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iPad Q&A
Published June 15, 2024
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Which iPad models support iPadOS 18? Do some models "partially" support iPadOS 18? Which ones?
Apple first announced iPadOS 18 on June 10, 2024. A public beta is expected in July 2024 and the "final" consumer version is expected to be released in autumn 2024.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (iPadOS 18)
Apple provides basic iPadOS 18 compatibility info in fine print in the company press release, but specific feature support is scattered elsewhere and can be challenging to parse, so an independent review can be worthwhile.
New iPadOS 18 Features
In the press release for iPadOS 18, Apple highlights that the operating system introduces "powerful new intelligence features and apps designed for Apple Pencil."
In more detail, the company explains that:
With iPadOS 18, Calculator comes to iPad with Math Notes, along with new handwriting tools in Notes -- all designed for Apple Pencil. iPad users now have more ways to customize the Home Screen and Control Center, and with iPadOS 18, users receive the biggest redesign of the Photos app to date and new ways to express themselves in Messages.
iPadOS 18 also introduces Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system for iPhone, iPad, and Mac that combines the power of generative models with personal context to deliver intelligence that’s incredibly useful and relevant.
Although there are many other smaller features introduced as well, Apple chose to emphasize these additions for iPadOS 18:
- Math Notes Calculator: After bizarrely denying the iPad a calculator for eons, Apple finally makes amends with an impressive looking app that "allows users to type or write out mathematical expressions and see them instantly solved in their own handwriting".
- Handwritten Notes with Smart Script: Cleans up your handwriting in near real time and makes it possible to delete handwriting by scratching it out, edit handwritten text, and copy and paste handwriting, as well. Slick.
- Improved Customization: New ways to customize the Home Screen, Lock Screen, and Control Center with options to change the layout, icons, and functionality.
- Improved Photos: Improvements in organization, largely automated, to make it easier to locate and use photos of specific people, pets, places, and more.
- Improved Messages: Largely borrowed from Android, the ability to schedule messages is helpful. The expanded animated text effects, not so much. Ugh.
- Improved Safari: Adds "Highlights" capability and enhanced "Reader" functionality to summarize and highlight info from websites.
- New Privacy Controls: Still no multiuser capability; Apple wouldn't want to risk cutting into iPad sales, but the iPadOS now offers more control over visibility of apps, contacts, and more.
- Apple Intelligence: Integrates ChatGPT to generate text and images prompted by users. In its initial release, it is limited to US English.
However, it is important to be aware that the two most notable new features -- Apple Intelligence and Handwriting with Smart Script are not supported on a significant number of iPadOS 18 compatible devices.
Compared to its predecessor, iPadOS 17, iPadOS 18 drops support entirely for the iPad (6th Gen), iPad Pro 10.5" and iPad Pro 12.9" (2nd Gen).
A full list of iPad devices supported at the time iPadOS 18 was released follows. There also are some significant differences in terms of feature support documented further below.
Identification Help (Skip)
If you are not sure which iPad you have, all models can be quickly identified externally by Model Number precisely enough to determine whether or not it is supported by iPadOS 18. You also can find this Model Number in the "Settings" app on your iPad under General > Regulatory > or General > Legal & Regulatory, depending on the version of the operating system.
These particular iPad devices support iPadOS 18:
iPadOS 18 Compatible Tablets |
Model No |
If your iPad isn't listed above, and it wasn't released before the next version of the iPadOS was released (iPadOS 19), it isn't compatible with iPadOS 18.
Although it is not as straightforward, you also can use the Order Number for identification, which is specified as "Model" within the iOS "Settings" app under General > About.
For example, in the United States, this "Model" within the iPadOS is MUWR3LL/A, which specifically refers to an iPad Air M2 11" (Wi-Fi Only) in Blue with 1 TB of storage.
Everyi.com's Ultimate iLookup feature can identify these devices by order numbers from around the world and other identifiers, too.
All of the above iPad devices are compatible with iPadOS 18, but in fine print, Apple disclaims that three features -- Apple Intelligence, Handwriting with Smart Script, and Eye Tracking -- only are supported by a subset of devices.
Bottom line, only the iPad Air 5 (M1), iPad Air M2, iPad Pro 11" 3rd Gen (M1), iPad Pro 12.9" 5th Gen (M1), iPad Pro 11" 4th Gen (M2), iPad Pro 12.9" 6th Gen (M2), and iPad Pro M4 models actually support all new features.
On the other hand, the iPad (7th Gen), iPad (8th Gen), iPad (9th Gen), iPad mini (5th Gen), iPad Pro 11", iPad Pro 12.9" (3rd Gen), iPad Pro 11" (2nd Gen), and iPad Pro 12.9" (4th Gen) do not support any of these features.
Support for other iPad models varies accordingly.
Full-Size iPad
To reiterate, the iPad 7, iPad 8, and iPad 9 support iPadOS 18, but do not support any of these features. The iPad 10 supports some advanced features:
| iPad 7 | iPad 8 | iPad 9 | iPad 10 | |
| Apple Intelligence | No | No | No | No |
| Handwriting with Smart Script | No | No | No | Yes |
| Eye Tracking | No | No | No | Yes |
iPad mini
The iPad mini 5 does not support these features; the iPad mini 6 supports some:
| mini 5 | mini 6 | |
| Apple Intelligence | No | No |
| Handwriting with Smart Script | No | Yes |
| Eye Tracking | No | Yes |
iPad Air
The iPad Air 3, iPad Air 4, iPad Air 5 (M1), and iPad Air M2 models vary in their support for these features:
| Air 3 | Air 4 | Air 5 | Air M2 | |
| Apple Intelligence | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Handwriting with Smart Script | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Eye Tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
iPad Pro
The older iPad Pro 11", iPad Pro 12.9" (3rd Gen), iPad Pro 11" (2nd Gen), and iPad Pro 12.9" (4th Gen) support iPadOS 18, but do not support any of these features:
| 11" | 12.9" 3 | 11" 2 | 12.9" 4 | |
| Apple Intelligence | No | No | No | No |
| Handwriting with Smart Script | No | No | No | No |
| Eye Tracking | No | No | No | No |
The newer iPad Pro 12.9" 5th Gen (M1), iPad Pro 11" 4th Gen (M2), iPad Pro 12.9" 6th Gen (M2), and iPad Pro M4 models support all of these features.
iPadOS 18 Summary
Ultimately, iPadOS 18 offers a number of interesting and useful new features, although the most significant ones -- Handwriting with Smart Script and Apple Intelligence -- are primarily limited to recent models. For its initial release, Apple Intelligence is limited to US English, as well.
As always, Everyi.com recommends that for those with "mission critical" iPad devices, it is a good idea to skip any public beta entirely and wait for at least a couple of "bug fix" updates after the "final" version is released before upgrading to a new operating system, too.
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