When Apple stops updating your iPad, the drawer beckons. It feels like the right thing to do — retire it, maybe sell it for £30, move on. But in most cases that's the wrong call. A 2015–2019 iPad is still capable hardware with a sharp screen, decent battery, and a mature software ecosystem frozen in amber.
The key insight: instead of using it as a general-purpose device (where the iOS ceiling will frustrate you), give it a specific job. Dedicated single-purpose devices are where old iPads genuinely shine.
Smart Home Control Panel
This is arguably the best use case for a retired iPad in 2026. Mount it on the wall with a cheap wall mount and run Home Assistant (iOS 16+ for the current app, but older versions work on iOS 14+). You get a always-on dashboard showing your lights, heating, cameras, door sensors, and ESPHome devices. The iPad's screen size is ideal — visible at a glance, large enough for proper controls. If you're running ESPHome devices (sensors, custom microcontrollers), the Home Assistant iPad dashboard becomes a legitimate home control centre. Pair with Fully Kiosk Browser (available on older iOS via the web) or simply set the Home Assistant app as a guided-access lock.
Digital Photo Frame
A 9.7" or 10.2" Retina display as a bedside or living room photo frame costs nothing if you already own the iPad. The built-in Photos app screensaver has been decent for years. For something more polished, Skylight Frame (iOS 14+) or Google Photos work well — Google Photos in particular is excellent for shared family albums that update automatically. Mount with an angled charging stand and you have a continuously updating photo display for essentially zero cost.
Music Production Station
This is underrated. The iPad Air 2, iPad Pro (2015–2017), and iPad mini 4 all run Cubasis 3 (iOS 14+), BeatMaker 3 (iOS 12+), and FL Studio Mobile (iOS 12+) without compromise. The A8X, A9X, and A10X chips handle multi-track recording, MIDI, and effects without breaking a sweat. Connect a Lightning-to-USB audio interface and you have a proper recording setup for under £150 total. The older iPad Pro 10.5" and 12.9" (2017) with their 4GB RAM and ProMotion displays are especially capable here. Many producers keep a dedicated "studio iPad" on older iOS specifically for stability — plugin compatibility doesn't break when iOS doesn't update.
Kitchen Tablet
Your main iPad goes on the sofa. Your old iPad lives in the kitchen. The use case writes itself: recipe apps (BBC Good Food, Yummly — both iOS 14+), YouTube cooking videos, timers, shopping lists, music while you cook. BBC iPlayer for the Radio 4 afternoon play. A kitchen iPad doesn't need the latest iOS — it just needs a screen and WiFi. A kitchen stand or magnetic case makes it genuinely useful rather than a nuisance to prop up. At £40 on eBay, it's cheaper and better than any dedicated smart display on the market.
Children's Device
This is the most common "old iPad" scenario for a reason. Hand-me-down iPads make excellent children's devices, particularly the 6th and 7th gen (iOS 17/18) which run everything a child needs: YouTube Kids (iOS 16+), Minecraft (iOS 16+), Roblox (iOS 16+), Khan Academy Kids, Disney+. iOS 17 has a fully-featured Screen Time with per-app limits, downtime schedules, and content restrictions — everything you need built in. See our full guide to the 6th and 7th gen as kids' devices.
Fitness & Workout Display
Prop it on the treadmill, bike, or in front of your yoga mat. Apple Fitness+ (iOS 16+) works on the iPad 6th/7th gen and iPad Pros. YouTube fitness channels (accessible via Safari on iOS 15 if the app isn't available). Nike Training Club (iOS 15+), Strava (iOS 16+), and most fitness apps still support iOS 15–17. A dedicated workout iPad means you don't have to mess with your main device — set it up, hit play, exercise. The brightness of a Retina display is easily visible even in a sunny room.
Remote Desktop & Thin Client
Your old iPad can control a full desktop computer over the network. Jump Desktop (iOS 14+) and Microsoft Remote Desktop (iOS 16+) turn the iPad into a thin client for a Windows or Mac machine. The iPad Pro 2017 with its large screen and precise touch is excellent here — you get full desktop access with a physical keyboard if needed. This turns the iPad into a legitimate work device without the iOS ceiling mattering at all: you're running Windows or macOS on the remote machine, the iPad is just the display and input. Useful for accessing office computers, home servers, or a Raspberry Pi running Linux.
Bedside Display & Sleep Aid
Charge it by the bed. Wake to it, sleep with it, and never bring your main phone into the bedroom. Alarm: built-in clock app. White noise: Calm (iOS 15+), Endel (iOS 14+), or simply YouTube via Safari. Audiobooks: Audible or Apple Books. Podcasts: Apple Podcasts. Reading: Kindle or Apple Books in night mode. The iPad Air 2's thin profile and good display make it excellent for propped-up bedside reading. Night Shift mode (built into iOS 9+) reduces blue light. At zero cost, it replaces a dedicated white noise machine, alarm clock, and e-reader.
Dedicated Streaming & Media Player
Not all streaming services have abandoned iOS 15 — notably BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, and Plex all still support it. For a dedicated living room catch-up TV device, an iOS 15 iPad works fine. The larger screen and better audio than most phones makes this a genuine upgrade for watching UK TV in bed or the kitchen. For the iPad 6th/7th gen (iOS 17/18), Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+ all work fully. Add a Bluetooth speaker or AirPlay to a TV and you have a legitimate streaming setup.
Car & Travel Device
Download Netflix and Spotify content before you leave. Use Maps (iOS 15 supported) or download offline maps with Maps.me (iOS 14+). Load it with games, podcasts, and audiobooks for long journeys. A headrest mount on the back of a front seat turns it into a rear-seat entertainment system for children. The fact that it's an old device you don't mind being thrown around makes it far more practical as a travel device than your current main iPad.
💡 The pattern: All of these work because they're dedicated single-purpose uses. The iOS ceiling only matters when you're using the device for everything. Give it one job and it becomes surprisingly good at it.
What Apps You Need
For all of these use cases, the apps that matter most are still available on iOS 14–17. Use AppCompat's search tool to filter by your exact device model and iOS version — select your device, your iOS version, and the category you care about to see exactly what's available.
Find apps for your old iPad
Filter by your exact device and iOS version — see what's still available sorted by rating.
Search compatible apps →Also see: Best cheap refurbished iPads in 2026 · iPad Pro 2015–2017 guide