You can finally install iPadOS 17 on your iPad

Apple announced iPadOS 17 way back on June 5 at the company’s WWDC 2023 event alongside new software for the iPhone, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Mac. And now you can finally install it on your own iPad at home.

The software has been in developer and public beta testing for months now and it’s been improved beyond those early releases. But this is the first time that the general public has been able to install it.

As with all iPadOS updates, this one is completely free and incredibly easy to install. And with the new features it brings, we’d suggest doing that as soon as possible, too.

It’s finally here

Like the iOS 17 update, iPadOS 17 brings with it plenty of improvements for people who use their iPad on the daily. Those include a whole new Lock Screen experience, one that allows you to customize things in a similar way to the iPhone. That includes new wallpapers, the ability to link them to Focus Modes, and more

The iPadOS 17 update finally brings widgets to the iPad’s Lock Screen while interactive widgets are now also available on the Home Screen just like on the iPhone. That makes interacting with apps and services easier and quicker than ever before.

There are of course many, many more new features whether that’s search filters in Messages or audio message transcriptions.

You won’t need to rush out to buy one of Apple’s best iPads to install iPadOS 17, either. The update can be installed on the third-gen iPad Air, 6th-gen iPad, and the 5th-gen iPad mini. The 2nd-gen 12.9-inch iPad Pro, 11-inch iPad Pro, and 10.5-inch iPad Pro are all supported as well, as are newer versions of all of those devices.

Installing the iPadOS 17 update is easy — just head to the Settings app, tap General, followed by Software Update to get started.