Can I update iPad 6 to iPadOS 18 Beta?

Updating an individual device to a different version will directly impact other devices - but if ever considering update to beta software, be mindful to heed the warnings concerning potential compatibility issues, instability and potential bugs. At this time, iPadOS Beta is limited in its availability.

Be aware that there is no support available - and any discussion concerning Beta software is disallowed within this Community. The only guidance that contributors here will be able to offer is in returning your device to standard production software.

Returning your device to a current production version of iPadOS is considerably more onerous than updating to a Beta - as the device must be restored to Factory Settings using a Mac computer or Windows PC - during which all locally stored data will be lost. You can, however, restore data from a pre-existing backup created with iPadOS17.

The iPad 6, also known as the iPad (6th generation), was released in March 2018. As of my last update in 2023, Apple typically provides iOS updates to devices for about 5-6 years. Therefore, it is unlikely that the iPad 6 would be eligible for iPadOS 18 Beta, as it might have reached the end of its support lifecycle.

To confirm whether your specific device can update to iPadOS 18 Beta, you should:

Check Apple's official website for the list of supported devices for iPadOS 18.

Go to Settings > General > Software Update on your iPad to see if the update is available.

You can also check the Apple Developer website for the beta software availability if you are a registered Apple Developer.

If your device is not listed, it is not supported for the iPadOS 18 Beta.

[Edited by Moderator]

Ok so downloading ANY beta is not really ideal for an ipad thats pretty old in my opinion. ALSO (this is SUPER important) THIS most likely kills off some icloud stuff that could be REALLY important. So if i were you i would not download the ipados 18 beta. Probably don't download the iPadOS 18 beta (nor developer beta or public beta)