Hey everyone! I have an iPad 5th generation from 2017 that's currently on iOS 16.7. I use it mainly for taking notes during college lectures, and my usage is pretty basic—just notes, PDFs, and some light apps, nothing too demanding. However, it's been feeling really sluggish lately. I'm experiencing delays in messages, and it often takes a while for the Home Screen to show up after I unlock it. My battery seems to be fine, and I have plenty of storage space left. Is this kind of slowdown just a thing that happens with aging hardware on newer iOS versions, or does Apple intentionally slow older devices down? I'd love to hear if anyone else with this iPad model has had similar issues and if there are any tips to boost its performance!
1 Answer
It sounds frustrating! While Apple doesn’t officially admit to slowing down older devices, many users have noticed performance issues with older models on newer iOS updates. One thing to check is your battery health—even if it seems fine, it could be below optimal performance levels. You might want to try using a battery health shortcut that’s available online to get a better idea. If you find it’s under 80%, replacing the battery can sometimes help boost the performance, especially since your model is considered obsolete and might not receive further updates.
Good to know! I didn't realize you could check battery health like that. I guess I'll check my iPad too.