My iPad 2 won't update to iOS 5 -6

The Settings > General > Software Update option only appears when you have iOS 5+ installed, if you have iOS 4 as your tagline suggests then you will need to do the update via your computer's iTunes.

Connect the iPad to your computer's iTunes and copy any purchases off the iPad to your computer via File > Transfer Purchases. You may also want to copy photos and any important documents off the iPad as well e.g. via the file sharing section at the bottom of the device's apps tab when connected to iTunes, via wifi, email, dropbox etc - they should be included in the backup, but it's best to have a copy of them outside of the backup just in case. You can then force a backup of the iPad by right-clicking the iPad 'Device' on the left-hand side of iTunes and selecting 'Backup'.

Then start the update by selecting the iPad on the left-hand side of iTunes, and on the Summary tab on the right-hand side clicking the Check For Updates button

Updating to iOS 5+ : http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4972

Your iPad will update to iOS 6.0.1 (which is the only version that is 'signed' by Apple), so you will lose the built-in YouTube app and the Maps app will change.

Please tell me this isnt true! I really cant just update to ios 5? It HAS to be 6? I got my 1st iphone 3gs about 3 yrs ago, I never performed a single update or synced with itunes in all that time because I realize it was a must! I just thought it was just a recommendation! lol It worked great for 3 yrs 9 mos until I woke up one day when it decided to to kill itself iwhile I was asleep. I lost everything! Im cussing and my daughter, the iphone queen walks in and says, "You probably need to update it, Mom! Its ok, when did you do it last?" I was like, "huh? wha? update? itunes? Whats that?" She laughed for an hour.... Im 47 and never felt that dumb in my life! lol

Dec '10 we get an ipad 2, I tell myself I wont mess this one up, I'll get the kids to teach me all about what itunes syncing is and how to do it and this will be good forever! That was 2 yrs ago exactly and here I am AGAIN, still an itunes sync'er virgin who missed the ios 5 update and wanting to cry because you say I cant get it anymore! Surely theres a way! Itunes doesnt let you pick what update you want to do? I thought as long as ios's were still fairly current and relevant, you could go to the next highest one, no? If I go update this now, it will just put ios 6 on it automatically? Ugh, Im just so mad at myself! Will it even update 4.3.3 to the 6 if Ive never ever done any updates to it? Help! What can I do and if theres nothing, then I will have to suffer the consequences if this thing kills itself too! Thanks so much for helping....if you can! ****, i still havent learned to sync so maybe I should stick with the old flip phone.....Im safer with low tech electronics I guess! Hahaha

Only the current version (or highest supported version for the device) of iOS is 'signed' by Apple, so the iPad 2 can only be updated to iOS 6.0.1, and you can update straight to that version from 4.3.3. If you got the iPad in December 2010 then it must be a first gen iPad (does it have cameras on it ?), the iPad 2 was released in March 2011 - if it is the iPad 1 then that will only update to 5.1.1, it doesn't support iOS 6.0.1 (each iPad model has it's own slightly different iOS version, so whilst the iPad 1 can be updated to iOS 5.1.1 as that is its highest supported version, other models can only update to 6.0.1)

If you've never synced the iPad to a computer then this article might also help : https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3141

I have a question for King Penguin. My husband is the one who does not update his computers and ipads. So I have finally got his laptop up-to-speed. itunes is updated. His ipad (Ipad2) still is 4.3 version. Every time I connect it to his laptop and open itunes - it tells me it is downloading and updating the ipad - BUT, nothing happens. It remains 4.3. Any advice?

I am pretty good at this, as I keep track of my own with a different computer, etc - but for some reason - no error message ???

Any help - MUCH appreciated!

I have an ipad2 that I need to update at least to iOS 5 so I can start using some decent apps, but I also do not have an update function in my settings. My iPad is my only device, so I cannot connect to a computer to update that way since I don't have one.. Is there a way my device can update itself without the need to purchase a $2000 computer? That was kind of the point of buying this refurbished device from apple in the first place...

I just read that my original iPad 1 will not update to iOS 6! There is an app I want that requires iOS 6. I cannot afford a new iPad right now.

<Edited by Host>