I want to download the iPadOS 17 update but I don't have enough storage space

It is generally recommended that you maintain 4-6GB of free space at all times - as your iPad needs some temporary space to complete some tasks - such as performing system software updates.

A system software update requires sufficient space to be downloaded, unpacked and verified prior to installation - major version updates (such as updating from iPadOS 16.x to iPadOS 17) requiring considerably more space than an incremental point-update. After the update is successfully completed, temporary files are automatically deleted - returning free space.

If your internal storage is full, or is insufficient for the task that you need to perform, your only option is to better manage the storage that you have - and delete unused Apps or unneeded data. 

These support pages should prove to be helpful:

About storage on your device and in iCloud – Apple Support

What's the difference between device storage and iCloud storage? – Apple Support

Manage your iCloud storage – Apple Support

How to check the storage on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch – Apple Support

Clear Other storage on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

“Offloading” Apps can be a helpful method of creating temporary space for a software update.

https://9to5mac.com/2020/01/21/how-to-offload-apps-in-ios-to-save-space-without-deleting-their-data/

Additional information about creating sufficient space for installation of a software update can be found here:

If you need more space for an update on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

External storage options can often help with managing limited internal storage. Depending upon your iPad model, the iPad will either have a Lightning or USB-C port - and may therefore require either an Adapter or USB hub to connect the USB Storage device. If your iPad has a Lightning port, you’ll need an Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter:

• Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter

https://store.apple.com/uk/xc/product/MK0W2ZM/A

Probably not enough space which is why you’re getting this error. Depending on what version you're on and some other situations the update can be anyway from 1GB - 6GB. If you’re getting the error telling you that you don’t have enough space, then it needs more than you have. There are a few options you have to do the update.

1. You can find a way to remove some stuff that you have stored on your iPad to get some storage back so you can have enough for the update.
2. You can do the update using a computer either a Windows PC running the latest version of iTunes for Windows, or a Mac using the finder or iTunes depending on which version of MacOS you are running.
3. You can backup your iPad and restore it and then do the update and then after finished updating you can restore from backup to get everything back the way it was.
4. You can restore your iPad without doing any backup, update the iPad and restore as a new iPad to start all over (this is probably the least appealing way as you will lose everything that is on your iPad, but you’ll have enough space to do the update).

My best suggestion would be to update it using a computer, but you’re also going to want to work ways toward clearing out some storage as if you continue to fill it up, it’s not going to be a very good experience using the iPad as it will have no more storage for daily needs.

My ipad 8 with 32 gb was fine until iPadOS 17. Once installed, the OS and system files take almost 17gb. I have only about 5 gb left and it’s too small for new OTA updates. If I want to install the 17.1 beta, it says I need 11 gb of free space! So all updates are back to the Stone Age…using iTunes. Even installing 17.01 required iTunes, and that was a small update.

My iPhone has similar apps yet the data for the same apps on the iPad take considerably more space than the phone. Mail is one example. 900 mb on the iPad. 300 on the iPhone. It makes no sense. And why does system data need 7 gb?

A 32 GBs storage iPad starts out with approx 30 GBs.,after initial internal flash drive formatting.

Minus approx. 6.5 GBs for iOS/iPadOS leaves between 23-24 GBs.

Minus 3-6GBs, for iOS/iPadOS system operational reserve, that MUST BE MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES, to ensure/insure normal, expected operation of iOS/iPad OS, leaves approx. between 18-20 GBs of actual, usable data storage space.

Even with 20 GBs of actual, usable internal data storage space in an Apple iOS/iPadOS device,

a 32 GBs data storage devices are, now, more quickly, becoming the “new” low storage 16 GBs internal data storage space devices, today, a 32 GBs Apple iOS/iPadOS device has 3-4 times the internal data storage space of older base model, low internal data storage,16 GBs. internal data storage Apple iOS/iPadOS devices.

In reality and in use, in 2023, a 32 GBs internal data storage device is kind of a joke and of limited usefulness, when up to 2TB of internal data storage ( approx. 1.8 TBs or usable internal data storage ) portable tablet devices exist today.

Apple put an end to 32 GBs devices, in September 2021, with the base model iPad now offering 64 GBs of internal data storage ( approx. 50 GBs of actual, usable internal data storage ), which, for a few more years, anyways, has enough storage to make an iPad useful for longer period of time before data storage fills up.

Purchasing a low storage Apple device, to save on the cost of the device, is a false economy.

You are very welcome. I'm delighted that the problem has been easily resolved.