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iPad mini Q&A

Update Published October 22, 2019

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What operating system does the iPad mini use? Which iPad mini models support which versions of the iOS?

All iPad mini models run the iOS, but not all versions are compatible with the current version of the iOS, iOS 13 (iPadOS). Not all iPad mini models support all iOS features, either.

iPad mini with Keyboard
Photo Credit: Brydge (iPad mini with Keyboard)

iPad mini Identification (Skip)

If you are not sure which iPad mini model you have, a straightforward way to identify each is by its Model Number located toward the bottom on the back of each device.

iPad mini

Model No

iPad mini (Wi-Fi Only/1st Gen)

A1432

iPad mini (Wi-Fi/AT&T/GPS - 1st Gen)

A1454

iPad mini (Wi-Fi/VZ & Sprint/GPS - 1st Gen)

A1455

iPad mini 2 (Retina/2nd Gen, Wi-Fi Only)

A1489

iPad mini 2 (Retina/2nd Gen, Wi-Fi/Cellular)

A1490

iPad mini 2 (Retina/2nd Gen, China)

A1491

iPad mini 3 (Wi-Fi Only)

A1599

iPad mini 3 (Wi-Fi/Cellular)

A1600

iPad mini 3 (Wi-Fi/Cellular, China)

A1601

iPad mini 4 (Wi-Fi Only)

A1538

iPad mini 4 (Wi-Fi/Cellular)

A1550

iPad mini 5th Gen (Wi-Fi Only)

A2133

iPad mini 5th Gen (Wi-Fi+Cell US/CA)

A2126

iPad mini 5th Gen (Wi-Fi+Cell Global)

A2124

iPad mini 5th Gen (Wi-Fi+Cell China)

A2125


All iPad mini models can be differentiated by other identifiers as well, such as the Order Number, which can be located by selecting the Settings app and pressing General > About and scrolling down to what is specified as "Model" within the iOS. For example, the Global model of the iPad mini 5 sold in the UK in black and space gray with 256 GB of storage is MUXC2B/A.

To pinpoint a specific iPad mini by a variety of different identifiers -- including its Serial Number -- please refer to the Ultimate iLookup feature.

iPad mini iOS Support

The original iPad mini does not support versions of the iOS beyond iOS 9. The iPad mini 2 and iPad mini 3 do not support the current version of the iOS, iOS 13 (iPadOS).

Specific feature support is more limited on some models than others, too:

iOS

6.x

7.x

8.x

9.x

iPad mini

Yes

Yes*

Yes♦

Yes♦

iPad mini 2

No

Yes*

Yes♦♦

Yes♦♦

iPad mini 3

No

Yes*

Yes+

Yes+

iPad mini 4

No

No

No

Yes

iPad mini 5

No

No

No

No


iOS

10.x

11.x

12.x

13.x

iPad mini

No

No

No

No

iPad mini 2

Yes†

Yes‡

Yes•

No

iPad mini 3

Yes†

Yes‡

Yes•

No

iPad mini 4

Yes†

Yes‡

Yes•

Yes••

iPad mini 5

No

No

Yes

Yes


* These iPad mini models do not support the Panorama and "In Camera" Filters functionality (like Instagram), but otherwise are fully compatible with iOS 7.

♦ The original iPad mini supports iOS 8 including AirDrop, Siri, and Continuity, but does not support Panorama photography, Health, or Apple Pay. Running iOS 9, the original iPad mini supports neither Transit nor multitasking features like Slide Over, Picture-in-Picture, and Split View.

♦♦ The iPad mini 2 fully supports iOS 8 with the exception of Health and Apple Pay. Interestingly, Apple quietly added Panorama photography support to these models with iOS 8.0.2, which was not supported with iOS 7. Running iOS 9, these models support Transit, Slide Over, and Picture-in-Picture, but not Split View.

+ The iPad mini 3 fully supports iOS 8 with the exception of Health. It also is worth noting that although they support Apple Pay, they only support Apple Pay for purchases within apps and not within physical retail stores. Running iOS 9, the iPad mini 3 supports Slide Over and Picture-in-Picture, but not Split View.

† These iPad mini models fully support iOS 10 with the exception of the minor Raise to Wake and Ride-Booking features.

‡ These iPad mini models fully support iOS 11 except for person-to-person payments and Apple Pay Cash as well as the minor "Appointment confirmation" feature.

• These iPad mini models fully support iOS 12 with the exception of the Memoji, Camera Effects, and ARKit 2 features.

•• The iPad mini 4 fully supports iOS 13 (iPadOS) with the exception of the Adjust Portrait Lighting and "High-Key Mono" photography features as well as modest AR features (Motion Capture and People Occlusion).

Please also note that once an iPad mini has been upgraded to a later version of the operating system, it can be challenging to "downgrade" it back to an earlier version without resorting to hacks. It's always wise to wait for feedback from other users and a couple of "bug fix" releases before upgrading any operating system.


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