I can’t update my iPad mini 1 to iOS 9.3.5

Just to be clear, are you are unable to update to your iPad mini1 to iOS 9.3.5/6 - or are you stating that you can’t update from iOS 9.3.5/6 to a later version?

If trying to update to iOS 9.3.5/6, what version does your iPad report its currently installed version to be?

Settings > General > About

You’ll definitively not be able to update beyond iOS 9.3.5/6 as this was the last supported version for the iPad mini1.

Apple formally ended update support for iPad mini in September 2016. Your iPad mini cannot be updated to iOS 10 or later major versions of iOS, as the internal hardware does not meet the minimum technical requirements for new versions of iOS/iPadOS. This limitation cannot be bypassed - in addition to which, iPad mini is a 32-bit architecture device, whilst all recent versions of iOS/iPadOS are designed for 64-bit hardware platforms.

You may wish to consider that compatible Apps for your iPad are becoming difficult to find - as third-party developers are increasingly dropping support for older versions of iOS preceding iOS11/12. As older versions of Apps are removed from the Apple App Store, you’ll not be able to (re)download or install them - this problem being particularly relevant if the iPad ever has to be restored to factory settings. As such, usefulness and utility of older iPad models is becoming increasingly limited.

As such, if you want or need to access most current Apps, requiring more recent versions of iOS, you’ll need to consider replacement of your iPad with a newer or current model.

You are not the original Poster of this posting.

You have a different iPad and probably a different issue.

Please post your own separate post so well can all individually help you.

Posting into someone else's post just confuses trying to help the person who originally posted with their own iPad issue.

Thank You.

You cannot.

If your iPad has been stuck on iOS 9.3.5 for the past few years, with no upgrades/updates forthcoming, then you own a 2012, iPad Mini 1st generation.

A 1st gen iPad Mni cannot be upgraded beyond iOS 9.3.5/9.3.6 for WiFi AND cellular data models.

A 1st gen iPad Mini is a NEARLY 8-year old device, now!

These older iPad models are too old, now, too underpowered and completely incompatible with any of the current and future versions of iOS/iPadOS.

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

Apple supports new iPad models for up to 5-6 years with third party app developers supporting these iPads for another, additional 2-3 years after!

So, that is a total of between 7-9 years of iPad/iOS support!

ALL older iPad models, like the iPad 2, 3, 4 and 1st gen iPad Mini have, finally, reached this support limit!

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, virtually, 8 and 9-years old, now.

The amount of older, compatible, available apps for these old iPad models has dwindled significantly since the beginning of 2020!

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, now, in 2020!

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!

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

So finding older versions apps for older iPads, while still possible, currently, will be a very 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.

Old 8 and 9-year old iPads will be pretty much obsolete by the end of the 2020 year!

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

You will never get any more older versions of popular apps for these old iPads, any longer.

The apps that these old iPads already have on them, and still work, will be the apps these iPads will be stuck with!

Basically, these old iPad models are just good for FaceTime and somewhat limited Web browsing via some other, more up to date third party Web browsers and NOT using that nearly 4-year old iOS Safari Web browser.

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 that nearly 8-years old iPad Mini model,

The cheapest, baseline 2019, 10.2 inch screen 7th gen Apple iPads have a 1/2 inch larger retina screen, it is overall lighter, in weight, newer, more powerful and approx. 2-1/2 times faster 2.3 Ghz, A10 Fusion processor ( CPU ), 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 and much fuller support for externally connected data drives, Apple Pencil and Apple Smart keyboard cover support and have better audio speakers and better/improved built-in cameras.

In addition, if you search online and look at various, reputable online Apple device resellers, you can usually find this 2019, 7th gen iPad at various discounts, depending on storage size and whether it is a WiFi ONLY model or a WiFi/cellular data model.

This is the harsh reality for these 8 and 9-year old, OR OLDER, iOS devices, now!

Sorry & Best of Luck to You!

Your iPad is too old!

Read my long reply post 2 posts above yours!

Time for a new, refurbished or much “newer” ( read used ) iPad.

If you must purchase older, used iPad models, DO NOT look at anything older than a 2014 iPad Air 2 or 2015 iPad Mini 4.

Both of these models are the oldest iPad models that the up and coming iPadOS 14 will support, in the Fall of 2020.

If you must purchased used devices from unknown sources, you must ask more questions of the iOS device seller, ask for more photo/images, ask if the iPad has user/iCloud activation lock and ask for photos/images/short video proof that such an iPad has been reset factory settings and shown proof of the iOS device's start up screen showing the animated, moving, multi-language “Hello” Welcome to iPad screen.

If the iOS device seller is unwilling to do all of this to show you that the iPad, in question, is ready to use with no barriers to new user activation and use, pass on the iOS device and look at other iOS device sellers elsewhere.

Sorry & Best of Luck to You!

I’m using I pad pro

how can i update my ipad mini ios 9.3.5

I can't sign in to Facebook, iMessage, and FaceTime on my iPod mini.............. It's always a system error.

I can't update to a 10. I have the 9.3.5

Thank you very much, it is nice to know now. I have recking my head around how to fix this problem, now i can throw this one in dispenser.

I'd advise proper recycle of any electronics device.

I do agree.......