iPad Pro Apple seemingly forced update to iPadOS 17 on my iPad Pro 10.5

[pdoherty]

I've left this iPad Pro in "download only" for months (since well before 17 released) and have been holding off on upgrading it, precisely because Apple has a bad habit of putting the newest OS on devices to the point where they become nigh-unusable. A couple of weeks ago, inexplicably, this iPad updated itself to iPadOS 17 without my involvement or permission. And now it's eating battery and sluggish like never before, because of running an OS too bloated for its hardware.

Has anyone had this happen? I almost feel like taking it to an Apple Store and insisting they replace it with a different device since this is their doing. How can they get away with forcing upgrades on devices and rendering them worse than before when their own settings should have prevented it?

 

[BugeyeSTI]

I don't have download enabled for this very reason. It seems sometimes after downloading the update it will install it when the screen is locked, charging and on wifi even though you didn't ask it to. I'm not sure if once it's downloaded, it does this after a certain period of time or if it's a fluke that happens every so often. I've had automations that run fine for months and then for no reason it fails to run until you disable it and re-enable it. Regardless, I doubt you'll have much luck getting Apple to replace your device with a newer one.

 

[Apple_Robert]

If you had the download option enabled, that gives the OS permission to install, because the option is "download and install."

 

[kitKAC]

This is from iPadOS 16, the options are definitely separate. However, if the OP didn't want to install iPadOS 17, why take the risk by leaving the Download option switched on?

 

[Isamilis]

I always use tvOS profile to prevent update notification (not even download nor install).

 

[pdoherty]

Yeah I probably should have not even allowed the download (can't see the settings but someone showed a dialog above (but oddly missing "Only Download") so I'm sure I could have.

Apple could make this a moot point by making a fallback part of the OS so unwanted updates could be uninstalled, reverting back to the prior version. No idea why they don't.

 

[kirbalo]

I've left this iPad Pro in "download only" for months (since well before 17 released) and have been holding off on upgrading it, precisely because Apple has a bad habit of putting the newest OS on devices to the point where they become nigh-unusable. A couple of weeks ago, inexplicably, this iPad updated itself to iPadOS 17 without my involvement or permission. And now it's eating battery and sluggish like never before, because of running an OS too bloated for its hardware.

Has anyone had this happen? I almost feel like taking it to an Apple Store and insisting they replace it with a different device since this is their doing. How can they get away with forcing upgrades on devices and rendering them worse than before when their own settings should have prevented it?

Just my anecdotal $0.02 worth...but my iPad Pro 10.5" runs awesome on the latest iPadOS 17.1.1.

 

[sparksd]

Just my anecdotal $0.02 worth...but my iPad Pro 10.5" runs awesome on the latest iPadOS 17.1.1.

As does my daughter's (she is an adult and uses it a lot).

 

[redcarlsen]

This is a big reason my ipad and iphone sit collecting dust. The constant popups asking me to "finish setup" and then nonsense like this...
I finally said enough is enough. I miss a few apps, but I'm squarely using android now. I keep checking what's the horizon, and think about coming back. But ios is so damn annoying I refuse to go back.

 

[GMShadow]

Usually if an iPad is bogging down that badly it's probably time to wipe and restore, or even set up fresh. If it's had years of in-place updates that can leave a lot of cruft behind.

 

[pdoherty]

Usually if an iPad is bogging down that badly it's probably time to wipe and restore, or even set up fresh. If it's had years of in-place updates that can leave a lot of cruft behind.

How much of a PITA is that? If I wipe and setup as new, how much manual stuff will I need to do to get bookmarks, passwords, photos, etc all synced back up?

 

[rui no onna]

Bookmarks, passwords, photos, messages, notes, reminders, contacts, etc. — pretty easy if you enable iCloud sync. Probably needs a paid iCloud subscription due to the amount of cloud storage needed.

Things you need to redo: adding accounts, installing apps, home screen layout, app data and sign-in, etc.

Caveat, if you use apps that have been removed from the App Store, make sure you have a backup of the app via iMazing or you won’t be able to reinstall those anymore using official methods.

 

[FeliApple]

Perhaps you unwittingly allowed it to install at some point? The only case of a forced update I’ve heard is the one that happened to me: my 9.7-inch iPad Pro was deactivated on iOS 9 and I could do nothing but update (luckily, and glass half-full, to the then-current iOS 12 instead of the gigantic garbage that is iPadOS 16). The device rebooted by itself and reverted back to the setup screen, screen which wouldn’t let me continue until I updated. Battery life dropped by 25% and I have had slight keyboard lag ever since.

This was an issue with the activation servers (on purpose? Maybe. Who knows...), in which every A9 device on iOS 9 was deactivated and forced to update.

But that’s the only time this ever happened, and no other iOS device/version combo was ever forced out like this.

I do think that, in hindsight, keeping the “download only” option enabled was way too risky, but this shouldn’t happen regardless. Are you sure that the install option wasn’t enabled, too?

As to why they don’t allow downgrading, there’s a possible reason that is “benign”
(Security), and one that is nefarious (why allow people to have a better experience when you can “encourage” them to upgrade by worsening their devices through the irreversible malware called iOS updates?). I’m inclined to believe the latter. Apple has to know that what they put out is eventually garbage.

Apple won’t do anything. If Apple were to start replacing devices with newer versions for every user that rightfully complains about garbage iOS updates they’d have to hand out the latest devices to everyone. If you do go to an Apple Store to ask, do let us know what they say, but the answer will inevitably be “there’s nothing we can do”.

Going back, if the install option wasn’t enabled then that’s a horrible glitch, but sadly, like I said, there’s no solution now.

 

[FeliApple]

Usually if an iPad is bogging down that badly it's probably time to wipe and restore, or even set up fresh. If it's had years of in-place updates that can leave a lot of cruft behind.

Sadly, this probably won’t help. It’s just a byproduct of updates. The sad part is that in OP’s case (and mine, with my 9.7-inch iPad Pro forced into iOS 12 from iOS 9, and assuming the “install iOS updates automatically” setting wasn’t enabled), this update was forced, which makes it worse.

At least if somebody updates and dislikes the result they can say “okay, it was my fault and I won’t make the same mistake in the future”, but if it was forced, there was nothing the user could’ve done, which makes it way more infuriating.

 

[mikiee]

I updated my iPad 8 with 32gb of space to 17. Dumb me. I went from 14gb of used space to 19gb of used space. Couple more updates and this iPad will be unusable. BTW, I only have 4 apps on here, with Libby using the most at 390 mb.

 

[goodthymes]

I wonder if Apple resets the update settings after an update. Almost had my 12.9 Pro update to iOS 17.x some time last week even though I've specifically set it not to download nor update automatically. It's an iPad I use only for reading at night in bed, happened to be in the bedroom and tapped the screen to see the time, and there was a screen notification that said 17 was downloaded and will be installed tonight. I noped right away and went in and cancelled the install. Checked the settings and it was set to download but no auto install, weird. I tried 17 golden beta on that iPad and did not like some of the changes to safari at all so I reverted back to 16.7x and was concious about not getting 17.x on that iPad.

 

[FeliApple]

I wonder if Apple resets the update settings after an update. Almost had my 12.9 Pro update to iOS 17.x some time last week even though I've specifically set it not to download nor update automatically. It's an iPad I use only for reading at night in bed, happened to be in the bedroom and tapped the screen to see the time, and there was a screen notification that said 17 was downloaded and will be installed tonight. I noped right away and went in and cancelled the install. Checked the settings and it was set to download but no auto install, weird. I tried 17 golden beta on that iPad and did not like some of the changes to safari at all so I reverted back to 16.7x and was concious about not getting 17.x on that iPad.

This wouldn’t be so serious if Apple allowed downgrading. As it stands, I think it’s a pretty abhorrent issue.

The only tool we have to fight back against iOS updates is staying behind. If iOS won’t respect its own settings, then it’s not good...

Something as harmful and irreversible as this shouldn’t be tampered with, ever.

My 9.7-inch iPad Pro, fortunately, cannot even update wirelessly because my iOS version is too old (iOS 12), but this issue is horrible, because my iPad Air 5 can update wirelessly (it runs iPadOS 15).

My iPhone Xʀ on iOS 12 also says it can’t update wirelessly, luckily!

 

[ChrisA]

... now it's eating battery and sluggish like never before, because of running an OS too bloated for its hardware.

I think your diagnosis is wrong. I'd bet the problem is that you are running dozens of apps on the iPad in the background. Try this: Swipe up on the screen but stop halfway. You will now see all the apps running on your iPad. Kill each one by swiping up on the app's preview screen.

The iPad runs better if it only runs one app at a time. But it does surprisingly well with running a dozen apps

 

[FeliApple]

I think your diagnosis is wrong. I'd bet the problem is that you are running dozens of apps on the iPad in the background. Try this: Swipe up on the screen but stop halfway. You will now see all the apps running on your iPad. Kill each one by swiping up on the app's preview screen.

The iPad runs better if it only runs one app at a time. But it does surprisingly well with running a dozen apps

It’s 7 major iOS updates. Way too much, sadly. iOS freezes apps on the background so it won’t solve the performance issues, and it definitely won’t help with battery life.

 

[nicho]

I think your diagnosis is wrong. I'd bet the problem is that you are running dozens of apps on the iPad in the background. Try this: Swipe up on the screen but stop halfway. You will now see all the apps running on your iPad. Kill each one by swiping up on the app's preview screen.

The iPad runs better if it only runs one app at a time. But it does surprisingly well with running a dozen apps

Public Service Announcement: You Should Not Force Quit Apps on iOS

The single biggest misconception about iOS is that it’s good digital hygiene to force quit apps that you aren’t using.

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