iPad stuck restoring from iCloud, cannot update iOS

my wifes new ipad is stuck on restoring iPad from iCloud (from her old iPad)

it won’t upgrade the iOS to ver 26 from ver 18.6 because it says “your iPad needs to finish restoring from the iCloud backup, before installing the update.”

in iCloud (settings) it tells me “Restoring messages and files(1.49 GB remaining)

this has been static for the last 5 days and does not change from day to day

can I click the “Stop restoring iPad” which gives a further choice to stop or not because “any data that has been downloaded will not be restored or backed up in the future” is the final warning

how can I correct this problem please.

iPad, iPadOS 26

Posted on Jan 17, 2026 12:57 PM

Reply
2 replies

Jan 18, 2026 12:35 PM in response to neilcamp

neilcamp wrote:

my wifes new ipad is stuck on restoring iPad from iCloud (from her old iPad)
it won’t upgrade the iOS to ver 26 from ver 18.6 because it says “your iPad needs to finish restoring from the iCloud backup, before installing the update.”
in iCloud (settings) it tells me “Restoring messages and files(1.49 GB remaining)
this has been static for the last 5 days and does not change from day to day
can I click the “Stop restoring iPad” which gives a further choice to stop or not because “any data that has been downloaded will not be restored or backed up in the future” is the final warning
how can I correct this problem please.

plug the ipad to power, connect to wifi, lock the ipad and then leave it alone so it can finish the restore.

iPad stuck restoring from iCloud, cannot update iOS

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