Unable to update my iPad iOS version

If your iPad is currently running iOS 10.3.4 you have an iPad4.

Update support for iPad4 ended September 2017. The final iOS releases for this model were iOS 10.3.3 (WiFi Only models) and iOS 10.3.4 (WiFi & Cellular). iPad4 cannot be updated to any later major version of iOS as it lacks the minimum hardware requirements needed to run more recent versions. The 32-bit platform upon which the iPad4 is based is obsolete.

App Developers have dropped all support for 32-bit devices - and have withdrawn 32-bit Apps from the Apple App Store. Withdrawal of Apps supporting older models of iPad is making their utility and usefulness significantly more limited. Once compatible versions Apps are withdrawn, you’ll not be able (re)download or (re)install them.

If Apps that you need to use now have higher minimum iOS-version requirements than your iPad is capable, your only option is to replace your iPad with much newer model. Of current models, even the current entry-level iPad10 supports iPadOS 18 - and has hardware specifications and capabilities that vastly outperform an old iPad4.

For information, here is a list of the highest version of iOS supported by the older models of iPad (for simplicity - “generations” are shortened to a number) that are restricted in their ability to be updated:

32-bit devices (obsolete)

iPad1 - iOS 5.1.1

iPad2, iPad3 and iPad mini1 - iOS 9.3.5 (WiFi Only models), iOS 9.3.6 (WiFi+Cellular)

iPad4 - iOS 10.3.3 (WiFi Only), iOS 10.3.4 (WiFi+Cellular)

64-bit devices

iPad Air1*, iPad mini2 and iPad mini3* - iOS 12.5.7

iPad Air2, iPad mini4 - iPadOS 15.8.3

iPad5, iPad Pro (9.7"/12.9" 1st generation)* - iPadOS 16.7.10

iPad6, iPad Pro (10.5"/12.9" 2nd generation) - iPadOS 17.7.1

(*) obsolete

Newer models are all able to be updated to the current version - iPadOS 18.1 (17.7.1 optional)

• iPad Pro 13" (M4)
• iPad Pro 12.9" (3rd generation and later)
• iPad Pro 11" (1st generation and later + M4)
• iPad Air (3rd generation and later + M2)
• iPad (7th generation and later)
• iPad mini (5th generation and later + A17 Pro)

An unit on 10.3.4 isn't capable of 11 or above.

(256712)

If you are running iOS 10, but can update no further, that would suggest that you have an iPad (4th generation) of some sort. Apple introduced those in 2012. They have 32-bit processors, and only 1 GB of RAM. I do not know if the App Store even still works, or has any apps, for iPhones and iPads with 32-bit processors. Even if that 32-bit processor was not an issue, the 1 GB of RAM would be too little to run any recent version of iPadOS.

It looks like other iPads and iPad minis with 32-bit processors did not have the option even to update as far as iOS 10.