Backing up and clearing out old iPad

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Level 1

4 points

Backing up and clearing out old iPad

I have an old iPad (model is iPad) running IOS 9.3.5. I backed it up to my iMac via USB, but was unable to back up Pages. I tried syncing with iCloud, but it is stuck saying "Uploading 24 items (zero KB of 5.9MB)". I only use iCloud for a few items like contacts, pages, messages, and notes. At this point, I'm fine with losing the Pages files on my old iPad, but don't want to risk losing anything on my connected devices like contacts and messages.

How do I proceed so I can:

1) disconnect from iCloud and other devices without losing anything on my other devices, and

2) finish clearing out my ipad to recycle or repurpose?

Thank you for any tips. Despite watching informative videos, I struggle to wrap my head around iCloud and am afraid to use it much for fear of losing files.

iPad, iOS 9

Posted on Dec 29, 2025 10:43 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 29, 2025 10:48 AM in response to lasack

You would be unwise to attempt manual deletion of anything from your old iPad - as deletion of anything synchronised with iCloud will cause the local deletion to be replicated to your other devices.

To safely erase and decommission your old iPad, without impacting any other devices, simply follow this procedure:

What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

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Answer 2

lasack Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 29, 2025 11:25 AM in response to LotusPilot

Thank you for the reply. When I try to turn off iCloud from my old iPad, it says "Are you sure you want to turn off iCloud Drive? Some changes in Pages and Books have not been uploaded to iCloud. If you turn off iCloud Drive, these changes will be lost."

How do I know what changes they talking about that will be lost? Are these only changes I made on my iPad (which I don't care about) or could I lose items that were trying to go from iCloud to my device? That was never my intention when I turned on iCloud in my ipad, but I realized after connecting it to iCloud that those items already in iCloud from my other devices might be trying to load onto my iPad and I don't want to lose those. Does that make sense?

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