iPadOS 18 is Compatible with These iPads
iPadOS 18 for iPad includes some exciting new features for iPad users, from more interface customization options like Dark Mode icons and widgets, color hued icons and widgets, a customizable Control Center, the debut of a Calculator app for iPad, Passwords app, a Photos redesign, improvements to Notes app, new features in Safari like Distraction Control, and tons of AI Apple Intelligence features throughout the operating system, you’ll find plenty to keep you busy and productive.
Like every new major system software release, iPadOS 18 has specific system requirements, however, and not every iPad model is compatible with the new operating system. And even if the iPad can run iPadOS 18, that doesn’t mean it will gain all features, because some features like Apple Intelligence AI have even stricter system requirements and compatibility.
Read along to discover which iPad models support iPadOS 18, and if the iPad supports Apple Intelligence AI features, too. This article will focus on iPad, but if you’re curious about what iPhone models support iOS 18 or which Macs support macOS Sequoia, you can check out those lists too.
List of iPadOS 18 Compatible iPads
The core list of iPad models that support iPadOS 18 is as follows:
- iPad Pro M4 and better
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later
- iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later
- iPad Air M2 and better
- iPad Air 3rd generation and later
- iPad 7th generation and later
- iPad mini 5th generation and later
As you can see, a fair number of iPad models are no longer supported on this list. Older iPad models that don’t support iPadOS 18 will continue to get minor security updates to iPadOS 17 for at least another year, however.
This list comes directly from Apple, so you can be sure it’s accurate.
iPad Models Supporting Apple Intelligence AI Features
Apple Intelligence AI features have strict system requirements, and even if an iPad is running iPadOS 18 that doesn’t mean it will support Apple Intelligence. Currently, here are the iPad devices that support Apple Intelligence:
- iPad Pro with M1 chip or better
- iPad Air with M1 chip or better
Basically, to use Apple Intelligence AI features on iPad, you will need an Apple Silicon M-series chip or better. Any iPad model without an M-series chip will not support Apple Intelligence AI features.
While this is strict, it’s not quite as restrictive or strict as Apple Intelligence support on iPhone, which requires an iPhone 15 Pro or better, as none of the base models of iPhone are able to run Apple Intelligence AI features despite currently being sold as the newest phones by Apple (sorry iPhone 15 users, your $800+ iPhone is out of luck for AI).
The iPadOS 18 Apple Intelligence support on iPad is similar to the Apple Intelligence support list for Mac, in that it requires an Apple Silicon M-series chip or better.
There are rumors that new base model iPads and iPad mini may include support for Apple intelligence as well, but those have yet to be released.
Apple has said that iPadOS 18 will be released this fall.
I hope iPadOS 18 is better for my iPad Air M2 then 17 has been. At times my iPad is nothing but a hot plate on the back doing certain tasks. maybe these M series are not a good fit for a thin device that obviously has little means of dissipating heat. Maybe iPadOS 18 will fix some of this without throttling.
iPadOS 18 has made my iPad Pro 2018 model very slow with reduced battery life, I would not recommend it if you are concerned about performance.
iOS 18 also made my iPhone 11 notably slower and it runs hot with less battery life.
Both of these are older models however, so it probably runs better on the newest and best stuff, as is typically the case with Apple software releases.