iPad air 1, 16gb installing iOS 12

zmclearan is somewhat incorrect on all iOS app being iPadOS 13 only.

Many, MANY third party apps are STILL iOS 12 and greater!

Not just for iPadOS 13.

That stated, a 16 GBs iOS devices only has approx 14 GBs after formatting.

A full installation of iOS 12.4.5 for your iPad is going to take up anywhere between 6-7 GBs.

Also, any iOS device need to maintain an absolute minimum of 2-3 GBs of free internal data storage space to maintain acceptable performance and operation of the OS.

So this only leaves your iPad with 5-6 GBs of actual, usable data storage space, and that is it!

So, it maybe time, now, for you to seriously consider a new or discounted, refurbished iPad from Apple or other Apple authorised resellers or newer, larger capacity iPad capable of running the latest iPadOS.

Amazon right now has the 2019, 10.2 inch screen, WiFi ONLY, 32 GBs or 128 GBs storage, 7th gen iPad models for $249 U.S.D./$329 U.S.D., respectively.

A 32 GBs, 7th gen iPad with formatting and a full iPadOS installation would leave your iPad with approx. 19-20 GBs of usable data storage space.

A 128 GBs iPad will end up with a usable data storage space of 107-108 GBs.

The 7th gen iPad would be a huge step up in performance from your current 1st gen iPad Air 1.

Much faster processor, 3 GBs of internal RAM, better cameras, much better multitasking with iPadOS and support for tbe 1st generation Apple Pencil!

Best of Luck to You!

Roi Holtzman wrote:

My iPhone has iOS 12, and now I see that in its storage it shows that the system takes 7.87 GB, and a few minutes ago it showed that it takes 6 GB. This would give me more than 4 GB left. But I don't know if I can count on it.

Yes!

Like I stated iOS 12.4.5 will take up approx between 6 and 7 GBs, or so.

Does NOT leave very much internal free data storage space on your 1st gen iPad Air.

Only between 5-6 GBs or so!

Never, EVER completely fill up ANY computer or computing device full of data, EVER!

Keep in mind that's the total for iOS 12. So to calculate how much additional storage will be taken up compared to what iOS 9 is taking up for you now, you'd have to subtract iOS 12 size - iOS 9 size. While I don't know exactly what the resulting difference is, it would be less than 4GB.

I do not know how you use your iPad, but 5-6 GBs of internal storage space left is no where near enough functioning storage space for how I use my iPad.

This is why I purchased a 128 GBs iPad over 4 years, ago.

With at least a 32 GBs device, with 20 GBs available, that is over 2 to 2-1/2 times the amount of internal data storage space your current iPad Air 1 will end up with.

This is why Apple finally and very silently removed all 16 GBs iOS devices from its product lineup over 4 years, ago, or so.

A 16 GBs iOS devices really has very little internal user data storage after formatting and a full install of iOS.

Another issue is that older app support for any iPads still running iOS 9 and 10, as of the beginning of 2019, is now being phased out by many, MANY third party developers, now.

Older iOS version apps are either being removed, for good, by third party app developers or by Apple by way of older app thin out of the iOS App Store, by Apple.

Third party app developers are stopping supporting nearly 8 and 9 year old devices running 2 and 3 year old iOS versions.

If you remove or accidentally remove any of your current, older iOS 9 apps from your iPad Air, there is a high possibility/probability these older app versions maybe no longer be retrievable from the iOS App Store, any longer.

It is what it is, now!

So, like I previously stated, it maybe a good time, now, to start looking at new or refurbished iPads from known, trusted sources.

Hello,

Regardless of the operating system, 16 GB is not very useable in 2020. A lot of software now requires iPadOS 13 which would be incompatible with your iPad Air (1st generation).

Conservative estimates would be around 4 GB of useable storage.