We have iPads supervised through Apple Business Manager and enrolled in Intune as their MDM. We appear to be using Apple's newer Declarative Device Management approach for OS updates, but only one iPad has updated during the past year. Most of the others are significantly behind, even though they check in with Intune at least weekly. The software update option has also disappeared from the Settings app, so users cannot update manually. What configuration or device conditions should I check? I'm relatively new to managing iPads, but this seems abnormal.
5 Answers
Review the update policy and confirm the devices are assigned to the expected update group or ring. It is also worth checking whether both a legacy software-update policy and a DDM policy are applying at the same time, since conflicting settings or older device versions may cause unexpected behavior.
For shared iPads, automatic updates generally need the device to be connected to power and Wi-Fi, with all users signed out. A device checking in periodically does not necessarily mean it meets the conditions required to install an update.
Confirm that the iPad models can actually run the target iPadOS version and check the current build on the affected devices. Automatic updating has also been inconsistent on some older iPadOS releases, even when the setting is enabled.
Check whether the DDM policy is targeting a specific, fixed OS version instead of the latest available version. Also verify that the enforcement date has not already passed. In the policy, select the intended OS version and set a current enforcement time.
Storage can prevent over-the-air updates, especially on 32 GB iPads. The update process may require roughly 15–18 GB of temporary space, and a wiped device with its standard configuration may still lack enough room. If freeing storage is not practical, updating through a Mac may be necessary.

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