Apple

Here’s How Long the iPadOS 14 Beta Takes

Published

4 years ago

07/09/2020

If you’re planning to install the iPadOS 14 beta on your iPad, you’ll want to set aside some free time because the download and installation could take awhile.

The final version of iPadOS 14 won’t be out until the fall, but you can try an early version of it right now if you join Apple’s beta program.

The iPadOS 14 beta is available to developers and those enrolled in Apple’s Beta Software Program. The Beta Software Program is free.

The iPadOS 14 beta is chock full of changes. Highlights include improvements to Messages, compact UIs, and several iPad-exclusive upgrades. Trying the beta might be tempting, but a lot of people should stay put on iPadOS 13.

If you do decide to download iPadOS 14 beta, you’ll want to spend time preparing yourself, and your device, for the move. And depending on the current state of your tablet and your skill level, that could take quite a bit of time.

The beta requires a significant download and it could take awhile for the download and installation to finish up on your iPad, iPad Air, iPad Pro, or iPad mini.

We can’t tell you exactly how long the installation will take because it will vary from person-to-person and device-to-device. A lot depends on your familiarity with the beta process, your internet connection, and your current version of iPadOS.

That said, we can help you approximate how much time you’ll need to spend getting the iPadOS 14 beta on board your device.

If you’ve prepared for the installation, it could take 30 minutes or less to complete. If you aren’t, it could take an hour or more to get the job done.

Task	Time
Sync (Optional)	5-45 Minutes
Backup and Transfer (Optional)	1-30 Minutes
iPadOS 14 Beta Download	5 Minutes to 15 Minutes
iPadOS 14 Beta Installation	10 Minutes to 20 Minutes
Total iPadOS 14 Beta Update Time	15 Minutes to 1 Hour+

Pre-Installation

If you decide to install the beta on your iPad, you’ll want to spend time preparing for the installation.

If you’ve installed iPadOS beta software before, this probably won’t take a ton of time. If this is your first go, you’ll want to take your time.

We’ve released a pre-installation guide that will take you through the various steps we usually take before downloading and installation beta software on the iPad.

At the very least you’ll want to backup everything on your iPad just in case something goes wrong. You’ll also want to dig into feedback from iPadOS 14 beta testers, bookmark fixes for potential problems, and get familiar with the downgrade process in case you want to move back to iPadOS 13.

iPadOS 14 Beta Download

If you’re moving your iPad from iPadOS 13.5.1 to the iPadOS 14 beta, your download will be several GB. In some cases, the download could be close to 5GB.

If you’re running the latest version of iPadOS 13 and you’ve got a high-speed Wi-Fi connection at work or home, your download could take just a few minutes to complete.

If your iPad is running an older version of iPadOS 13 and/or you’ve got a slow internet connection, it’s going to take longer.

No products found.

iPadOS 14 Beta Installation

Once the download is complete, you’ll need to install the beta. This could take 10 minutes or more to complete.

If this is your first time installing iPadOS beta software, it will take longer. This is particularly true if you’re planning to install the iPadOS 14 beta right now without a developer account.

After you download the appropriate file, the installation will start up. During this process your device might reboot once or twice. This is perfectly normal and it won’t have an impact on your device.

For more on the iPadOS 14 beta installation, take a look at our walkthrough. It’ll take you step-by-step through the process.

Post-Installation

Once you get the iPadOS 14 beta up and running, you might need to spend time logging back into iCloud, your apps and your services.

We recommend checking all of your important files to make sure everything is on order. We also recommend testing core applications to ensure they are working properly.

Apps, particularly third-party applications, often run poorly on beta software so you’ll want to ensure your most important services are useable. If they aren’t, you might need to downgrade back to iPadOS 13.

You’ll also want keep an eye on your device’s performance. Battery life, overall speed, and connectivity (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc) could start acting up. If that happens, again, you might want to move back to stable software.

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

Install to Help Improve Apple Improve iPadOS 14

1 / 13

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.