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 Siri AI in beta, external drive transfers up to 5x faster, Visual Intelligence built into the screenshot experience, and the same Apple Intelligence app features that iPhone owners get.
The iPad side of the release has had far less attention than the iPhone 18 Pro launch, but it is the same software family on the same schedule. Apple’s developer releases page shows the iPadOS 27.0 release candidate, build 24A435, went out on September 9, the day of the event.
Key facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release date | Monday, September 14, 2026, free |
| Release candidate | iPadOS 27.0 RC, build 24A435, September 9, 2026 |
| First developer beta | June 8, 2026, build 24A5355q |
| Siri AI | Beta, English first; French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish in October |
| Siri AI in the EU | Not initially available on iPadOS |
| External drive transfers | Up to 5x faster, per Apple’s test |
| Apple Intelligence iPads | iPad Pro (M1 and later), iPad Air (M1 and later), iPad mini (A17 Pro) |
| Voice customization and improved Dictation | iPad with M4 or later and 12GB or more unified memory |
iPadOS 27 release date and compatible iPads
Apple’s iPadOS 27 page says the update is “available starting 9.14.” Apple has not given a time; its iOS updates usually land around 10 a.m. Pacific, and the iOS 27 release date coverage has the same caveat.
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The compatibility footnote on Apple’s page reads: “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).” The chip names in that footnote line up with Apple’s Apple Intelligence list rather than with a base compatibility list, so an iPad Pro or iPad Air in those generations that predates the named chip should still get iPadOS 27 without the Apple Intelligence features.
Siri AI on iPad: beta, English, and not in the EU
Siri AI ships in beta on iPadOS 27, in English to start. Apple’s press release says French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish follow in October. The assistant reads personal context across apps, answers questions about what is on screen, pulls up-to-date information from the web, and takes actions in apps. You can type or talk.
The new Siri app keeps every conversation in one place and uses iCloud to sync history, so a chat started on a Mac can continue on iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch or Apple Vision Pro. Visual Intelligence on iPad is built into the screenshot experience rather than into a Camera mode as on iPhone.
Two footnotes matter. Apple says Siri AI “will not be initially available in the EU on iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS,” while Mac and Vision Pro users in the EU can use it when set to a supported language. And features that rely on server-side models, including Siri AI and Image Playground, are subject to daily usage limits, with “expanded access to such features” to be sold “for a fee in the future.” Siri voice customization (pitch, speed, tone, accent) and the improved on-device Dictation need an iPad with M4 or later and at least 12GB of unified memory.
The changes that are specific to iPad
- External drives: browsing and transferring files is “up to 5x faster.” Apple’s test used an 11-inch iPad Pro with M4, a USB4 SSD and 10,000 JPGs, comparing iPadOS 26.4.2 with prerelease iPadOS 27.
- Visual Intelligence in screenshots: Apple describes it as “now on even more devices” (iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro).
- Ask to Browse in Safari works across iPhone, iPad and Mac and requires the Screen Time update.
- Bill splitting with Apple Cash in Wallet runs on eligible iPads (iPad mini with A17 Pro, iPad with M1 or later), is U.S. only, and requires Siri AI on an Apple Intelligence device.
Everything iPad shares with iOS 27
The rest matches Apple’s iOS 27 page, summarized in our event recap:
- Photos: Spatial Reframing, the Extend tool, an enhanced Clean Up that removes larger objects, and customizable slideshows.
- Image Playground with photorealistic images, and Genmoji.
- Safari: tabs grouped automatically into topics, and Notify Me for price drops and restocks.
- Mail: a new ranking system for Top Hits in search, plus context-based Suggestions (English only).
- Home: activity summaries, HomeKit Secure Video clip descriptions and search, and 4K recording on supported cameras.
- Child Safety: Ask to Browse, Ask to Buy, Time Allowances, Schedules and Communication Safety that now blocks gore and violent content.
- Liquid Glass: a Settings slider from ultra-clear to fully tinted, and sharper app icons.
- AirPods Custom EQ for lows, mids and highs, which pairs with the new AirPods 5.
- Accessibility: richer VoiceOver image descriptions, auto-generated video captions with translation, and Magnifier tools.
What Apple has not said
Apple has not published a release time. Its iPadOS 27 page surfaces no changes to Stage Manager, windowing or Apple Pencil. The compatibility footnote mixes generation and chip qualifiers, and Apple has not clarified it. Messages Suggestions and the Passwords auto-upgrade are “coming in a future software update” with no date, and Apple says the child safety features arrive “after installing the Screen Time update” without saying when that is. Apple has also not said when Siri AI will reach the EU on iPad.
The next step is simple: on September 14, open Settings on a compatible iPad and check Software Update. The update is free, and Siri AI will appear as a beta for iPads set to English.
