Umm trying to update my iPad from 12.5.1 to 14.4. My settings say it’s up to date. How do I fix this issue?

Your iPad Air model cannot upgrade/update beyond any version of iOS 12, currently at iOS 12.5.1

The 2013 iPad Air 1, iPad Mini 2 and 2014 iPad Mini 3 cannot upgrade beyond any version of iOS 12.

These iPad models have overall internal hardware that is too old, too underpowered and incapable of running all of the new, advanced and internal hardware resource intensive features of iPadOS.

Sorry.

If your device is running iOS 12.5.1, it will not be compatible with iOS 13, or 14.

You don’ have a problem. Your device is too old to run iOS 14.4.

Your device is safe from the exploit.