Apple

5 Things to Know About iPadOS 14 Beta

Published

4 years ago

09/10/2020

The iPadOS 14 beta for iPad, iPad mini, iPad Pro, and iPad Air is available to download right now.

In June, Apple outlined the software it plans to release for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch, and Mac later this year. Among the announcements was iPadOS 14, the new operating system that’s headed to iPad models in the fall.

The company highlighted a number of changes coming to the iPad in iPadOS 14. Some of the software’s highlights include a new Scribble feature, improved Search, and a whole lot more.

If you don’t want to wait until the fall to try out these features on your iPad you don’t have to. Apple’s pushed an iPadOS 14 beta to developers and a public iPadOS 14 beta to those enrolled in the Beta Software Program.

There are some great reasons to try the iPadOS 14 beta on your iPad. It’s stocked with new features and it could improve your iPad’s performance. There are also some reasons why you might want to avoid it.

The iPadOS 14 beta is riddled with issues. Apple’s outlined some of these problems and developers have been providing feedback of their own. We expect the list to grow as more people decide to download the beta.

With that in mind, we want to walk you through the most important things to know, right now, about Apple’s iPadOS 14 beta.

We’ll take you through the current list of problems, the installation, and some other things you should keep in mind if you plan on using it, or monitoring its progress, in the buildup to the official release.

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iPadOS 14 Beta

There are two ways to try the iPadOS 14 beta. You can join Apple’s developer program or you can sign up for Apple’s Beta Software Program. Most people will want to try the public iPadOS 14 beta.

An Apple developer account requires a yearly membership fee while the Beta Software Program is a free service that requires an Apple ID and a compatible device.

If you want to signup and become a developer, here’s how you get the developer iPadOS 14 beta on your iPad. If you’d prefer to install the public iPadOS 14 beta for free, here’s how you signup for that.

Before you decide to move your device off of iPadOS 13, make sure you prepare. Installing the iPadOS 14 beta might be tempting, but most people should stay put on iPadOS 13 for the time being.

Here are a few steps to take before installing iPadOS 14 beta on your device:

Prepare yourself, and your device, for the iPadOS 14 beta.
Dig into the update’s new features and other changes.
Decide if the beta is worth it.

You’ll also need a device that’s compatible with iPadOS 14. Here’s the full list:

12.9-inch iPad Pro
11-inch iPad Pro
10.5-inch iPad Pro
9.7-inch iPad Pro
iPad (7th generation)
iPad (6th generation)
iPad (5th generation)
iPad mini 5
iPad mini 4
iPad Air 3
iPad Air 2

If you do decide to download the beta, you can expect a lengthy download process. Those installing iPadOS beta software for the first time can expect the entire process to take 30 minutes, or longer, to complete.

Apple is currently on iPadOS 14 beta 8.

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iPadOS 14 Beta Problems

The iPadOS 14 beta is unfinished software and unfinished software is often buggy. So it should come as no surprise to learn that the iPadOS 14 beta is riddled with issues.

Apple’s outlined many of these problems in its iPadOS 14 beta release notes. Some of these issues are minor, others are far more problematic.

We’re also getting feedback from testers and they’re dealing with a variety of issues including installation problems, connectivity problems, and issues with first and third-party apps.

If you don’t want to deal with these initial problems, we recommend waiting for a more polished version of the iPadOS 14 beta.

You Can Downgrade to iPadOS 13

If you decide to try the iPadOS 14 beta on your tablet and you run into problems, you can always downgrade back to iPadOS 13.

Apple is currently signing on iPadOS 13.7 which means you can drop back to it if you can’t handle the beta’s performance on your tablet.

Unfortunately, Apple has stopped signing on iPadOS 13.6.1 and older versions of iPadOS which means there’s no going back to those versions once you move to the beta.

For more on the downgrade process, please take a look at our guide.

iPadOS 14 Release Date

The iPadOS 14 beta will probably stay in beta until September or October.

Apple hasn’t confirmed the software’s official release date, but the company says iPadOS 14 will arrive alongside iOS 14 sometime in the fall.

The company usually confirms software release dates alongside new hardware and it typically releases the software a few days before the hardware hits physical retail locations.

iPadOS 14 Beta Jailbreak

If you still jailbreak your tablet, avoid the iPadOS 14 beta.

The only way you can jailbreak an iPad right now is if it’s running iPadOS 13.5 or an older version of iPadOS 13. Unfortunately, there’s no way to downgrade to those versions.

We don’t expect jailbreak developers to rush out an iPadOS 14 jailbreak and we don’t expect them to burn their exploits on beta software.

If you’re interested in jailbreaking, keep an eye out for new details as we push toward the official release.

4 Reasons Not to Install iPadOS 14 Beta & 9 Reasons You Should

Install to Help Improve Apple Improve iPadOS 14

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Trying out new features before they are released to the public can be exciting, but remember, installing the beta will also help Apple squash issues before they reach millions of iPad users around the world.

If you're sick of dealing with issues or sick of hearing friends and family complain about problems, think about giving the iPadOS 14 beta a try.

Your testing could help the company discover a nasty bug or a performance problem ahead of the final release later this year.

If you decide to download the iPadOS 14 beta and find an issue while testing it, make sure you report it to Apple. This way, the company's engineers can work on permanent fixes.