Upgrading ios on iPad 3

See the chart below to determine whether you can upgrade your device and to what you can upgrade. If you do not have a Software Update option present on your iDevice, then you are trying to upgrade to iOS 5 or higher. You will have to connect your device to your computer and open iTunes to update.

iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad iOS Compatibility Chart

Device iOS Version

iPhone 1 iOS 3.1.3

iPhone 3G iOS 4.2.1

iPhone 3GS iOS 6.1.x

iPhone 4 iOS 7.1.x

iPhone 4S iOS 9.x.x

iPhone 5 iOS 10.x.x

iPhone 5c iOS 10.x.x

iPhone 5s iOS 11.x.x

iPhone 5se iOS 11.x.x

iPhone 6 iOS 11.x.x

iPhone 6 Plus iOS 11.x.x

iPhone 7 iOS 11.x.x

iPhone 7 Plus iOS 11.x.x

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iPod Touch 1 iOS 3.1.3

iPod Touch 2 iOS 4.2.1

iPod Touch 3 iOS 5.1.1

iPod Touch 4 iOS 6.1.x

Pod Touch 5 iOS 9.x.x

iPod Touch 6 iOS 11.x.x

-------------------------------------------------------

iPad 1 iOS 5.1.1

iPad 2 iOS 9.x.x

iPad 3 iOS 9.x.x

iPad 4 iOS 10.x.x

iPad 5 iOS 11.x.x

iPad Pro 12.9” iOS 11.x.x

iPadPro 9.7” iOS 11.x.x

iPad Mini & Mini Retina iOS 11.x.x

iPad mini 2 iOS 11.x.x

iPad mini 3 iOS 11.x.x

iPad mini 4 iOS 11.x.x

iPad Air iOS 11.x.x

iPad Air 2 iOS 11.x.x

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Select the method most appropriate for your situation.

Upgrading iOS

1. How to update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch

2. iPhone Support

3. iPod Touch Support

4. iPad Support

a. Updating Your iOS from iOS 5

Tap Settings > General > Software Update

If an update is available there will be an active Update button. If you are current,

then you will see a gray screen with a message saying your are up to date.

b. If you are still using iOS 4— Updating your device to iOS 5 or later.

c. Resolving update problems

1. iOS - Unable to update or restore

2. iOS- Resolving update and restore alert messages

The iPad can be updated to iOS 9.3.5. See the following instructions for the two methods of updating: Update the iOS on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

The iPad 2, 3 and 1st generation iPad Mini are all ineligible and excluded from upgrading to iOS 10 AND iOS 11.

The highest iOS your iPad 3 can go is iOS 9.3.5.

They all share similar hardware architectures and a less powerful 1.0 Ghz CPU that Apple has deemed insufficiently powerful enough to even run the basic, barebones features of iOS 10 OR iOS 11!

Why would you want to upgrade, anyways?

Since iOS 8, older iPad models such as the iPad 2, 3 and 4 have only been getting the most basic of iOS features.

Older iPad users get none of the newest and coolest cutting edge features that newer model iDevices, with better hardware specs, can handle with more aplomb.

Plus, the iPad 2 and 3 are the only two supported models left that use the much outdated 30 pin dock connector.

The same iPad 2 and 3 users who whined and moaned and groaned that both iOS 8 and 9 slowed down the performance of their iPad 2 and 3 models would come back, once again, in angry droves, with even more complaints of slowdowns under iOS 10 or iOS 11.

FYI,

Just because your iPad 3 is no longer able to upgrade to the latest iOS doesn't mean your iPad 2 is suddenly useless.

Your iPad 2 will work as it always has and the apps you have installed on it will continue to update and receive some level of app updates relevent to your current iOS.

You have had four years of iOS upgrades and updates.

Your iPad 2 will still do everything it does now and you will, get, at least, another full year, perhaps two, if you decide you want to wait longer to get a new or newer iPad model.

Your iPad 3 is NOT, suddenly, becoming obsolete or useless.

So, your options are really keep using your iPad 2 or purchase a new iPad if you feel you need or want to.

Your current iPad 3 will still work and continue to receive app updates for some time, when, with the recent introduction of iOS 11, ALL support for older 32 bit iDevices and any iOS 32 bit apps will come to a final end.

Your iPad 3 will still work and function as it always has, but will no longer receive any more app updates some time in the foreseeable future.

The final app updates your iPad 3 will end up receiving will be their last!

Your iPad 3 should will continue to receive app updates, under iOS 9.3.5, but look for this to end sometime soon.

This is why Apple introduced the new, lower cost 2017 iPad 5 model, in April

Apple is trying to get older iPad 2, 3, 4 and 1st gen Mini iPad users to upgrade to more modern iPad hardware in anticipation of the recent introduction/release of iOS 11, which WILL render all older 32 bit iDevices obsolete, in time.

Good Luck to You!