Should i update to iOS 9.2.1 on my iPad 3 (iOS 8.4)?

Without a backup I would not update. Very very likely you can update without problems but once in awhile a glitch occurs and you have to restore from backup.

Do you have an iCloud backup?

IN any event a glitch can happen any time thus you should always frequently backup

iCloud backups

With a Wi-Fi network connection, you can make a backup of your device using iCloud. You don’t need to plug your device into a computer or even be at home to back up with iCloud.

iCloud backups include nearly all data and settings stored on your device. iCloud backups don't include:

• Data that's already stored in the cloud, like contacts, calendars, notes, My Photo Stream, and iCloud Photo Library
• Data stored in other cloud services, like Gmail and Exchange mail
• Apple Pay information and settings
• Touch ID settings
• Content you didn't get directly from iTunes, App, or iBooks Stores, like imported MP3s, videos, or CDs
• iTunes in the Cloud and App Store content (If it's still available in the iTunes, App, or iBooks Store, you can tap to re-downloadyour already purchased content.)

Learnhow to make an iCloud backup, and how to manage iCloud storage or delete backups that you no longer need.

About backups in iCloud and iTunes - Apple Support

Restore your device from an iCloud or iTunes backup - Apple Support

When you restore from iCloud backup if the apps on the device with the backup are made are currently available form the App Store then will be restored together with their data.

As discussed here

Restore your device from an iCloud or iTunes backup - Apple Support

you restore from iCloud backup directly on the device. The device needs an internet connection provided by wifi

I really caution you. I have an iPad 3 64Gb and am having NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS with iOS 9.2.1

My iPad is now much slower and is rebooting on it's own after a few minutes. I tried a restore from my backup and that doesn't work.

I would say to stay away form 9.2.1 on older iPads.

The latest iOS 9.2.1 was released to specifically address performance issues on older iPads as well as to plug some serious security holes.

See these articles.

http://www.idropnews.com/apple-officially-released-ios-9-2-1-but-is-it-worth-dow nloading/

http://macdailynews.com/2016/01/22/update-to-ios-9-2-1-asap-it-fixes-an-importan t-security-issue/

Try my restore procedure.

Make sure you have updated your iTunes version to the latest 12.3.2 version.

Carefully follow every step.

Here is my own modified backup/restore procedure that has already worked, successfully, for several iPad 2/3 users, so far!

I have done this and my iPad 2 and 3 are working like new, " out of the box" units!

THIS PROCEDURE DOES NOT RETURN YOUR iPAD TO ITS PREVIOUS iOS VERSION.

Also, as a disclaimer.

I make no guarantees, expressed or implied, that any of my own procedures will return EVERY older iPad to a usable, running condition.

First, connect your iPad to USB and sync and backup your iPad to iTunes (make sure,FIRST, your iTunes is up to the most latest version).

Then disconnect/eject your iPad from the computer.

From just the iPad, in the Settings App under the General setting, look in the right column for Reset option, then erase and reset your iPad to completely erase your iPad and then, again, from the iPad, set it up as a new iPad setup to factory "out of the box" operation.

Then reconnect your iPad to the computer and make sure to cancel the syncing, by tapping the small X to the left in the top center iTunes display box.

iTunes should detect your iPad. If iTunes begins to try and sync, again, cancel the sync.

Select Restore from Backup instead and pick your last backup to restore back to your iPad.

Once the restore is complete, finish setting up the iPad and let it sync back to iTunes you can either cancel the sync, again or let it backup, again.

Then disconnect the iPad.

Do one hard reset of your iPad by holding down both the Home and sleep/wake buttons simultaneously until your iPad goes to black and restarts with Apple logo, then release the buttons.

Once your iPad is back to the Home screen,

In the Settings App under the General tab, to the right under Spotlight sesrch, try disabling the search under apps that really do not need a search, like some games, remotes, apps that really do not need to be searched, etc., to reduce the list for Spotlight to search.

Try turning on Reduced Motion.

This is found in the Settings App in the General tab the left panel.

In the right panel look under Accessibility, the look for Reduce Motion and turn this feature "On".

You should see an appreciable performance increase on all iPad 2, 3 and 4 models.

In the Settings App under the General Tab, in the right column, look for Background App Refresh and turn this setting to "off".

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.

Good Luck!

lunieri wrote:

I really caution you. I have an iPad 3 64Gb and am having NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS with iOS 9.2.1

My iPad is now much slower and is rebooting on it's own after a few minutes. I tried a restore from my backup and that doesn't work.

I would say to stay away form 9.2.1 on older iPads.

My iPad 3 is running iOS 9.2.1 and it's fine.

Maybe your backup is corrupted. Do a restore as new without the backup and test.

If your iPad has 3 GBs or less free space left on it, this maybe why your iPad maybe running slower than normal and why you need a backup which was advice you foolishly ignored.

Mobile smart devices that run an OS need free data space to operate properly.

If your iPad is running low on free data storage space, the operations of the OS will start to suffer.

Ideally, you should be maintaining a minimum free storage space amount of between 4-6 GBs to have any iDevice maintain its normal operations and performance.

Also, a mobile computing device is NOT a permanent place to your store important data to.

These devices are not as stable and robust enough as a full blown laptop or desktop computer to trust for long-term data storage.

Mobile tablet device technologies are not as matured as other longer developed computing platforms.

You need to have, at least, one other more robust and reliable source to store your important and precious data and images that you never want to lose.

FYI,

backing up to cloud storage services is fine, still much better to save to a local source like a computer or WiFi enabled portable and external hard drives designed to use with mobile devices.

These are available from Seagate or Western Digital and there is even a new WiFi enabled USB Flash drive from SanDisk called the SanDisk Connect that comes in a variety of storage sizes that works with any iDevice.

Get a reliable backup strategy and plan before it is too late and you lose the important data you're storing on your iPad.

Good Luck!

I'm having the same issues with my Ipad 3 32GB(july 2012) after upgrading to IOS 9.2.1, extremely slow and rebooting every 5 minutes. Thank you Apple, now I have a very expensive paperweight!

Follow my advice below.

If this doesn't help your iPad 3 issues, then try my previous modified backup/restore procedures.

A disclaimer.

I make no guarantees, expressed or implied, that any of my own procedures will return EVERY older iPad to a usable, running condition.

Try all of the following:

Try resetting All Settings found in the Settings App under General and in the right column under Reset.

Try resetting histories and deleting/resetting caches in all of the web browsers you use.

If you use Safari, these functions maybe in the Settings App under Safari.

Other web browsers have their settings inside of the running app, itself.

If your iPad has been activated for iCloud, in the Settings App under iCloud, to the right, under iCloud Drive, tap iCloud Drive and make sure Safari is turned off for saving Safari data to iCloud Drive.

Also, under iCloud in the Settings App, in iCloud Drive, disable the saving feature for any other apps that you DO NOT want data being saved automatically to iCloud Drive.

If using Safari is still causing issues,

Try changing/using another, different third party web browser.

I don't use iOS Safari too much any longer because I found it causing me some headaches on certain websites I, regularly, visit.

I commonly use another third party web browser, Perfect Web Browser (there are others that may suit your web browsing style better, so look at all of them first to see which third party browser may work better for you) and I never experience a lot of the issues that Safari was causing.

In Settings app, under the Safari settings panel, tap the panel and in the right hand window, turn off/disable Safari Suggestions.

In the Settings App under the General tab, to the right under Spotlight search, try disabling the search under apps that really do not need a search, like some games, remotes, apps that really do not need to be searched, etc., to reduce the list for Spotlight to search.

Try turning on Reduced Motion.

This is found in the Settings App in the General tab the left panel.

In the right panel look under Accessibility, the look for Reduce Motion and turn this feature "On".

You should see an appreciable performance increase on all iPad 2, 3 and 4 models.

In the Settings App under the General Tab, in the right column, look for Background App Refresh and turn this setting to "off".

If you are willing to do this (I, personally, wouldn't recommend this), some users have reported that turning off Find My Phone/iPad, in Settings App under iCloud, has improved iOS performance, although I don't how this feature could be causing such a performance slowdown, unless its a bug in iOS that is only affecting some iPad users.

Try another hard reset of your iPad by holding down both the Home and sleep/wake buttons simultaneously until your iPad goes to black and restarts with Apple logo, then release the buttons.

Good Luck!