Q: How is iPad 2 performance using iOS 9.1?

One thing that has not been mentioned even ONCE in this lengthy thread is SECURITY. Put aside all the whiz-bang features and eye candy that needs the latest hardware to run. One of the key issues that Apple and any other computer maker has to deal with in these modern times is ensuring that their products are as secure as possible within the framework of the current state of the art and best current practices. Everyone is fixated on whether or not an iPad X, Y or Z can do the latest fancy eye candy but no mention has been made of the more than 20 security fixes incorporated into iOS 9.1, ALL OF WHICH benefit users of all iGadgets that run it and all of which strive to ensure your privacy and personal data are defended to the utmost. Even to the extent of incurring in the wrath of the FBI, NSA and other three-letter agencies so intent in snooping on you, not to mention all the miscreants eager to swipe your identities and empty your cash accounts. And don't forget that those latest 20+ security improvements are built on top of the rollup of ALL the previous ones that have been occurring with each successive iOS version, making the platform one of the safest to date.

Sure, stay on old iOS so any two-bit punk can wipe you clean. Or better yet, hurry over to the Android den of iniquity, where malware is as bad or worse than in the MS Windows world. Don't let the door hit you on the butt on the way out...

I always neglect mentioning the security specs as this is an aspect of iOS that isn't seen by the end user.

AND, Basically, because I can't spout any of these security features off in a list.

That and does every iPad model that supports the latest iOS get ALL of the security update features OR is it selective based on iPad model, just like all the other features of a new iOS?

That's why I shy away from dealing with the latest iOS security features.

This, also, could be another set of issues for diminished performance for some older iPad users (especially those older iPad users with cronic and pervasive issues) that there is no way to address except to wait for Apple to release another iOS 9 update to, hopefully, correct.

I followed each of your advice but I am still not happy. Thank you very much for your help though. At least this thread might help other people. To wrap it up: I think it is safe to conclude that ios9 is slower than ios7 but the actual experience may differ from person to person.

Courcoul, the security updates is one of the reasons why I generally try to update my iDevices whenever a new OS comes out. While I do find iOS 8 to have significant lag when typing (especially when using a bluetooth keyboard) and find the fact that Safari has a problem and needs to reload around every 5th webpage I look at, those quirks are tolerable. I would love to give iOS 9 another try, but in my first try I had constant app crashing, even Safari and other apps optimized for iOS 9 and I tried all of MichelePM's hints. Absent a way to get back to the last version of 8, I'm not willing to risk being left a device that will frustrate me with the crashing. The lag and random reload of web pages I can live with, but I was playing one of those casual match games and it would crash after every level. Other apps would just randomly crash. For now, once I get my apps open, they are generally pretty stable. I do get random crashes, but that is generally only once or twice a week, which while not optimal, I can live with. IMO, the iPad 2 specs are so low it should have been left as a legacy device. I can't speak to the iPhone 4s (it's specs are slightly better than the iPad 2, but still only 512MB of RAM) because I'm not willing to risk that falling victim to the same thing and have to deal with a frustrated kid. The biggest reason I update to 8 outside of security is to be able to download new apps. You don't generally see iOS8 required apps, but I'm sure that will be coming soon where iOS 7 support will soon start dropping. When the next iPad Air comes out, I'll likely look to replace the one I have, but it just seems silly to replace a device in a year when a new version was not released. Maybe I'll get lucky and Apple will finally make the base model 32GB instead of 16GB.

I had been holding back from updating my ipad 2 from iOS 8.4.1 to 9.1.  However, because of MichelPM's confidence and insistence that iOS 9.1 runs fine on ipad 2, I decided to take the plunge today.  I initially did almost everything that MichelPM suggested (I forgot to first set the ipad as a new one before restoring my earlier backup from itunes on the ipad) and the ipad was noticeably slower on iOS 9.1.  For example, accessing most apps, including safari, was at least 2-5 seconds slower than when I was using iOS 8.4.1.  I realized my error and went through the whole process again making sure this time to first set the ipad as a new one before restoring the backup.  I have to say that the ipad is now almost as quick as it used to be on iOS 8.4.1 (it may be a tad slower than before when switching from one app to another or when loading a web page); however.  From my preliminary observation, most of everything else seems to be fine.  The few apps that I have used have not crashed yet.

Hope this helps!

Thank you. Thank you for having faith that my situation wasn't just some happy accident!

This is really REALLY good news to learn!

I couldn't believe the significant improvement when I did this the iPad 2.

Again, thought my iPad 2 was running well before the clean erase/restore as new/restorenfrom backup.

But the performance of my iPad was a noticeable improvement AFTER my restore procedures.

A couple of things I forgot or failed to mention, though.

If you purchased any music from iTunes, you will need to redownload that content back to your iPad for playing directly from your iPad and not from Apple Music servers.

Also, if your iPad contained a lot of images in the Photos app, these will take time to regenerate the original AND thumbnail images themselves inside of the Photos app when you first launch it.

Another BEEEG plus? Check your iPad 2's available storage. Your iPad should have recovered a sizeable amount of space.

My original available space of my 64 GBs iPad was almost 8 GBs left of usable storage.

After the restore, I gained back almost 27 GBs of storage.

That is about 16 GBs of, possibly, crawp "other" data that may have been cluttering up space on my iPad for years with no apparent reasons or benefits for being there.

I periodically plug my iDevices into my computer and use iTunes to check and see how much 'other' there is. If it gets over about 1.5GB, I would restore from backup. Great for recovering dead space full of who knows what. I have found that I can't get it too much below about 900MB, but did have it taking up about 5GB on the iPad once. There is precious little information on the web as to what 'other' is because it's not the Safari cache alone because I cleared that first. I did have one app that when run in the background would eat up my space on the device to an insane degree if I didn't close it out when I was done.

Thanks!  But I don't have music on my iPad and only have a few pictures on it.  So, didn't have too much of a problem using your restore procedure.  I did regain 5g of space though after the update.

I have found my 64gig iPad 2 to be "acceptable" and actually performing better than I was expecting it too - considering it is older hardware.  I actually did a clean install - and that radically improved things.  It's not fast - but then again - it never really was fast on prior versions of iOS.  Yes - there are still annoying hesitations when initially opening some apps - but it does not lock up or behave erratically.

~Scott

Another one having woes I'm afraid, hence me using a search engine and landing here. I reckon there are lots of people out there currently up in arms over this and reading for solutions. I've read through the entire thread and I'm sorry, but based on the status quo, IMHO Apple have simply done the wrong thing releasing iOS 9 for the iPad 2. I upgraded from iOS 7 two weeks ago as a new app (that I could have coped without in retrospect) needed a newer version of iOS and the difference in performance in the iPad2 is like night and day.

Yes, I hear the points about security, but again, I'm sorry I'd rather have an iPad that works something akin to how it was intended to. I for one never did any banking work or similar whilst running my old version of iOS in case of potential security issues. Thats the tradeoff, a question of performance over potential security issues and boy, all things considered, do I wish I'd have stayed back on ios 7 with much better performance.

I hear the points about changing settings X Y & Z etc to wring every last drop of CPU & RAM power out of the iPad2, but if a device is going to struggle to cope to this extent using the default settings, Apple shouldnt be authorising the firmware for that device. Ive still got a 4S running ios 7 and I will NOT be upgrading on this evidence.

Apple themselves need to provide a solution and if that means a window of opportunity for iPad2 users to downgrade iOS, so be it. Either that or 9.2 needs to be trimmed down appropriately. I am going to be leaving feedback for the company and it wont be favorable.

So,

You read the entire thread.

Are you going to try any or ALL of the suggested fixes I recommemded rather than complain?

Even my erase/restore as new/restore from iTunes backup option?

My suggested solutions HAVE worked for many AND this is not the only thread I have posted my possible fixes/solutions.

I guarantee, many or ALL of my possible fixes will cure many of iPad 2 ills.

Especially, my suggested restoration procedure.

Strongly suggest you try out ALL of these and not be selective about it.

If my primary list of fixes aren't doing enough to fix your iPad 2 issues, the restore process should bring your iPad 2 to nearly like new, "out of the box" performance.

Plus, you may regain some additional and valuable free storage space.

SInce I have posted my suggested fixes many iPad 2s have returned to nearly speedy performance.

My own iPad 2 performs like a brand spankin' new iPad 2...fresh out of the box on iOS 9.1.

Do you want that performance level back?

Try ALL of my possible fixes!

To MichelPM. Sounds like you are taking it a little personally. However, the point I am making is to Apple Inc. not yourself and your efforts to rectify.

I repeat: Apple should NOT have included the iPAD2 on iOS9 if the hardware is not up to the job using default settings.

I have left the company feedback, so I am not just moaning and doing nothing. Apple need to sort it out.

I believe this is NOT an Apple or iOS issue, but issues with individual users' iPad 2 configurations from the getgo.

I have NOT had any issues with iOS upgrade at all, the way I do them.

Not one major snag or hiccup!

You do have to disable, at the very least, the iOS motion graphics eye candy effects, as the iPad 2 simply never had the hardware power to handle those kinds of graphics elements. EVER!

And reducing or turning off other dubious functionalities in both iOS 8 and 9 only help out iPad 2 performance while still making iOS 9 still snappy and functional.

Older iPad users only get a small set of iOS 9 functionality, anyways, and THAT list of functionality should NOT be causing all of the operational issues the iPad 2 users are experiencing.