Skip to main content

iOS 14 and iPadOS 14: Here’s every supported device

Apple has made the betas for iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 available to the public in advance of this year’s fall hardware event. The showcase will almost certainly see Apple officially announce the iPhone 12, which will come with iOS 14 out of the box. However, you can now go ahead and download the iOS 14 beta onto your iPhone (or iPad), just in case you can’t wait another one or two months.

In light of this fact, and in preparation for September’s Apple iPhone event, here’s every device that supports iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 right now.

iPhones that support iOS 14

iPhone 11 Pro feature image
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Device
iPhone SE (2nd generation) (2020)
iPhone 11 Pro Max (2019)
iPhone 11 Pro (2019)
iPhone 11 (2019)
iPhone XS Max (2018)
iPhone XS (2018)
iPhone XR (2018)
iPhone X (2017)
iPhone 8 Plus (2017)
iPhone 8 (2017)
iPhone 7 Plus (2016)
iPhone 7 (2016)
iPhone SE (1st generation) (2016)
iPhone 6S Plus (2015)
iPhone 6S (2015)

If your iPhone supports iOS 13, you’re in luck — iOS 14 will be available for all iPhone devices that support the previous generation of Apple’s mobile operating system. The cutoff point, and the oldest devices to support iOS 14, will be the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, released in September 2015.

These requirements are typical of what we have seen in the past, with Apple supporting older devices up to about half a decade after release. If you still happen to be using an iPod Touch, we also have good news, as iOS 14 will be compatible with the latest 7th-generation devices.

iPads that support iPadOS 14

Andy Boxall/DigitalTrends
Device
iPad Pro 11 (2020)
iPad Pro 12.9 (2020)
iPad (2019)
iPad Mini (2019)
iPad Air (2019)
iPad Pro 12.9 (2018)
iPad Pro 11 (2018)
iPad (2018)
iPad Pro 10.5 (2017)
iPad Pro 12.9 (2017)
iPad (2017)
iPad Pro 9.7 (2016)
iPad Pro 12.9 (2015)
iPad Mini 4 (2015)
iPad Mini 3 (2014)
iPad Air 2 (2014)

Apple initially forked iPadOS from iOS in 2019, and the tradition continues this year with iPadOS 14. A hefty number of iPad devices will be supported back to the iPad Air 2, which was released in October 2014. Due to the hardware available within Apple’s tablet devices, we aren’t too surprised to see a tablet from six years ago supporting its latest software.

As with iOS 14, if your iPad received iOS 13 in the previous year, you’ll be able to continue your software update journey.

Why isn’t my iPad or iPhone compatible?

If your device failed to make the cutoff for iOS or iPadOS 14, don’t be dismayed. Apple will generally cut off devices that it feels would be unable to run its latest software up to standard; this is typically due to older hardware that may struggle with new software requirements.

In recent years, we have seen Apple take advantage of more modern technologies in iterations of its hardware, such as its Neural Engine for machine learning tasks. Older devices that never included the chip would be unable to run the dependent software.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

What’s new in iOS 14 and iPadOS 14?

For the full-details, we recommend checking our articles on the best new features in iPadOS 14 and best features coming to iOS 14. Some of the most prominent features coming to iOS include the ability to add newly redesigned widgets to your home screen, better organize your Messages conversations, and using the new App Library to find your favorite apps.

For iPad devices, iPadOS 14 will bring new abilities to users with Apple Pencils, including the ability to write into any text field or copy and paste your handwritten notes as text. Apple has also released the latest version of MacOS, called Big Sur, as well as WatchOS 7.

Editors' Recommendations

Michael Archambault
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Michael Archambault is a technology writer and digital marketer located in Long Island, New York. For the past decade…
Two popular iPad models just got pretty steep price cuts — from $250
A YouTube video playing on the iPad (2022).

The current and previous model of the entry-level Apple iPad have both received significant price cuts from Best Buy, so if you're on the hunt for cheap iPad deals, these are the offers that you wouldn't want to miss. The Wi-Fi, 64GB model of the ninth-generation Apple iPad is down to $250 from $330 for savings of $80, while the Wi-Fi, 64GB model of the 10th-generation Apple iPad is on sale for $349 following a $100 discount on its original price of $449. We're not sure how long stocks will last for these tablets, so if you're interested in taking advantage of either of these offers, you need to hurry with your purchase. If you don't act fast, you may miss out on the savings.
Apple iPad 9th Gen (Wi-Fi, 64GB) -- $250, was $330

The ninth-generation Apple iPad was released in 2021, but it maintains a spot in our list of the best iPads as the best iPad on a budget. It's still a very reliable and solid choice if you want an Apple tablet, with a 10.2-inch Retina display that's bright and beautiful, and smooth performance despite the relatively old A13 Bionic chip that was introduced in the iPhone 11 because it can be upgraded to the latest iPadOS 17. The device also features an 8MP Wide back camera, a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage technology, the Touch ID fingerprint recognition system for security, and battery life of up to 10 hours on a single charge.

Read more
This one thing could make iOS 18 the best iPhone update in years
The Home Screen on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Apple’s WWDC 2024 is just a couple of months away. As with every WWDC, we’ll see what Apple has in store for the next generation of software across its hardware portfolio, including the iPhone with iOS 18.

Rumors have been swirling about iOS 18 and how it will be “one of the biggest updates yet.” We know some features like RCS support in Messages are definitely coming, with other whispers of big home screen customization changes and more.

Read more
How to add a different home screen wallpaper on iOS 17
An iPhone with iOS 16, showing the new Lock Screen.

If you haven't used an iPhone in a while, or if you haven't tried to update your lock screen, they you might be happy to learn about some of the new customization features that are available in iOS 17. Although iOS has made some controversial changes to its UI, such as moving the notifications to the bottom of the lock screen, they are also more welcome changes to the customization options for the lock screen.

Introduced in iOS 16 was a slew of lock screen customization features to let you tweak your phone's lock screen to your liking, and these same features are available in iOS 17 as well. While the lock screen used to be just a static image, you can now make it more dynamic with options like cycling through collections of your photos, so you can show off your favorite photos of your pets, your family, or beautiful locations that you've visited.

Read more