Q: How can I restore iOS6 on my iPad 3

Downgrading the iOS version is not supported by Apple.

What do you mean by 'struggling to cope' ? If you are having problems then have you tried the 'standard' troubleshooting e.g. closing apps via the multitasking bar, a soft-reset, restoring to your last backup ?

You can't. Apple offers no way to downgrade their mobile OS once an update or upgrade is installed.

Sorry.

Try a hard reset by holding the home button and on/off switch to one side simutanoeusly until the iPad's screen goes black and then the Apple logo appears then let go of the buttons.

See if that helps or not.

For the keyboard 'lag' I've seen suggested (and which appears to have worked for some people) going into Settings > iCloud and turning Documents & Data 'off', and then come out of that and you can then go back in and turn it back 'on' - you could see if that makes any difference

It's called planned planned obsolescence. Had an ipad 1st gen. After a few ios updates it wouldn't even render web pages without crashing with out memory problems. Upgraded to a ipad 3rd gen had terrible wifi problems 5 months later they release a new one with improved wifi performance. My eventual solution was to install multiple access points throughout the house. Now with ios 7 the lag is unbearable, you have to update and it makes your current device stupidly slow prompting an upgrade! Maybe this is why new ios versions coincide with new hardware? Well this time I will not be chucking £480 on a 32gb ipad. There's too many decent alternatives now. I honestly think they will not bother optimising for the A5X which is what happened with my old one. If there wasn't this deliberate sabotage why would we upgrade? This time round I'm not going to be bother moaning going through support pages for a remedy that never comes. I'm just going to buy something else from someone else.

To both DanJ_UK and Fatal Exception,

While I feel your pain, there are large number of iPad 3 users who have not had any issues upgrading to iOS 7.

Myself, included.

There are a number of threads here of iPad 3 owners who have experienced what you two have experienced with serious degraded performance of their iPad 3 after upgrading to iOS 7. Unfortunately, you are part of the exception and NOT the rule.

I know this statement doesn't solve your issues or problems.

The only things you can do is wait for an update that will solve your issues and send in feedback about your issues to Apple.

http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

As part of the security system on the iOS world Apple has never supported downgrading going back to iOS 1.0.1. This does not mean there is not a way to do so but you would have to be willing to sacrifice the security on your iPhone.

As I said been there done that. Can't be bothered wasting time. Just sold my ipad and ready to pull the trigger on the microsoft surface pro 2. £800 of my money apple ain't getting feels good. I'm not going to be locked into a planned 2 year candence by apple anymore. They need to realise people are getting wise to it and aren't going to fall for it anymore I've always had apple stuff iPods, multiple iPhones iPads etc. Slowly but surely everything is being replaced by stuff that doesn't come from apple because I know it realistically only lasts 18-24 months before support effectively ends. If I'm dropping £500 on a device i expect better.