iPadOS 17 takes too much space, no more OTA updates

Between iOS and sys data mine is at 20.95 GB. I have to delete items daily and as many apps as possible are offloaded. Size is a problem

Purchasing a low storage Apple device, to save on the cost of the device, is a false economy. ??

Assume that when we bought the 32 Gb iPads saving on cost was not our motive, price paid was not cheap. Devices where operating fine and updates were limited in size. Lately the updates exploded in size which is sad. One would think that some incremental and smart programming was a better solution.

And yes I do use the iTunes computer update route now.

all I use my iPad 6 for is one recipe app and a YouTube app. Other than that There is nothing installed other than what comes with it. I have just over 9 GB free. Can’t update anything. No Apple I will not buy a new iPad just for iTunes, recipes and email.

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.

You need, more than just 6-8 GBs to do OTA upgrades/updates as during the course of the OS download, temporary data downloaded into your iOS/iPadOS device will exceed minimum free intenal storage linits

You may need to free up more than 8 GBs of data to regain some extra free internal storage space to complete the OTA download.

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 2023, 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 your iPad is a 16 or 32 GBs versions, free internal data space is always going to be an issue.

egruber wrote:

Years ago I had a 16gb iPad Air that was running out of space. In 2020 I bought the 32gb iPad. Today, I have pretty much the same apps and amount of data that I had when I bought it (which fit on a 16gb device) yet I am again running out of space.

In 1978, I worked on a multi-user (>10) Digital Equipment Corporation VAX 11/780 computer that had a 67 megabyte (0.067GB) disk drive (RM03) that housed the operating system, all user files, as well as a pagefile and swapfile required for the operating system to function.

Time and technology forge ahead.

This may recover some of that space.

Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup - Apple Support

Here are all of the new iPadOS ONLY features.

iPadOS 17 - Apple

If you still have not enough internal storage space issues, your only other option us to use a Mac or Windows PC.

If you have access to a full computer, like a Mac or Windows PC, try either using the Finder on a Mac that has the newest macOS Catalina, or later macOS, installed OR with an older Mac with an older Mac OS, download and install the latest iTunes version ( or latest iTunes for Windows PC ), make sure the Mac or Windows PC is connected to the Internet, connect your iPad by the USB charge cable to the computer and let the iTunes application upgrade/update that iPad model, using the iTunes Software Update feature, to its current, maximum iPadOS.

Make sure your iPad is, at least, charged to 50% or greater to attempt this.

Also, make sure your iPad has, at least, between 6-8 GBs, or greater, of free internal data storage space for downloading and installing a major iOS/iPadOS upgrade.

Make sure your desktop/laptop computer has plenty of internal drive storage space, also.

Also, make sure to do a backup of your iPad's data, prior to upgrading/updating.

Backup to Apple iCloud and/or a full Mac or Windows PC using the same iTunes app OR, if a newer Mac running macOS Catalina, or later, making a backup using the macOS Finder app.

How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

If NO access to a Mac or Windows computer, you will have to seek help from a good friend or family member, with a full Mac or Windows PC, to help you out

OR

Search online to locate and call contact your nearest, “local” Apple Store location to try/attempt to make an appointment to get your Apple iPad upgraded/updated to its latest iPadOS 15 version.

OR, alternatively, use the “Support” link, at the upper right hand corner of every Apple Support Community Webpage to attempt to schedule an appointment with your nearest Apple Store location.

Apple Store employees will be glad to help/assist you.

Best of Luck to You!

I like my iPad, but this is one of the reasons I don't own any other apple products.

1. Failure to check for sufficient space before downloading and starting the install only to have it choke partway through - AND THEN LEAVING BEHIND the 1+gb update file which can't be installed on the machine.
2. Failure to provide a utility to clean up all the O.S. cruft and free up extra space before I have to start deleting apps.
3. If it won't work most of the time on a 32 gb device with 6gb free just say "so sorry" before wasting my time.

In addition to ALL the iOS features, your iPad gets a slew of new iPadOS ONLY features of its own.

It's just not the customisable lock screen.

Both iOS/iPadOS 17 have lots of new features.

So, this is why iPadOS is larger than iOS and why iPadOS apps are larger than their iOS version.

iPadOS versions of apps take adavantage of any new iPadOS features.

That is why there are users here, in these Apple product user to user product support communities, to remind those that there is still other avenues available to upgrade/update their Apple iOS/iPadOS devices.