iPad won’t activate

We are seeing regular reports of issues activating 9 year old iPad2 devices.

A restart of your WiFi Router may be helpful. To restart you home router, disconnect power - then wait at least 30 seconds before restarting. When you router has rebooted (which may take several minutes), force-restart your iPad:

• On an iPad with a Home button: Press and hold the top button and the Home button at the same time. When the Apple logo appears, release both buttons.
• On an iPad with Face ID: Press and quickly release the volume up button, press and quickly release the volume down button, then press and hold the top button. When the Apple logo appears, release the button.

Resolving an activation issue may be the least of your problems...

You need to be aware that very old first generation iPad2 can only be updated to iOS 9.3.5 (WiFi Only models) or iOS 9.3.6 (WiFi & Cellular models).

Apple ended update support for iPad2 in September 2016. Your iPad 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; iPad2 is a 32-bit architecture device, whilst all recent versions of iOS/iPadOS are designed for 64-bit hardware platforms. iPad2 is effectively obsolete.

Compatible Apps for your iPad are increasingly difficult to find - as third-party developers are increasingly dropping support for older versions of iOS preceding iOS11/12/13. As older versions of Apps are removed from the Apple App Store, you’ll not be able to (re)download or install them - which may severely limit the usefulness and utility of your iPad if you should you ever, as now, need reset or restore your iPad. 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.

Of current models, even the entry-level iPad8 has specifications and capabilities that will massively outperform you current iPad - and is compatible with the vast majority of current Apps. Other models are more powerful still.

I hope this information provides helpful and succinct clarity as to your available options - and the limitations of your current iPad.

I have tried all sorts absolutely gutted got all my work on it.

I think they have done something to old iPads.

I have read to connect it to iTunes to reset . but I cannot access this or get past this message.

I also read if this still does not work to attach it to a apple computer/pc to link it.

im not sure how to do this and I don’t have a Apple computer.

I do have a friend who has one so I’ll see if they can sort something through there’s. Lockdown for 6 weeks though.🙄

all Apple shops are closed due to lockdown so cannot get there help as also shown upon reading complaints it says if you don’t have a Apple computer to take it to a shop and use there’s 😑

I had no message and I have no clue how to retrieve all my work designs and photos absolutely gutted!

ive contacted my friend who has a Apple computer to will go and see what I can do in the next couple of days.

its almost like old iPad now there making you buy a new one 😡

Fbaol wrote:

Apple is not being customer focused by surprising long time customers by allowing the iPad to become suddenly nonfunctional and totally obsolete.

It’s hardly “sudden”. Apple ended update support for iPad2 in September 2016 - well over four years ago.

If your work is important to you, it is reasonable to assume that you have an iCloud or iTunes backup. With either, the backup can be restored to the device when/if you resolve the activation issue - or perhaps more importantly, restore the backup to a replacement device.

I

Fboal did you get this message ?

Hi just at my friends connected iPad to her Apple computer.

enter your details and 5 mins all working 😊

Mine has gone also ,it just keeps saying temporary unavailable and won’t do anything?

I’ve be been trying for two days

I also have the same message

It was working fine before the new year so it hasn’t been lying about.

I do my work daily on it.