Just updated my mom's old iPad Air 2 - it's the 16GB WiFi version. Now Storage shows that approximately all (ie 16GB) storage is taken, before I have even installed any apps. Is there a way to revert to iOS 11.2.6 (I upgraded from that version last night, and I had kept a full backup on a Windows PC)? Thanks.
iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi
You cannot restore an earlier version of iOS/iPadOS than is currently installed on the iPad.
All System Updates are digitally signed by Apple - and can only be installed whilst the digital signatures remain valid. After release of a new iOS/iPadOS version, the immediately preceding version continues to be digitally signed by Apple - however, usually within a few days, Apple will revoke the digital certificate with which the earlier version is signed.
You cannot restore an earlier version of iOS/iPadOS than is currently installed on the iPad.
All System Updates are digitally signed by Apple - and can only be installed whilst the digital signatures remain valid. After release of a new iOS/iPadOS version, the immediately preceding version continues to be digitally signed by Apple - however, usually within a few days, Apple will revoke the digital certificate with which the earlier version is signed.
iPadOS 15.1 is no longer signed by Apple. The window of opportunity to restore the immediately preceding (or other) version is controlled solely by Apple - and has nothing at all to do with when you perform the update.
iPadOS 15.2 was released 13th December 2021; having released this version, Apple stopped signing iPadOS 15.1/15.1.1 around 20th December 2021.
If updating from iOS11 to iPadOS 15.x, you should expect to see considerably less available space for user data - as iPadOS15 is considerably larger. A 16GB device is always going to struggle with available space.
System storage is dynamically managed by the iPad - not the user.
The iPad Air2 is operating at the absolute minimum system specification that can support iPadOS - 2GB RAM with an A8X CPU. To make matters worse, 16GB is the absolute lowest internal storage.
If your internal storage is full, your only option is to better manage the storage that you have - and delete unused Apps or unneeded data.
These support pages may prove to be helpful:
About storage on your device and in iCloud – Apple Support
What's the difference between device storage and iCloud storage? – Apple Support
Manage your iCloud storage – Apple Support
How to check the storage on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch – Apple Support
Clear Other storage on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support
“Offloading” Apps can be a helpful method of creating temporary space for a software update.
https://9to5mac.com/2020/01/21/how-to-offload-apps-in-ios-to-save-space-without-deleting-their-data/
Additional information about creating sufficient space for installation of a software update can be found here:
If you need more space for an update on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
Updating your iPad using a PC or Mac computer can reduce the amount of free-space necessary to perform the update - as the initial download, unpacking and verification is performed on the computer prior to installation. However, even this method is not possible if your iPad has too little free space.
Thanks for this, LotusPilot. I only just finished upgrading to iPadOS 15.2 a couple of hours ago. Does this make a difference?
As a side-point, the only reason I'm looking for a way to downgrade is that there is no space left on the iPad - do you think this is normal, or have I done something wrong (or, say, I must allow a bit of time for the new OS version to finish removing temp files etc, which might give me some space to install a couple of apps I need)?
Gotcha, thanks.
Now to find a way to make this tablet actually do anything more than just power up...
This is what I get in iPad Storage. Is it normal to have System Data occupying SO MUCH storage? So that you can't install (next to) any app after installing the OS itself?
Yours doesn’t look unreasonable. System storage can vary greatly over relatively short periods of time.
Herewith a screenshot of my own 12.9” M1 a few moments ago…
Thanks for this, LotusPilot. Thing is, it's rendered my mom's iPad virtually unusable. Any tips as to how to reduce this chunk at all?
Downgrade from iPadOS 15.2
