I found an older first-generation iPad Air and hoped to use it for watching YouTube and reading. It keeps asking for a system update before some apps can be used, and the update says it must be completed through iTunes. However, neither my MacBook Pro nor my Windows PC detects the iPad in iTunes. I also tried several older iTunes versions without success. The Mac is quite old, while the Windows computer is newer. Is there another way to update or use this iPad?
2 Answers
On newer Macs, iTunes has been replaced by Finder, so the iPad should appear there instead. On Windows, Apple’s newer Apple Devices app is the replacement for iTunes. Make sure the iPad is unlocked, tap “Trust” if prompted, and try a known-good data cable and USB port. You may also need to reinstall or update Apple’s device drivers. Keep in mind that the first-generation iPad Air can only be updated to iOS 12.5.8, so it cannot run current versions of many apps, including the latest YouTube app.
If neither Finder nor Apple Devices recognizes it, the issue may be the cable, USB connection, or the iPad’s trust pairing rather than the iTunes version. Try another cable that supports data, connect directly instead of through a hub, unlock the iPad, and reset its Location & Privacy settings so you can approve the computer again. If it still is not detected, put it into recovery mode and see whether the computer recognizes it there. Even after a successful update, though, the hardware is limited to iOS 12.5.8, so using YouTube through Safari or another lightweight browser may be more realistic than installing the current app.
The Mac is very old and unreliable, and I already tried Apple Devices on the newer Windows PC, but the iPad does not appear there either.