Here’s How Long Does the iPadOS 14.8.1 Update Take?

Apple’s new iPadOS 14.8.1 update is a minor upgrade, but it may still take some time to install on your device. iPad, iPad Pro, iPad Airor iPad mini.

The company’s new iPadOS 14 firmware brings important security patches to the iPad. There are no known features or bug fixes on board.

If you’re upgrading from iPadOS 14.8 to iPadOS 14.8.1, you’ll see the smallest download. If you’re upgrading from an older version of iPadOS, your iPadOS 14.8.1 download may be much larger. This is because the changes in the update(s) you skipped are ready.

While some of you may want to avoid downloading iPadOS 14.8.1, most iPad users should install the software today or in the near future.

If you decide to install iPadOS 14.8.1 on your iPad, you will want to take some time to properly install the new software on your device.

Moving your tablet from one version of iPadOS to another can cause problems, so you’ll want to make sure you have time to watch the download and installation.

We cannot say exactly how long the process will take because it will vary. However, if you choose to install iPadOS 14.8.1 on your device, we can help you determine approximately how much time you should dedicate.

If you’re preparing to move and your tablet has a fast Wi-Fi connection, it may take about 10 minutes to complete the setup.

Pre-Installation

Before starting the iPadOS 14.8.1 download, make sure you’re ready.

If you don’t know how to prepare for a software update, please check our pre-installation guide. It will walk you through the most important steps to take before tapping Download.

Most of you will be able to complete these steps in 30 minutes or less, but you may need more time. In some cases, much more.

You don’t need to follow every step in our guide, but you will at least want to make sure your iPad’s data is backed up properly.

iPadOS 14.8.1 Download

When you’re ready, you’ll want to start the iPadOS 14.8.1 download.

The exact size of the iPadOS 14.8.1 download will depend on your version of iPad and the version of iPadOS your tablet is currently running.

If you’re currently running iPadOS 14.8 on your iPad, your download will likely only be a few megabytes. However, if you are currently running older software, your download will likely be much larger.

If your iPad is currently running iPadOS 14.8 and is connected to a fast Wi-Fi network, the iPadOS 14.8.1 download can be completed in just a few minutes.

If your connection is slower and/or you’re running an older iPadOS software, this may take 10 minutes or longer.

iPadOS 14.8.1 Installation

Once your iPad has finished pulling iPadOS 14.8.1 from Apple servers, the installation process will begin. This may take longer than the download.

If you’re upgrading from iPadOS 14.8, the installation process may take about seven minutes. If you’re downgrading from a much older version of iPadOS 14, it will likely take longer to install.

iOS 14.8.1 took about seven minutes to install on an older iPad Pro running iPadOS 14.8.

Note that your iPad may restart itself several times during the setup process. This is completely normal and not cause for concern.

Post install

After the iPadOS 14.8.1 installation process is complete, you may need to spend time logging into your iCloud account, signing in to your device’s various apps and services, and/or setting up Apple Pay.

We recommend taking some time to check your important data (photos, videos, music, etc.) to make sure everything is where it should be.

After that, you should test your core apps and services to make sure they are working normally. If you notice a problem with an app, try downloading the latest version. Developers are rolling out support updates and should help stabilize performance.

You’ll also want to investigate iPadOS 14.8.1 a bit for bugs and performance issues. If you notice anything, check our list of fixes for the most common issues.