iPadOS 27 arrives as a free update on Monday, September 14, 2026, the same day as iOS 27, macOS 27 Golden Gate, watchOS 27 and visionOS 27. Apple’s iPadOS 27 page lists most of the same features as the iPhone update, plus a short list of changes that belong to iPad alone, starting with a name change: Wi-Fi Assist is now called Connectivity Assist.
That rename sits inside a wider set of enterprise and device-management changes Apple published for iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 together, alongside the handful of features Apple built for iPad’s larger screen and file system rather than for the iPhone.
Key facts on iPadOS 27
| Item | What Apple publishes |
|---|---|
| Release date | Monday, September 14, 2026, free |
| Compatible iPads | iPad Pro (4th generation and later, M1 and later), iPad Air (4th generation and later, M2 and later), iPad (9th generation and later, A16), iPad mini (6th generation, A17 Pro) |
| Wi-Fi Assist | Renamed Connectivity Assist in iPadOS 27 and iOS 27 |
| File transfers to external drives | Up to 5x faster (Apple’s test: iPad Pro 11-inch M4, USB4 SSD, 10,000 JPEGs, iPadOS 26.4.2 versus a prerelease build of iPadOS 27) |
| Siri AI on iPad | Beta, available in English to start, not initially available in the EU on iPadOS |
| Apple Intelligence advanced tier | iPad with M4 or later and 12GB or more of unified memory |
Which iPads made Apple’s list
Apple’s iPadOS 27 page names four device families as compatible: iPad Pro from the 4th generation on, as long as it carries an M1 chip or later; iPad Air from the 4th generation on, with an M2 chip or later; the base iPad from the 9th generation on, which needs the A16 chip; and the iPad mini, restricted to the 6th generation with its A17 Pro chip. Apple pairs a generation number with a chip on every line.
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That is a different list from the one Apple publishes for Apple Intelligence eligibility, which names iPad Pro and iPad Air with an M1 chip or later, and iPad mini (A17 Pro), without repeating a generation number. Apple has not reconciled the two lists on the same page, so an iPad that qualifies for the operating system update is the safest reference point, and Apple Intelligence eligibility should be checked separately by chip.
What iPadOS 27 gives iPad that iOS 27 does not
- File transfers to external drives run up to 5x faster in Apple’s own test, a claim iOS 27 does not carry because iPhone does not expose the same external-drive workflow.
- Ask to Browse, the new Screen Time control that requires parental approval before a child can open Safari, is described by Apple as working across iPhone, iPad and Mac together.
- Bill splitting with Apple Cash, which scans a receipt through Siri’s camera mode, also reaches eligible iPad models (iPad mini with A17 Pro, iPad with M1 or later), U.S. only, matching the iPhone feature rather than adding something new to it.
- Visual Intelligence is folded into iPad’s screenshot experience rather than into a camera viewfinder, since Apple’s phrasing for iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro together is that Visual Intelligence is “now on even more devices.”
- Wi-Fi Assist becomes Connectivity Assist, a naming change Apple applies to iPadOS 27 and iOS 27 together.
Siri AI, Apple Intelligence and the EU limit on iPad
Siri AI ships in beta with iPadOS 27, available in English to start. Apple has not published a confirmed date for additional languages beyond English on any of its iPadOS, iOS or Apple Intelligence pages.
Apple’s own footnote is specific about where the beta does not reach: “Siri AI will not be available initially in the EU on iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS.” iPadOS is one of three operating systems named in that sentence. macOS and visionOS are not named, and Apple’s macOS page states that Mac users in the EU can use Siri AI when set to a supported language.
The two tiers of Apple Intelligence on iPad
| Tier | Requirement | What it unlocks |
|---|---|---|
| Base Apple Intelligence | iPad Pro or iPad Air with M1 or later, or iPad mini (A17 Pro) | Siri AI beta, Image Playground, Genmoji, Writing Tools, Clean Up in Photos |
| Advanced on-device tier | iPad with M4 or later and 12GB or more unified memory | Siri voice customization (pitch, speed, tone, accent) and an improved on-device Dictation model |
The gap between those two rows is a real one for anyone deciding whether an older M1 or M2 iPad still qualifies for everything iPadOS 27 advertises. It gets the beta and the everyday Apple Intelligence features. It does not get the newer Siri voice options or the upgraded Dictation model.
What Apple has not said
- Apple’s iPadOS 27 page names no Stage Manager, windowing or Apple Pencil changes for this release.
- Apple has not given a time of day for the September 14 rollout, only the date.
- Apple has not confirmed a month for Siri AI languages beyond English on iPad.
- Apple has not reconciled its two different device-eligibility lists for iPad on a single page.
iPadOS 27 becomes available Monday, September 14, 2026, as a free update for every iPad on Apple’s compatibility list. It arrives alongside iOS 27, and our event recap and A20 Pro explainer cover the rest of what Apple announced this cycle.
