How to check iPadOS 18 upgrade availability for iPad Pro M4

iPad OS 18 is already out. This is nothing to do with a staggered release. It caused an issue that bricked M4 iPads and has been pulled for all M4 units, but is still available for older iPads.

Anyone who shelled out money on a new iPad and wanting all the features is now left in the cold with no update in sight and no communication from Apple.

Well whatever the issue is, it’s obviously a serious one. I’m sure Apple too wouldn’t want this update to be delayed such a long time but it would’ve been nice if they were a little more transparent with the progress.

I don’t care if this iPad is on iOS 17 or 18.. the problem is, I can’t transfer my data to this new iPad M4 I just bought. My previous iPad was on iOS 18. Now it feels pointless buying this iPad M4 since I can’t even use it. Plus, I live in Indonesia where there’s no such thing as returning products :/

This is getting ridiculous - the fact that I can’t update Apples flagship iPad to the latest os.

what is going on over there?

I had same issue about a week ago, and when I went to setup my new M4 iPad Pro and restore from iCloud backups from my old iPad (which I already upgraded to iPadOS 18), I chose the option for other backups (instead of just the default latest). I was able to chose the backup right before I upgraded my old iPad to iPadOS 18. It worked perfectly. Obviously, any new apps or setting changes that occurred between then and now wouldn’t be there, but that wasn’t an issue for me. Just one other potential solution.

Same issue with me, in BB store on 9/21, purchased iPad Pro 14. Do I believe the kid didn’t know that the ios18 was pulled, he made no mention as a heads up, since I was already ios18 on my iPad back up on iCloud. So I left the store unable to restore and utilize my new device, and it’s now the 30th with no resolution. All focused on the sale not the customer’s experience, really weak BB.

Same situation here. My brand new M4 ipad pro is just sitting there waiting for an update... can't restore my backup from my old M1 pro. I feel really misled by all this and have already spent the (very significant) cash on the new device plus keyboard plus pen - none of which is usable now.

Come on Apple - release 18.0.1 (if that fixes this issue) A.S.A.P!

SteffeB wrote:

Come on Apple - release 18.0.1 (if that fixes this issue) A.S.A.P!

Apple is not here.

Even though I do not have inside knowledge, I am sure that releasing a fix is a very high priority for Apple at the moment. However, first Apple needs to figure out exactly what is causing M4 iPad Pros to get "bricked" … then they need to fix it … then they need to run the fix through software quality assurance.

Rushing that could be counterproductive. The last thing they want to do is to release a new version that "fixes" the problem, only to discover that it, too, "bricks" customer iPads. Releasing a "fix" too soon and getting burnt twice could be worse for Apple and customers alike than waiting until they have confidence in a fix.

I have the same issue with the new Ipad. I spoke with support on 10/2/24. They have no idea when IOS 18 for the M4 Ipad will be released. The options they voiced were to basically wait for the update at some unknown future date or return the new Ipad if I don't want to wait.

Completely unacceptable response in my opinion.

p3trol3ro wrote:

Same experience. upgraded old iPad to 18, traded it in at the store expecting to upgrade my new IPad Pro 13 M4 to 18 later and then restore from backup. WRONG.

Someone suggested trialing iPadOS 18.1 BETA but guess what…Apple thought of that and disabled Developer Mode for the M4 iPads. So I am stuck unable to restore, full stop.

That Apple has not flagged this issue for purchasers of new IPad Pro M4s is inexcusable. No one at the store had any clue about this issue or if they did they didn’t tell me. Godawful considering this problem has been known for 2 weeks. Is it the end of the world for my use case? No. Well…maybe. Depends how long it takes Apple to re-release 18.

Another thing I didn’t know…the Apple Pencil is incompatible with the new iPads because they moved the camera to the long edge. So the salt in this wound is that I have to buy a new Pencil Pro in order to do my CAD work.

iOS/iPadOS 18.0.1 for iPhone and iPad are [externally] widely reported as being tested pending imminent release.

As for your Apple Pencil, the inductive changing system for the iPad Pro M4 and iPad Air M2 has been redesigned to accommodate repositioning of the front-facing camera to the centre of the long edge of the iPad screen bezel. The Camera now occupies the cavity previously occupied by the inductive charging coil and associated components.

The iPad Pro M4 and iPad Air M2 support the Apple Pencil Pro and USB-C Pencil:

Apple Pencil compatibility - Apple Support

Select Apple Pencil - Apple

nextr wrote:

I just wasted an hour trying to painstakingly go through this with Apple support. Shockingly, even at the supervisor level they are not even AWARE of this issue and off ZERO guidance other than…I’m sure it’s being worked on and an update will be available “soon.” As both a customer and shareholder, I am beyond disappointed. It’s patently obvious that all available resources are being diverted to “Apple Intelligence,” and all I can say is I sure hope it’s better than Siri. It’s late to the party and simple features that would make the iPad Pro useful (see the disappointing feature list for iPad OS 18) without threatening the MBP we’re not only left out, but the update bricked the flagship model. Do better and please at a minimum, communicate about a fix!

Perhaps understand the Apple Support Community is a user-to-user technical forum. Contributors here are all end-users, just like you. Other than the site Moderators, Apple neither monitor nor participate here.

As such, if you hope to reach (or have your comments seen by) Apple via these forums, you will be disappointed.

Apple does invite submission of comments and constructive feedback via its Product Feedback Portal. For iPad and iPadOS:

Feedback - iPad - Apple

I'm experiencing the same thing.

Same I got my m4 13 inch yesterday contacted support I had to figure out myself that apple has pulled the iPad os 18 the support had 0 idea wasted an hr

‘from Toronto Canada

Apple released 18.0.1. New M4 updated and reset. Currently transferring data from my old iPad to the M4. Should be good to go in a few hours.