While every iPhone that supported iOS 26 can also run iOS 27, Apple’s iPad compatibility list changed this year. Several older iPad models are no longer supported by the latest release.
That asymmetry is genuinely strange. And if you own an older iPad, it’s worth knowing exactly where you stand before fall rolls around.
Five models won’t be making the jump to iPadOS 27:
- 11-inch iPad Pro (1st generation, 2018)
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd generation, 2018)
- iPad Air (3rd generation, 2019)
- iPad mini (5th generation, 2019)
- iPad (8th generation, 2020)
Those devices still run iPadOS 26 just fine. Apple says they’ll keep getting security patches. But iPadOS 27 is off the table.
So What’s Actually in iPadOS 27?
Apps open up to 30% faster than in the previous release. That’s a real number Apple is putting out there, and it applies even on older supported hardware.
A new software-based CPU scheduler is doing some of the heavy lifting behind the scenes. You won’t see it, but apparently you’ll feel it.
There’s also a redesigned Siri, an overhauled Apple Intelligence layer, and something called a Liquid Glass slider for UI customization.
The Devices That Made the Cut
Here is the compatibility list for iPadOS 27 broken down by model:
- iPad: 9th generation (2021) and newer
- iPad mini: 6th generation (2021) and newer
- iPad Air: 4th generation (2020) and newer
- 11-inch iPad Pro: 2nd generation (A12Z chip, 2020) and newer
- 13-inch iPad Pro: M4 models (2024) and newer
That last group, the M4 models with at least 12GB of RAM, also gets the full suite of Apple’s most advanced on-device AI features. Everyone else gets a version of Apple Intelligence, just not the deepest cuts.
Apple hasn’t announced an exact release date but has pointed to fall 2026. September seems like the obvious target, lined up with the expected iPhone 18 Pro launch. If your iPad is on the supported list, the update should arrive alongside that.
