Your iPad has been requesting the latest software update for longer than usual and you’re not sure why. When a new iPadOS update becomes available, your iPad has to request, prepare, and download the update before it can be installed. In this article, I’ll explain why your iPad is stuck on Update Requested and show you how to fix this problem for good!
Make Sure You’re Connected To Wi-Fi
The first thing you should do when your iPad is stuck on Update Requested is to make sure that your iPad is connected to a strong Wi-Fi. One of the main reasons why an iPad gets stuck on Update Requested, or any other part of the update process, is because your iPad has a weak or no connection to Wi-Fi. A poor Wi-Fi connection can prevent your iPad from accessing Apple’s servers, which are needed to download new iPadOS updates.
Note: When major iPadOS updates get released, millions of people try to download them simultaneously. This can slow down the download process on your iPad. Check Apple’s system Status page and make sure all the dots are green. Sometimes, the fix is to be patient and wait it out!
Go to Settings -> Wi-Fi and make sure your iPad is connected to a Wi-Fi network.
It’s really important that your iPad is connected to a strong Wi-Fi network when updating your iPad. Sometimes, Apple even requires that your iPad use Wi-Fi to update when a major iPadOS update is available.
If your Wi-Fi connection is unstable, try connecting to a different Wi-Fi network. Check out our other article for more tips on what to do when your iPad won’t connect to Wi-Fi.
Hard Reset Your iPad
It’s possible your iPad is stuck on Update Requested because its software crashed, causing your iPad to freeze. You can hard reset your iPad to quickly turn your iPad off and back on, which will unfreeze it.
The process of resetting an iPad depends on which iPad you have:
On your iPad without a Home button
- Press and quickly release the volume button closest to the top button.
- Press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button.
- Press and hold the top button until the device begins to restart.
On your iPad with a Home button
Press and hold both the Home button and the top button until you see the Apple logo.
Delete The Software Update
If you hard reset your iPad but it still gets stuck on Update Requested, go to Settings -> General -> iPad Storage and and see if you can delete the iPadOS update from your iPad.
Tap on the software update, then tap Delete Update. Afterwards, head back to Settings -> General -> Software Update and try to download and install the iPadOS update again.
If the software update doesn’t appear here, it didn’t get downloaded yet, so there’s nothing to delete.
Reset All Settings
Sometimes a deeper software problem can get your iPad stuck on Update Requested. It can be difficult to track down the exact source of the problem, so we recommend resetting _all _settings.
When you Reset All Settings, everything in the Settings app is resorted to factory defaults. This means you’ll have to reenter your Wi-Fi passwords, reconnect any Bluetooth devices, reset your wallpaper, and reimplement our [iPad battery tips].
Open Settings and tap Settings -> General -> Transfer Or Reset iPad -> Reset -> Reset All Settings. You’ll be asked to enter your iPad passcode. Tap Reset All Settings again to confirm your decision.
Your iPad will turn off, reset, then turn itself on again. Try updating your iPad again once the reset is complete.
Put Your iPad In DFU Mode
Finally, if your iPad gets stuck on Update Requested, you can perform a DFU restore, which will erase and reload all the code on your iPad and update it to the latest version of iPadOS. This is the last step you can take to completely rule out a software or a firmware problem.
We strongly recommend backing up your iPadbefore putting it into DFU mode. Otherwise, you’ll lose all the data on your iPad, including your photos, videos, and contacts.
The process of putting an iPad in DFU mode is different from that of putting an iPhone in DFU mode. So, check out our complete guide to DFU restores to learn how to put your iPad into DFU mode!
iPadOS Update Requested & Delivered!
Your iPad is finally up to date! I hope you’ll share this article on social media to help your friends and family if their iPad gets stuck on Update Requested. Leave a comment or question below if there’s anything else you need help with!
