How can I increase storage space on ipad 2? I cannot update.

As far as your storage issues go.

If you need to free up free data storage space on an iPad/iDevice, you need to start by backing up your iPad to either Apple's iCloud ( you may need to pay for additional, monthly storage space ) or by connecting your iDevice to a computer running the latest iTunes or, if a newer Mac with a much newer macOS, use the macOS Finder to do the device backup and/or some other offsite, “cloud” data storage/backup services, like Google Drive/Photos, BOX, DropBox, Amazon Cloud Drive, Flickr ( for photos/images ), etc.

Then, delete any installed apps that you no longer use or use infrequently enough that they aren't missed (you can always reinstalled any purchased or free apps at some time later, as you need them).

In addition, uninstall any games that appear to be using a sizable chunk of your iPad's internal storage, as well!

( A disclaimer to the immediate advice above. )

If you own an nearly 8-9-year old to nearly 10-year old iPad, you SHOULD ONLY delete apps that you have ever seldom used or no longer use as there is NO WAY now, from 2020 onward, to retrieve these old apps from the iOS App Store, any longer.

( Third party iOS app developers have permanently removed all of their older, legacy apps from Apple's iOS App Store servers forever!

There are, VIRTUALLY, NO more older, useful, popular, third party apps for over 8-10-year old iOS devices, any longer! )

Then, thin out/delete any music/videos/movies/TV shows/podcasts/screen recordings/photos-images/eBooks/

eMagazine/iBooks/audio books/Documents/PDFs, etc.

If you use a POP email account on your iPad, delete/thin out any old saved emails that maybe saved to your iPad.

To permanently delete photos/images off of your iDevice go into the Photos app and find the Recently Deleted folder/album and permanently delete any photos/images stored in that folder/album.

Also, you can check to see what other stuff is eating up all your valuable data storage space by going into the Settings App,,General Settings Panel, in the right hand column, tap Storage & iCloud usage panel ( in iOS 11 and later, it’s now called iPad Storage ), in the top Storage Panel, tap the Manage Storage panel, wait for a list of apps to generate that will tell you how much space each app is taking up on your iDevice.

Then, for older iPad models with a Home button, do a hard reset of your iPad by holding down both the Home and sleep/wake buttons simultaneously until your iPad goes to black and restarts with Apple logo, then release the buttons.

iOS devices and iOS/iPadOS need to maintain, at the very least, a minimum of between 2-4 GBs of free data storage space, AT ALL TIMES, to insure normal/nominal functionalities/operation and general overall performance of any iOS device running iOS/iPadOS.

Good Luck to You!

Note there's different kinds of "storage". Click on this link to "Learn the difference between your device and iCloud storage, ways to manage your space, and where to buy more if you run out." --> https://support.apple.com/HT206504

Take-away:

1. Storage on a device itself is fixed and cannot be upgraded. You have to switch to a device with more capacity.

2. iCloud storage is on Apple's main computers. It is not a hard drive in the sky but by using optimization settings on your device it can help free up device storage. Lesser used items and larger file versions can be stored in ICloud and you can get access while connected to the Internet.

Click on the link to learn how to optimize the storage on a device --> "How to check the storage on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch" - https://support.apple.com/HT201656 - "If your device is low on storage, iOS automatically optimizes its available space while installing an app, updating iOS, downloading music, recording videos, and more. To make more storage available, iOS can remove some of your items, like streamed music and videos, files in iCloud Drive, and parts of apps that aren't needed. It also removes temporary files and clears the cache on your device. iOS only removes items that can be downloaded again or that aren't needed anymore." I don't remember how much of that is available as an automatic service on iOS9 and how much you may still be able to accomplish using manual management. I would avoid removing any apps since very likely they could not be restored because the developers have probably pulled iOS9 versions from the store.

Here's the same information as a video: "How to free up space on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod" - https://youtu.be/bnhuHSv_WrI

An iPad 2 is fairly old now. Most apps it can run will no longer receive updates and will eventually fail to connect to the services they use. In particular any web browsers will have problems as web pages add advanced features which call upon resources the iPad 2 does not have. That's just the way it is with technology these days.

That is correct.

All iOS devices have a fixed amount of intenal storage.

Some apps, especially some Web/Intenet based apps may no longer work

You own a 2011 iPad 2 that is now 10-years old.

Existing old apps on that iPad may no longer work now in 2021.

Sorry.

Apple ended support for all 8-10-year old iOS devices well over 4 years, ago, in 2016.

Third party app developers abandoned and stopped supporting these 8-10-year old iOS devices nearly 3 years, ago, in 2018.

There are, virtually, NO MORE third party apps available from the iOS App Store, any longer!

Third party compatible apps for such old devices are few and far between, now, in 2021.

AND, that well over 4-year old default iOS Safari Web browser is too old, not secure and not safe to use to access the Internet, any longer.

There are virtually NO MORE third party Web browsers left for 8-10 year old iPads!

Available and more popular third party Web browser choices are pretty much GONE, now.

If you must use these old iPad models, here is what is left for still updated Web browsers.

Pickins’ are slim, now!

ALook Web browser ( A fairly new Web browser primarily designed for old iOS device versions, but is still available to newer iOS/iPadOS devices, as well )

Dolphin Web browser

Maxthon Web browser

TOR private browser

TOR + VPN private browser

Turbo VPN private browser

This is pretty much it for iOS 9/10 compatible, third party Web browsers today.

Simply put, a 2nd gen iPad is too old and obsolete now.

Sorry, but this is the reality for ALL 8-10-year old AND OLDER iOS devices now. Especially going into 2021!

There is one last thing you can try/attempt, if you need older versions of apps.

If you own much newer iOS device that can run either iOS 12 and.or iOS/iPadOS 13 and later, you can install the most recent app/s onto that more recent iOS device.

Then go back to your older iPad, open the iOS App Store, go to the Purchases section of the store app, search for the app/s you wish to try and download to that older iPad and see if an older version of the app is allowed to be downloaded/installed to that older iPad.

These newer iOS/iPadOS devices must use your same Apple ID user account and password as the older device you ard trying to get an older app for.

Failing that OR IF NO joy, then there is nothing more to be done.

It's 2021 now!

If you need/want an iPad with an up to date iPadOS with access to current, updated apps, then you really need to seriously consider a purchase of a new iPad model OR a much, MUCH “newer” and less expensive, refurbished or used iPad models, from better known, trusted Apple product/device retailers/resellers, locally or online, on the Web/Internet, capable of running the latest iPadOS versions.

There are PLENTY of newer, older iPad models that can run the latest, current versions of iPadOS.

I am sorry that you had to learn all of this, but this does not change any of the facts regarding these very old iOS devices.

Sorry & Best of Luck to You!

I guess I don't have anything useful to contribute apart from what I said originally, most of which was repeated in later posts, so I'm bailing on this topic.

I guess since people need to hear it firmly, your iPad 2 is no longer supported by Apple or any software developer either. You need to think about recycling it and buying something newer. It is getting to the stage where you really need a lot of technological know-how to continue using it in this day and age.

See? Apple just indicated my first post was indeed a lot of hogwash! Of course my post just said to read a lot of what Apple itself says about different kinds of storage and how to improve the usage of what you have on your device using Apple's cloud storage. So what does that say about their documentation?