Apple’s new iPadOS 14 update requires a massive download and it could take quite a bit of time to install on your iPad, iPad Pro, iPad Air, or iPad mini.

The iPadOS 14 update is finally out of beta and available to download provided you have a compatible iPad. All iPadOS 13-powered iPads are eligible for the upgrade.

Apple’s new operating system brings a long list of changes to the iPad including Widgets on the Home Screen, improvements to Messages, new Memoji, and under-the-hood improvements.

If you’re moving from iPadOS 13.7 to iPadOS 14, you get the smallest download. The iPadOS 14 update is around 2.5GB for those of you running iPadOS 13.7.

If you are upgrading from an older version of iPadOS, your iPadOS 14 download could be even larger. That’s because the changes from the update(s) you skipped are baked in.

While some of you might want to refrain from downloading iPadOS 14 right now, most iPad users should install the software today or at some point in the near future.

Try Starz or HBO Free with Amazon Channels

If you do decide to install iPadOS 14 on your iPad, you’ll want to set aside some time to get the new operating system properly installed on your device.

Moving your tablet from one operating system to another can cause problems so you’ll want to make sure you have time to monitor the download and installation.

We can’t tell you exactly how long the process will take because it will vary. That said, we can help you approximate how much time you should set aside if you choose to install iPadOS 14 on your iPad.

If you’ve prepared for the move and your tablet is on a fast Wi-Fi connection, it could take 20 minutes to complete during peak hours.

Task Time Sync (Optional) 5-45 Minutes Backup and Transfer (Optional) 1-30 Minutes iPadOS 14 Download 10 Minutes to 15 Minutes iPadOS 14 Installation 10 Minutes to 20 Minutes Total iPadOS 14 Update Time 20 Minutes to 1 Hour+

Pre-Installation

Before you initiate the iPadOS 14 download, make sure you’re ready.

If you don’t know how to prepare for a software update, please take a look at our pre-installation guide. It’ll take you through the most important steps to take before you tap download.

Most of you should be able to get through these steps in 30 minutes or less, but there’s a chance you’ll need more time. In some cases, a lot more.

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

iPadOS 14 Download

Once you’re ready, you’ll want to start the iPadOS 14 download.

The exact size of the iPadOS 14 download will depend on your version of the iPad and the version of the operating system your tablet is currently running.

If you’re running iPadOS 13.7 your download should, again, be around 2.5GB. If you’re running an older version of iPadOS 13, your download will likely be bigger.

If you’re connected to a speedy Wi-Fi network, the iPadOS 14 download could finish up in 10 minutes. If your connection is slower, it could take 15 minutes or longer.

iPadOS 14 Installation

Once your iPad is done pulling iPadOS 14 from Apple’s servers, the installation process will begin. This will almost certainly take longer than the download.

If you’re moving up from iPadOS 13.7, the installation could take around 10 minutes to complete. It took around 10 minutes to install on an iPad Pro.

Note that your iPad might reboot itself a few times during the installation process. This is perfectly normal and isn’t a cause for concern.

Post-Installation

After the iPadOS 14 installation process finishes up, you might need to spend time logging into your iCloud account, signing into your device’s various apps and services, and/or setting up Apple Pay.

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

After that, you should test your core applications and services to ensure they’re working normally. If you notice an issue with an app, try downloading the latest version. Developers are rolling out iPadOS 14 support updates and they should help stabilize performance.

You’ll also want to poke around iPadOS 14 for bugs and performance issues. If you notice something take a look at our list of fixes for the most common problems.

4 Reasons Not to Install iPadOS 14 & 11 Reasons You Should