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How do I update my iPad firmware iOS operating system?

Just heard on the news that there's a new operating system firmware release for my beloved Apple iPad but don't see how to get the update downloaded and installed. When I try with the App Store, it doesn't report that there are any updates? How do I update my iPad to the latest iOS release?

Dave's Answer:

This is a common misperception, actually, because we're taught that, like on an iPod, the iPad app update tool is how you keep all the software on your iPad updated. I mean, that's what it's called, right? :-)

Problem is, as you've found out, you can't actually update the operating system itself, what Apple is calling iOS, the OS for the i-devices, from within the App Store application. To update the firmware, you'll instead need to actually hook your iPad up to a computer and use iTunes. I'm suspecting that you already have a pair relationship between your iPad and some computer or other, whether it's a Mac or PC, but if not, you'll need to establish one.

Once you have the iPad hooked up to a computer running iTunes where the two are already paired, iTunes will actually go out to the iPad servers on the Internet and find out that...

apple ipad update ios 1

As it says, you'll want to click "Update" to continue, at which point it'll warn you about this, that and the other:

apple ipad update ios 2

Great, now it's time for a tiny bit of marketing, when Apple explains why this update is so darn cool and why you want to download it:

apple ipad update ios 3

Still with us? Great. Click on "Next" and it'll start downloading the new 551MB software update:

apple ipad update ios 4

Hopefully you have a reasonably fast connection: it took me about five minutes to download the update. While it's downloading, if you go to check what's happening, you'll see that iTunes knows something's going on...

apple ipad update ios 5

Once it was downloaded, iTunes started to step me through the process it went through updating the iPad firmware:

apple ipad update ios 6

And then...

apple ipad update ios 7

And another step...

apple ipad update ios 8

Finally, once the update is applied the iPad will restart and when it reappears in iTunes, it'll be showing the new version of the iOS firmware is installed and running:

apple ipad update ios 9

That's the basic process. Once you've done this, yeah, why not go to App Store and see if there are updates to the apps too!

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Categorized: Apple iPad Help   (Article 9672, Written by )
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Comments (3) · Add Comment

So if I understand you, when I am asked what my operating system is I answer iOS or os because I am using an iPad. Correct, yes or no.
Also maybe you know of an app that will allow me to print the way that I lay things out in pages. I currently have print sharer, and everything I design, when unclog and paste it over prints left justified. Inuse a kodak all in one wi fi printer. As far as I can tell I am forced to purchase a Hewitt packard e printer to get it to print properly. I purchased this wifi printer just for my iPad and now it don't print from pages any of the work I did in it, and I did 57 pages of work in it and I want it tonprint the way I designed it. Do you know of a print app that will do it? Your help and expertise is greatly appreciated as I am still learning all this new tech and I am fairly slow at it.

Posted by: Jean lupi at January 10, 2011 6:22 AM

Also domyou know of an app that would allow me to print and design labels for return addresses and shipping labels with out habpving to use contacts, because I use them as candy box labels not addresses. So I need to be able to design it and add my company logo, I am new and still learning.

Posted by: Jean lupi at January 10, 2011 6:26 AM

Kodak has several printers that are Cloud-ready. Check your manual that came with your printer to see if your model is one of them. If so, set up cloud printing on your printer according to the instructions or contact Kodak tech support for help with this. Basically you'll be assigning an email address to the pri ter that Kodak sets up and then you can send a document or email, etc. to that email address. By sending it, it will actually print it to your printer automatically. I use it all the time with my iPad 1st Gen. And my Kodak all-in-one printer.

Posted by: Kim at May 11, 2012 2:11 PM
Starbucks coffee cup I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a cup of coffee!
I do have a comment, now that you mention it!











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