How do I get my iPad iOS 4.3.5 updated with iTunes? Even my iTunes can't be updated

Which computer?

What is your computer OS version?

Which iPad?

iPad 1 will only go to iOS 5.

If you are using iOS 4 (or earlier) there is no Software Update in Settings. That feature was first added in iOS 5.

To update you will have to connect your iPad to iTunes on a computer (preferably the one you sync with and backup to).

See here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4972

Note that the iPad 1 can only be updated ti iOS 5.1.1

What kind of computer do you have? If you are on a Mac with OS earlier than 10.5.8, you won't be able to update iTunes.

Also, what generation is the iPad? If it's the first generation, it won't update to iOS 6 or 7.

If you are getting a msg to update iTunes, it's iTunes on your computer, not the iPad.

If you have an iPad 1, the max iOS is 5.1.1. For newer iPads, the current iOS is 7.0.4. The Settings>General>Software Update only appears if you have iOS 5.0 or higher currently installed.

iOS 5: Updating your device to iOS 5 or Later

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4972

How to install iOS 6

http://www.macworld.com/article/2010061/hands-on-with-ios-6-installation.html

iOS: How to update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4623

If you are currently running an iOS lower than 5.0, connect the iPad to the computer, open iTunes. Then select the iPad under the Devices heading on the left, click on the Summary tab and then click on Check for Update.

Tip - If connected to your computer, you may need to disable your firewall and anitvirus software temporarily. Then download and install the iOS update. Be sure and backup your iPad before the iOS update. After you update an iPad (except iPad 1) to iOS 6.x, the next update can be installed via wifi (i.e., not connected to your computer).

Tip 2 - If you're updating via wifi, place your iPad close to your router to preclude getting a corrupted download.

How to Upgrade to iOS 7

The iOS 7.0 update requires around 2.5 GB of storage space, so if your iPad is almost full, you may need to clear up some space. You can check your available space in Settings -> General -> Usage.

There are two ways to upgrade to iOS 7: You can use your Wi-Fi connection, or you can connect your iPad to your PC and update through iTunes. We'll go over each method.

To upgrade using Wi-Fi:

Note: If your iPad's battery is under 50%, you will want to plug it into your charger while performing the update.

1. Go into the iPad's Settings.

2. Locate and tap "General" from the menu on the left.

3. The second option from the top is "Software Update". Tap this to move into the update settings.

4. Tap "Download and Install". This will start the upgrade, which will take several minutes and will reboot your iPad during the process. If the Download and Install button is grayed out, trying clearing up some space. The space required by the update is mostly temporary, so you should gain most of it back after iOS 7 is installed.

5. Once the update is installed, you may have to run through the initial steps of setting up your iPad again. This is to account for new features and settings.

To upgrade using iTunes:

First, connect your iPad to your PC or Mac using the cable provided when you purchased your device. This will allow iTunes to communicate with your iPad.

You will also need the latest version of iTunes. Don't worry, you will be prompted to download the latest version when you launch iTunes. Once it installs, you may be asked to setup iCloud by logging into your iTunes account. If you have a Mac, you may be prompted on whether or not you want to enable the Find my Mac feature.

Now you are ready to begin the process:

1. If you upgraded iTunes earlier, go ahead and launch it. (For many, it will launch automatically when you plug in your iPad.)

2. Once iTunes is launched, it should automatically detect that a new version of the operating system exists and prompt you to upgrade to it. Choose Cancel. Before updating, you will want to manually sync your iPad to make sure everything is up to date.

3. After canceling the dialog box, iTunes should automatically sync with your iPad.

4. If iTunes doesn't automatically sync, you can manually do it by selecting your iPad within iTunes, clicking on the File menu and choosing Sync iPad from the list.

5. After your iPad has been synced to iTunes, select your iPad within iTunes. You can find it on the left side menu under Devices.

6. From the iPad screen, click on the Update button.

7. After verifying that you want to update your iPad, the process will begin. It takes a few minutes to update the operating system during which time your iPad may reboot a few times.

8. After updating, you may be asked a few questions when your device finally boots back up. This is to account for new settings and features.

 Cheers, Tom 😉

Tom, wanted to see in response to your last post if you (or anyone else reading this) had ever encountered a message that precludes the update to iPad 2 software to update to latest iOS. I have followed instructions above to update my iPad from iOS 4.3 to iOS 7 using iTunes on my iMac (running 10.5.8; but I have a more recent (latest ?) iTunes 10.6.3 installed). With iTunes open on my desktop and the iPad connected and selected within iTunes, when i get to step 6 above, I click on the Update button from the Summary screen. Instead of prompting me to being updating the Ipad software to iOS 7 (which i want), instead it just pops up a simple message dialogue box that says "The current version of iTunes (10.6.3) is the latest version" or something like that, and i can't get any way to tell it to update the iPad software.

Any thoughts on how to get iTunes to tell the iPad that i want to update the iPad software on the device (and not the iTunes on my desktop - which it seems to think based on the dialogue box response about iTunes already being up to date)?

thank you

Tx Mac Man,

I wish it was this simple. I now have 4 ipads (version 2,1) that are stuck on iOS 4.3.5. I have about a hundred iPads used as sales Kiosks. I was in the process of upgrading them to a later iOS when Apple broke the upgrade process. When 8.x was still signed you could perform a restore from within iTunes and get the device updated to 8.x. As soon as 9.x came out you can no longer update from versions prior to 5.x to 9.x. Apple broke it and does not seem to care about fixing the issue. I was hoping it would be resolved in each later build of 9.x (Still broken with 9.2) and latest iTunes release late last week. I have opened support tickets with Apple and gotten no response. I have tried from Windows and Macs (all current models and latest iTunes).

Mark