can't update ipad past 10.3.3

Hello

What iPad do you have?

As your iPad is seemingly not offering update beyond iOS 10.3.3, you very likely have a WiFi Only iPad4.

Update support for yoir iPad4 formally ended September 2017. The final IOS releases for iPad4 are iOS 10.3.3 (WiFi Only models) and iOS 10.3.4 (WiFi & Cellular). iPad4 cannot be updated to any later major version of iOS as it lacks the minimum hardware requirements needed to run more recent versions.

Many App Developers have also dropped support for older devices and iOS versions preceding iOS11/12 - and have withdrawn older versions of their Apps from the Apple App Store. As such, whilst avoiding unnecessary rhetoric as to the technical reasoning, older iPad models are becoming increasingly limited in their utility and usefullness.

If Apps that you need to use now have higher minimum iOS-version requirements, your only option is to replace your iPad with newer model. Even the basic current iPad model supports current iPadOS 13.x - and has hardware specifications that will vastly outperform your old iPad4.

Sorry, this is clearly not the news that you were hoping to hear.

I hope this information is helpful - if only in clearly stating your current options and potential ways forward.

Yup.

If your iPad has been stuck on iOS 10.3.3 for the past few years, with no upgrades/updates forthcoming, then you own a 2012, iPad 4th generation.

A 4th gen iPad cannot be upgraded beyond iOS 10.3.3/10.3.4.

A 4th gen iPad is an OVER 7-1/2-year old device, now!

Its internal hardware is too old, underpowered and completely incompatible with any of the current and future versions of iOS/iPadOS.

Sorry. It is what it is at this very late date, now here in the year 2020.

If you need an iPad that can run the latest and greatest versions of iOS, as well as, the most current apps available, then, you need to purchase a new iPad from Apple or a discounted, refurbished iPad from Apple’s Refurbished & Clearance section of Apple’s Website or a new or refurbished iPad from an Apple authorised, third party retail or online reseller OR other trusted sources for new or used Apple products.

These old iPad 2, 3, 4 and 1st gen iPad Mini models are nearing 8 and 9-years old, now.

As of the beginning of 2019, many, MANY third party app developers are all more quickly and completely permanently dropping older app support for all old 7, 8 and 9-year iPads that are running 2-3 year old and earlier iOS versions ( iOS 10 and earlier ).

Third party app developers are removing all of their older, legacy versions of their apps from Apple's App Store servers, now.

Third party app developers no longer want to support these 8 and 9-year old or older iOS devices, any longer!

Older versions of apps are, soon, going to be gone for good, now!

Getting older versions of apps for these old iPad models, initially from Apple’s iOS App Store is getting very difficult and very problematic and this issue is getting, painfully, much worse in 2020, now!

These old iPads are now reaching their complete end of life and support.

So finding older versions apps for older iPads, while still possible, currently, will be a tough challenge, now, in 2020.

Old iPads that can no longer be upgraded/updated will have NO MORE APPS AVAILABLE for initial download, at all, soon, from the Apple iOS App Store, for such old iOS devices in the very near future.

Older versions of apps for these older iPads will be completely gone, at some point, in the very foreseeable future.

Again, it is what it is, today, in the year 2020!

So, this is really now the time to seriously consider a new or discounted, refurbished iPad from Apple or other Apple authorised resellers.

A lot has happened with iPad and iOS in 7-9 years and in the past 2 to 3-1/2 years since iOS 9 and 10.

As an example and compared to your older iPad,

The baseline 2019, 10.2 inch screen 7th gen iPads have a 1/2 inch larger retina screen, newer, more powerful and nearly 2-1/2 times faster 2.3 Ghz, A10 Fusion processors, AT LEAST, 3-4 times the internal RAM, with the 2019, 7th gen iPad having 3 GBs of internal RAM, iPadOS 13 support, with much better and improved multitasking features, Apple Pencil and Apple Smart keyboard cover support and have better audio speakers and better/improved built-in cameras.

Sorry & Best of Luck to You!