If you own a low storage, 16 GBs Apple mobile iOS device, A 16 GBs storage iPad starts out, after initial drive formatting, at approx. 14.5 GBs of free, internal storage.
After the installation of iPadOS, at approx. 6.5 GBs, leaves 8.0 GBs of of free, internal data storage space.
iOS/iPadOS needs a minimum of 3-6 GBs of constant remaining storage, that MUST BE MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES, to insure/ensure nominal, acceptable operation of all iOS/iPadOS functionalities.
This leaves a 16 GBs iPad with ONLY a practical, usable storage space of between 2 and 5 GBs AND THAT IS IT!
This is virtually NO internal data storage to do much of anything with that iPad!
This is why Apple quietly, silently did away with all 16 GBs iOS device back sometime in 2016.
If you own a 32 GBs iOS device,
A 32 GBs storage iPad starts out with approx 30 GBs.,after initial internal flash drive formatting.
Minus approx. 6.5 GBs for iOS/iPadOS leaves between 23-24 GBs.
Minus 3-6GBs, for iOS/iPadOS system operational reserve, that MUST BE MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES, to ensure/insure normal, expected operation of iOS/iPad OS, leaves approx. between 18-20 GBs of actual, usable data storage space.
Even with 20 GBs of actual, usable internal data storage space in an Apple iOS/iPadOS device,
a 32 GBs data storage devices are, now, more quickly, becoming the “new” low storage 16 GBs internal data storage space devices, today, a 32 GBs Apple iOS/iPadOS device has 3-4 times the internal data storage space of older base model, low internal data storage,16 GBs. internal data storage Apple iOS/iPadOS devices.
In reality and in use, in 2022, a 32 GBs internal data storage device is kind of a joke and of limited usefulness, when up to 2TB of internal data storage ( approx. 1.8 TBs or usable internal data storage ) portable tablet devices exist today.
Apple put an end to 32 GBs devices, in September 2021, with the base model iPad now offering 64 GBs of internal data storage ( approx. 50 GBs of actual, usable internal data storage ), which, for a few more years, anyways, has enough storage to make an iPad useful for longer period of time before data storage fills up.
Purchasing a low storage Apple device, to save on the cost of the device, is a false economy.
If you own a 16 GBs iOS device, there is little to be done to make that device usable today.
Sorry & Good Luck to You!