Apple shipped iPadOS 27 on September 14, and five older iPad models did not make the cut. They’re stuck on iPadOS 26.7, a security-only update Apple released the same day, according to Apple’s own security-releases page. Every iPhone that runs iOS 26 also runs iOS 27, so this cutoff is entirely on the iPad side.
iPads That Get iPadOS 27
Per Apple’s own compatibility table, these are the minimum iPad tiers for the new software:
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch: 4th generation and later
- iPad Pro 11-inch: 2nd generation and later
- iPad Air: 4th generation and later
- iPad: 9th generation and later
- iPad mini: 6th generation and later
If your iPad falls anywhere in or above these tiers, it’s eligible. Apple lets you choose iOS 26.7 instead if you’d rather skip the new Siri and interface changes for now — it’s optional for this group.
iPads Stuck on iPadOS 26.7 for Good
For the next five tiers down, iOS 26.7 isn’t a choice. It’s the ceiling. Apple’s own table lists these as the last supported models, one generation short of what iPadOS 27 requires:
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch: 3rd generation
- iPad Pro 11-inch: 1st generation
- iPad Air: 3rd generation
- iPad: 8th generation
- iPad mini: 5th generation
These five will keep getting security patches through iOS 26.7 and its future point releases, but they won’t see the new Siri, the Liquid Glass appearance slider, or any other iPadOS 27 feature. That’s a normal, scheduled cutoff for hardware that’s several years old now, not an early end to support.
What This Means If You’re Checking for the Update
Open Settings, then General, then Software Update on your iPad. If it’s eligible for iPadOS 27, you’ll see it listed, sometimes with iOS 26.7 offered as a smaller, feature-free alternative underneath. If your iPad only shows 26.7, that’s Apple’s own compatibility table telling you this is as far as your hardware goes for this release cycle.
This comparison is drawn directly from Apple’s own security-releases table, which lists both the iOS 27/iPadOS 27 and iOS 26.7/iPadOS 26.7 device ranges side by side.
