Apple’s much-anticipated iPadOS 18 update could be better, especially for some owners of the M4 iPad Pro. The company temporarily pulled the update after reports surfaced that it was “bricking” specific devices, meaning they became wholly unresponsive and unusable.
According to reports from users on Reddit and Apple’s official forums, affected iPads shut down during the update and could not be turned back on, even after attempting various reset methods. One frustrated user shared, “I tried all the reset options, but nothing worked. Apple confirmed my iPad was bricked, but it needs to be sent to their engineers before I can get a replacement—even though I have Apple Care.”
Not all M4 iPad Pros have been affected, as some users successfully installed the update without issues. However, to prevent further problems, Apple has temporarily paused the rollout for all M4 models. “We have removed the iPadOS 18 update for M4 iPad Pro models while we work to resolve an issue impacting a small number of devices,” Apple told MacRumors in a statement.
Whether the problem can be fixed with a future software patch or if impacted devices need repairs at an Apple Store remains to be seen. M4 iPad Pro users won’t be able to install iPadOS 18 while Apple works on a solution.
This is particularly disappointing for those eager to try out new features, including a customizable home screen, enhanced Apple Pencil functionality, live audio transcription, and—after years of waiting—the Calculator app. While the update is still available for other iPads, the latest and most powerful iPad Pro users must wait until Apple fixes the issue.
There’s no word yet on when the update will return, but Apple is likely working hard to resolve it soon.
