iPadOS 27 Supported iPads: Full Official Compatibility List Announced at WWDC 2026
What Is iPadOS 27?
iPadOS 27 is Apple's latest operating system for iPad, announced at WWDC 2026 on June 9, 2026. It introduces the new Liquid Glass design language across all Apple platforms, an upgraded Siri with contextual AI awareness, and deeper Apple Intelligence features. The stable public release is expected in September 2026, alongside the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro lineup.
Importantly, iPadOS 27 drops support for more iPad models than last year's iPadOS 26 did. Apple has raised the minimum chip requirement significantly — older iPads with A12 or earlier chips are no longer supported. This is a bigger cut than usual and affects devices that were still supported just one year ago.
Quick Overview — Supported vs Dropped
Full Official iPadOS 27 Supported Devices List
Which iPads Are NOT Supported — and Why
iPadOS 27 drops five iPad models that were still running iPadOS 26 just last year. This is a more aggressive cut than Apple usually makes. The dropped devices all share one thing in common — they use A12 Bionic or older chips, which Apple has now set as the minimum cutoff floor.
The five dropped models are the iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation (2018), iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation (2018), iPad Air 3rd generation (2019), iPad 8th generation (2020), and iPad mini 5th generation (2019). All of these were compatible with iPadOS 26 last year, making this year's cut particularly significant for users who bought these devices expecting longer software support.
In contrast, iOS 27 for iPhone does not drop any models — every iPhone that ran iOS 26 will also run iOS 27. Apple's decision to cut iPad support more aggressively than iPhone support this year has drawn criticism from users and tech publications alike.
Apple Intelligence on iPadOS 27 — Not for Everyone
When Will iPadOS 27 Release Publicly?
iPadOS 27 is currently available as a developer beta following its WWDC 2026 announcement on June 9, 2026. A public beta is expected to follow in July 2026. The stable public release for all compatible iPad users is expected in September 2026, in line with Apple's usual fall release schedule alongside new iPhone hardware.
To install the developer beta on a supported iPad, go to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates and select iPadOS 27 Developer Beta. Note that beta software can be unstable and is not recommended for primary devices.
Summary
If your iPad is from 2021 or newer — iPad 9th gen, iPad Air 4th gen, iPad mini 6th gen, or any iPad Pro from 2020 onward — you are fully supported and will receive iPadOS 27 this fall.
If your iPad is from 2018 or 2019 — specifically the iPad Pro 2018, iPad Air 3rd gen, iPad 8th gen, or iPad mini 5th gen — your device will not receive iPadOS 27. It will continue to receive security updates from Apple but no new software features going forward.
If you want full Apple Intelligence features on iPad, you will need an iPad with an M4 chip and 12GB RAM — currently the iPad Pro M4 lineup.
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