When Will iPadOS 16 Be Released? [Update: It's Out!]

Update: iPadOS 16 is rolling out now, though it may take a few minutes before it shows up for some users.


First announced in June at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, iPadOS 16‌ is Apple's next-generation operating system for iPad. Developers and public beta testers have spent the past few months trying out the new versions while Apple has been refining them, and a full public release is now right around the corner.


The update includes a number of new features and changes such as updates to apps like Notes, Mail, and Messages, Live Text, Visual Look Up, and Dictation enhancements.

‌iPadOS 16‌ gets a Weather app for the first time, and also offers a range of "pro" features that are exclusive to recent ‌iPad Pro models and the latest iPad Air. For example, Stage Manager brings a new way to multitask with multiple overlapping windows and full external display support.

iPadOS 16 Release Date and Time

Both iOS 16‌‌ and ‌‌iPadOS 16‌‌ became available for registered members of Apple's developer program immediately following the WWDC keynote on June 7, and Apple released the public beta on July 11. Apple originally said iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 would be officially be released in "the fall" of 2022, without specifying a precise date.

In early August, Bloomberg reported that Apple was planning to delay the launch of iPadOS 16 until October, which meant the ‌iPad‌ software would not launch alongside the new iOS as it typically does. Apple later confirmed that iPadOS 16 would indeed be launched sometime in October, some weeks after iOS 16 launched on September 12.

Alongside a spate of hardware updates via press releases on October 18, Apple finally announced that iPadOS 16 will launch on Monday, October 24.

Apple's operating system releases typically happen around 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, but the company has not announced an exact time for the iPadOS 16 release. Assuming the typical 10:00 a.m. Pacific launch time, iPadOS 16 will be available at approximately these times around the world:

  • Honolulu, Hawaii — 7:00 a.m. HST
  • Anchorage, Alaska — 9:00 a.m. AKDT
  • Cupertino, California — 10:00 a.m. PDT
  • Phoenix, Arizona — 10:00 a.m. MST
  • Vancouver, Canada — 10:00 a.m. PDT
  • Denver, Colorado — 11:00 a.m. MDT
  • Dallas, Texas — 12:00 noon CDT
  • New York, New York — 1:00 p.m. EDT
  • Toronto, Canada — 1:00 p.m. EDT
  • Halifax, Canada — 2:00 p.m. ADT
  • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — 2:00 p.m. BRT
  • London, United Kingdom — 6:00 p.m. BST
  • Berlin, Germany — 7:00 p.m. CEST
  • Paris, France — 7:00 p.m. CEST
  • Cape Town, South Africa — 7:00 p.m. SAST
  • Moscow, Russia — 8:00 p.m. MSK
  • Helsinki, Finland — 8:00 p.m. EEST
  • Istanbul, Turkey — 8:00 p.m. TRT
  • Dubai, United Arab Emirates — 9:00 p.m. GST
  • Delhi, India — 10:30 p.m. IST
  • Jakarta, Indonesia — 12:00 a.m. WIB next day
  • Shanghai, China — 1:00 a.m. CST next day
  • Singapore — 1:00 a.m. SGT next day
  • Perth, Australia — 1:00 a.m. AWST next day
  • Hong Kong — 1:00 a.m. HKT next day
  • Seoul, South Korea — 2:00 a.m. KST next day
  • Tokyo, Japan — 2:00 a.m. JST next day
  • Adelaide, Australia — 3:30 a.m. ACDT next day
  • Sydney, Australia — 4:00 a.m. AEDT next day
  • Auckland, New Zealand — 6:00 a.m. NZDT next day

Device Compatibility

‌iPadOS 16‌ is compatible with the ‌‌iPad‌‌ (5th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), ‌iPad Air‌ (3rd generation and later), and all ‌iPad Pro‌ models.

Related Forum: iOS 16

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Shows Off a Key Reason to Upgrade to the iPhone 17

Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie. "Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says These 7 U.S. States Plan to Offer iPhone Driver's Licenses

Monday February 9, 2026 6:24 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
m5 macbook pro deal

Why You Shouldn't Buy the Next MacBook Pro

Tuesday February 10, 2026 4:27 pm PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models as soon as early March, but if you can, this is one generation you should skip because there's something much better in the works. We're waiting on 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, with few changes other than the processor upgrade. There won't be any tweaks to the design or the display, but later this...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3

Wednesday February 11, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3, the latest updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems that came out in September. The new software comes almost two months after Apple released iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes, ...
Apple Logo Zoomed

Apple Expected to Launch These 10+ Products Over the Coming Months

Tuesday February 10, 2026 6:33 am PST by
It has been a slow start to 2026 for Apple product launches, with only a new AirTag and a special Apple Watch band released so far. We are still waiting for MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, the iPhone 17e, a lower-cost MacBook with an iPhone chip, long-rumored updates to the Apple TV and HomePod mini, and much more. Apple is expected to release/update the following products...