Where can I download iOS 10 apps?

So you own an older iOS or iPadOS device. You are very happy with your device because it still works like new, and you can do pretty much anything you want with it. However, your device may not support the latest version of iOS or iPadOS software. This may mean that your device could be too old for many apps as they may require a newer version of iOS or iPadOS to run properly. It can be quite a pain to download such apps.

Having this problem means that you may not be able to download and install some apps that you would like on your device. When you try to download some apps, you may get an error popup saying this:

This application requires iOS X.X or later. You must update to iOS X.X in order to download and use this application. (see the image below)

Similarly, you may get a message saying, “Cannot download. This app is not compatible with your device,” when you want to download certain apps, such as Netflix, on your iPad or iPhone.

Although the message above tells you to update, you may not be able to update even if you want to if your device does not support the iOS X.X version. So how are you going to download this app? Do not worry; There is a way to do this.

See also: Cannot Connect to the App Store, Fix

Apple has discontinued many older devices. Older devices may not support the highest supported versions of iOS available because they may not have the internal hardware to support it. Thus, for instance, you can not install iOS 12 on the original iPad (iPad 1). The last version of iOS that you can install on the original iPad is iOS 5.1.1. Below is a list of the highest versions of iOS available for some of the older iOS devices:

• iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and 6 Plus: iOS 12.5.5
• iPhone 5c: iOS 10.3.3
• iPhone 5: iOS 10.3.4
• iPhone 4: iOS 7.1.2
• iPhone 4S, iPod Touch 5, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad Mini 1: iOS 9.3.5
• iPad 4: iOS 10.3.3
• iPad 1, iPod Touch 3: iOS 5.1.1
• iPad Air (first generation) and iPad mini 3 and iPad mini 2: iOS 12.5.5
• iPad (3rd generation), iPad 2: iOS 9.3.6

However, you may still be able to download the last compatible version. This means that, for instance, you may be able to download the Netflix app on your iOS device running 9.3.5 or 10.3.3. This article explains how you can do that.

How to download apps that require the newest software on older devices

You may be able to download and install previously purchased apps (perhaps you have deleted them). This can mean two different things. So, there are two different ways you can try to do this. I explain them below:

1. If you previously purchased the app, you can redownload and reinstall the last compatible version. Here is how:

1. First, make sure that you are signed in with the Apple ID that you used to buy the app originally.
2. Open the App Store app on your device.
3. Find the Purchased tab and My Purchases. Here you can see all the apps you have installed previously.
   • For iOS 11 and later, tap on the Today tab at the bottom, then tap on your user account icon near the top-right corner of the screen. Tap Purchased, then My Purchases.
4. Find the app you want to install
5. Tap the iCloud icon
6. A popup will appear, and you will be asked: “Download an older version of this app? The current version requires iOS X.X or later, but you can download the last compatible version.” Simply tap Download.
7. The download will commence.

2. Ok, you may think that #1 above does not work because you have never downloaded the particular app that you want to install. Then how can you do that? If this is the case, you can buy the app on a newer device and then find and download it on your older device. Here is how you can do this:

1. You need to have a newer iOS device (if you do not have one, you can borrow one from a friend).
2. Make sure that you’re signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID on both devices. (If you are borrowing a device from a friend, your friend needs to log out first. Your friend may want to make a backup of the information that they stored in iCloud.)
3. On the new device, launch the App Store and find the app, and download and install.
4. Now get your old device where you want to install the app. On your old device, go to the App Store, then Purchased.
   • For iOS 11 and later, tap on the Today tab at the bottom, then tap on your user account icon near the top-right corner of the screen. Tap Purchased, then My Purchases.
   • You will see the app there because you just purchased it. If you do not see it yet, just wait.
5. Then tap the iCloud icon to download the app.
6. The download will start.

Note that these methods may not work for all apps. This only works if the developer of the app has not deleted it from Apple’s App servers. Furthermore, since you are downloading an older version of the app, it is highly likely that not all features of the (newer version of the) app are available. Lastly, this app may now require more resources than your device can handle. Thus this new app could cause your device to crash or freeze.

See also: Your Account Has Been Disabled in the Apple Store and iTunes, Fix

Article history

• This article was updated on April 22, 2022:
  • Recent changes were reflected, and a screenshot was added.