visual and functional overhaul in iPadOS 14, featuring a redesigned sidebar that unifies access to key sections like the Library, enabling seamless switching between personal collections and playback without disrupting the Now Playing view.[1] The Library tab now emphasizes personalized lists, including Recently Added for quick access to new downloads and a customizable Artists view highlighting favorite tracks; it also supports the creation of playlists with names incorporating emojis and symbols for more intuitive organization.[2] Complementing this, the Listen Now tab—evolved from the previous For You section—delivers algorithmically curated mixes based on user listening history, such as daily personalized playlists and new release recommendations tailored to genres and artists.[2] Messages in iPadOS 14 introduced enhancements focused on conversation prioritization and group dynamics, allowing users to pin up to nine important chats to the top of the inbox via long-press or swipe gestures for effortless access.[43] The app added support for @mentions in group messages, notifying specific participants and highlighting their responses, alongside inline replies that let users respond directly to individual messages—threading them contextually while maintaining the overall chat flow.[44] Group conversations gained visual customization options, including the ability to set a shared photo, Memoji, or emoji as the group's icon to foster a sense of identity.[44]Maps and Safari improvements
iPadOS 14 introduced several enhancements to the Maps application, expanding its utility for diverse navigation needs. Cycling directions became available in select cities, providing routes that prioritize bike lanes, paths, and roads suitable for bicycles, along with an elevation overview to highlight hills and terrain changes.[45][46] The Guides feature offered curated collections of recommended locations, such as restaurants and attractions, developed in partnership with sources like Lonely Planet and The Infatuation, initially available in cities including San Francisco, New York, and London, with integration of 3D views and Look Around street-level imagery where supported.[47][48] Electric vehicle (EV) routing was added to assist drivers by factoring in current battery levels and suggesting optimal charging stops along routes, helping to plan trips more efficiently for EV owners.[49][46] Additionally, in iPadOS 14.5, users gained the ability to report incidents such as accidents, road hazards, and speed checks directly within Maps during navigation, contributing to real-time traffic awareness for other users.[50][51] Safari in iPadOS 14 received updates focused on privacy, accessibility, and file handling. The Privacy Report provided a detailed view of cross-site trackers blocked by Intelligent Tracking Prevention, displaying the number of trackers prevented from profiling users across websites visited in the past 30 days.[52][53] Webpage translation enabled on-the-fly conversion of foreign-language sites into English, Spanish, or other supported languages directly within the browser, powered by Apple's Translate engine without requiring third-party extensions.[53] Password monitoring through iCloud Keychain scanned stored credentials against known data breaches and notified users of any compromised passwords, prompting secure updates.[53] The download manager was accessible via a dedicated toolbar icon, allowing users to view, pause, resume, or delete ongoing and recent downloads, with options to store files in iCloud Drive or on-device storage.[54][55] Optimizations for the iPad's larger display included a full-screen Reader View that stripped away ads and clutter for immersive reading, activated per webpage and expandable to fill the entire screen.[56] A preview of tab organization concepts appeared in the redesigned Start Page, hinting at future grouping capabilities fully realized in subsequent versions.[53] The new Translate app in iPadOS 14 integrated system-wide, allowing offline translation of text, conversations, and webpages after downloading language packs, enhancing Safari's translation feature for use without internet connectivity.[57][58]Privacy features
iPadOS 14 introduced several system-wide privacy enhancements aimed at giving users greater control over their data and limiting cross-app tracking. These features build on iOS 14's privacy framework, emphasizing transparency and user consent without compromising device performance. Key additions include mechanisms to prompt for tracking permissions, disclose app data practices, and support privacy-preserving health notifications. One of the flagship privacy updates in iPadOS 14 is App Tracking Transparency, which requires apps to obtain explicit user permission before tracking individuals across apps or websites owned by other companies for advertising or data aggregation purposes.[59] This framework, rolled out in iPadOS 14.5, presents a one-time prompt when an app attempts to access the device's advertising identifier, allowing users to opt out by default and preventing unauthorized cross-site behavioral profiling.[59] Developers must comply via the AppTrackingTransparency API, ensuring that denied permissions block tracking without affecting core app functionality. To aid informed app downloads, iPadOS 14 integrated App Privacy Labels into the App Store, displaying concise, nutrition-style summaries of developers' self-reported data collection and usage practices directly on product pages.[60] Introduced with iPadOS 14.3 in December 2020, these labels categorize data types—such as location, browsing history, or contacts—indicating whether they are linked to user identity, used for tracking, or purposes like app functionality or analytics.[61] This visual format, mandatory for all new and updated apps, empowers users to evaluate privacy implications before installation, with Apple verifying submissions for accuracy.[60] Sign in with Apple provides a secure authentication option that minimizes data exposure by allowing users to hide their real email address through a private relay service.[62] When selected, Apple generates a unique, random email forwarder that relays messages to the user's personal inbox, shielding it from apps and websites while supporting two-factor authentication via device biometrics.[62] Users can upgrade existing accounts to this setup, ensuring only essential information like name (optionally anonymized) is shared initially, with no ongoing tracking by Apple.[62] For public health, iPadOS 14 supported the Exposure Notification framework, an opt-in system for COVID-19 contact tracing that prioritizes privacy through decentralized, Bluetooth-based proximity detection without collecting location data or personal identifiers.[63] Users enable it via Settings, exchanging temporary, rotating diagnosis keys only upon positive test confirmation, which apps from public health authorities can use to alert potential contacts anonymously.[63] This approach ensures no central database of user movements exists, with all processing occurring on-device to prevent surveillance risks.[63] Safari in iPadOS 14 further bolstered privacy with Intelligent Tracking Prevention, which blocks cross-site trackers by default using on-device machine learning to detect and limit data leakage.[64]System integration
File management
iPadOS 14 introduced significant enhancements to the Files app, improving file management by expanding support for external storage and refining organizational tools for better accessibility and collaboration. The app's updated interface, including a new sidebar for quick navigation to locations like iCloud Drive and external volumes, streamlines workflows on iPad.[65] A key addition was support for APFS-encrypted external drives, allowing users to mount and access secure volumes directly in the Files app by entering a password. External drives connect via USB-C on compatible iPads or Lightning with adapters, enabling seamless read and write operations for protected data without third-party tools.[66][67] Organization features were bolstered with color-coded tags, which users can apply to files and folders for intuitive categorization across locations. These tags appear in a dedicated browser section, functioning like dynamic smart folders to filter and group content efficiently, with optimizations in iCloud Drive for faster syncing and search of tagged items.[68] Sharing capabilities advanced with quick actions to generate shareable links for files and folders directly from the Files app, supporting real-time collaboration in iCloud Drive folders where multiple users can edit contents simultaneously. Thumb drives formatted in ExFAT or FAT32 integrate natively, allowing full file transfer and metadata editing, such as renaming or tagging, within the app.[69][70]Hardware compatibility
iPadOS 14 expanded hardware integrations to enhance gaming, augmented reality, and audio experiences on compatible iPads. A key addition was support for Bluetooth game controllers, allowing users to pair devices wirelessly for improved precision in supported apps and games. Specifically, update 14.5 introduced compatibility with the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 DualSense controllers, enabling seamless Bluetooth pairing and full functionality in Apple Arcade titles and third-party games.[71][72] ARKit 4, debuted alongside iPadOS 14, brought advanced features tailored to hardware with LiDAR sensors, such as the Depth API on iPad Pro models (4th-generation 12.9-inch and 2nd-generation 11-inch). This API delivers precise depth data from the LiDAR scanner, facilitating more immersive AR interactions by accurately mapping distances between virtual objects and the real environment. Location Anchors further extended geo-based AR capabilities, permitting developers to fix virtual content to specific latitude, longitude, and altitude coordinates using Apple Maps data for persistent, location-aware experiences.[13][73] Audio hardware received notable updates in iPadOS 14.3 with native support for AirPods Max over-ear headphones, which connect via Bluetooth and integrate with the system's audio framework. This update enabled spatial audio previews, leveraging the headphones' built-in accelerometers and gyroscopes for dynamic head tracking that simulates a three-dimensional soundstage, particularly in compatible media apps like Apple Music and TV.[74][75] For camera and microphone hardware, iPadOS 14 emphasized privacy enhancements shared from the iOS ecosystem, including a prominent orange indicator in the status bar whenever the microphone is active during calls or recordings, alerting users to potential audio access. While Back Tap gestures for quick actions were introduced in iOS 14 for iPhones, iPadOS focused on microphone optimizations for clearer call audio through improved noise reduction and accessibility accommodations like Headphone Accommodations, which adjust sound levels for phone calls on connected devices.[1][13] iPadOS 14 maintained full compatibility with the first- and second-generation Apple Pencil on supported models, enabling new input features like Scribble for handwriting-to-text conversion across apps.[1]Supported devices
iPadOS 14 is compatible with the same iPad models as iPadOS 13, requiring no new hardware for the upgrade.[1][76] The supported devices include all models equipped with an A8 chip or later, encompassing older generations that receive core operating system updates but may lack support for certain advanced features.[1][13] The complete list of compatible iPad models is as follows:- iPad Pro: All models, including 12.9-inch (1st generation and later), 11-inch (1st generation and later), 10.5-inch, and 9.7-inch.[1]
- iPad Air: 2nd generation and later.[1]
- iPad: 5th generation (9.7-inch) and later, including 6th generation (9.7-inch), 7th generation (10.2-inch), and 8th generation (10.2-inch).[1]
- iPad mini: 4th generation and later, including 5th generation.[1]