IPad Air Model A1475 will not update past iOS 12.4.9

A first generation iPad Air can only be updated to iOS 12.4.9.

Apple ended major update support for iPad Air1 in September 2019. An iPad Air1 cannot be updated to iPadOS 13 (or any later major versions of iPadOS) as the internal hardware does not meet the minimum technical requirements (CPU and RAM) for new versions of iOS/iPadOS.

Some App developers have dropped support for iOS versions preceding iOS 13.x for technical reasons (often because APIs or software libraries upon which they rely have been updated in the new version of iPadOS, making their App incompatible with earlier versions). 

Whilst many App titles remain compatible with your iPad Air1, if you want or need to access to Apps requiring the most recent versions of iOS, you’ll need to consider replacement of your iPad with a newer or current model that supports iPadOS13/14.

I hope this information provides helpful clarity as to your available options - and the limitations of your existing iPad Air.

You’re very welcome.

Please consider that your iPad Air1 is still very usable - and the majority of current Apps remain fully compatible and available. Only Apps that have minimum requirement of iPadOS13, or later, are off-limits.

It's a first generation model and doesn't have enough RAM for 13 and above.

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