Backup
My iPad says “ no iCloud back ups are compatible with the version of this iOS on this iPad“ so that means I can’t use it at all?
iPad mini, iOS 9
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This message is usually an indication that you are attempting to restore a backup to a device other than that used to create the backup.
Whilst it is possible to restore a backup from one device to another (this process often being used to “migrate” data from an old to new device), you can only restore a backup to a device with the same or later version of iOS/iPadOS. It is not possible to restore a backup to a device that has an earlier version of the Operating System than that used to create the backup.
If the target device has an older version of iOS than the backup that must be restored, it is necessary to update the device to a newer version before attempting to restore the backup. If the target device cannot be updated, perhaps because it is too old, you’ll not be able to restore the backup created by a device with a more recent version of the OS.