429 Too Many Requests

Lsmolina wrote:

Almost seems like a way for Apple to get you to subscribe to more cloud storage.

iCloud storage and device storage are not interchangeable. You cannot store iPadOS and apps in iCloud storage, only in device storage. Subscribing to iCloud and using iCloud Photos with "Optimize iPad Storage" might help if you have lots of photos, but it won't help if the issue is with the storage needed by iPadOS and by apps.

So no, I don't think this is "a way for Apple to get you to subscribe to more cloud storage."

These days, 64 GB is a very small amount of device storage if you plan on storing any significant amount of data (photos, videos, music, movies, TV shows) or third-party apps. There are some customers who don't care much about that – e.g.., customers who plan to use iPads mainly for browsing the Web, reading e-mail, etc.; customers who plan to run specialized apps to turn iPads into "point of sale" terminals; etc. But if you do not fall into one of those categories, buying an iPad with only 64 GB of storage to "save money" may have you running into limits, or shopping for a new iPad with more storage, sooner, rather than later.

You may struggle with an iPad that has so little internal storage. The 32/64GB devices are primarily intended for use in Educational settings, or in environments where the ability to store local data on the device is not required.

It is generally recommended that you maintain at least 4-6GB of free space at all times - as your iPad needs some temporary space to complete many tasks. When performing system software updates, you may temporarily require more. iPadOS is designed to boost system performance by caching frequently used data - this being reported as system (or "other") data. For 32/64GB devices, this system storage equates to a considerable proportion of system storage. A simple forced-restart of your iPad may, temporarily, clear at least some of your cached data:

Force restart iPad - Apple Support

If your internal storage is full, or is insufficient for the task that you need to perform, your only option is to better manage the storage that you have - and delete unused Apps or unneeded data. 

These support pages should prove to be helpful:

About storage on your device and in iCloud – Apple Support

What's the difference between device storage and iCloud storage? – Apple Support

Manage your iCloud storage – Apple Support

How to check the storage on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch – Apple Support

Clear Other storage on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

“Offloading” Apps can be a helpful method of creating temporary space - such as to perform a software update:

https://9to5mac.com/2020/01/21/how-to-offload-apps-in-ios-to-save-space-without-deleting-their-data/

Additional information about creating sufficient space for installation of a software update can be found here:

If you need more space for an update on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

External storage options can often help with managing limited internal storage. Depending upon your iPad model, the iPad will either have a Lightning or USB-C port - and may therefore require either an Adapter or USB hub to connect the USB Storage device. If your iPad has a Lightning port, you’ll need an Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter:

• Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter

https://store.apple.com/xc/product/MK0W2ZM/A

I may have found a small solution. Under automatic updates I turned off automatic installs and downloads for both iPad OS updates and System Files and that gave me 10 GB back. iPad OS and System Data still take up half of whatever is stored on my iPad but at least I have some room to work with. Apple should be at least a bit transparent about the storage sizes of their devices and perhaps market a 64GB iPad as a 32GB when that’s the actual storage you’ll be getting.

Josh OSUIT wrote:

This answer is not helpful in the least bit - the OP's issue is the same as mine. I have a freshly wiped 64gb iPad mini that I just updated to iOS 27 and it has 22gb of system data and 11gb of iPadOS on it. That's 33gb and HALF of the devices available storage just for the OS and "system files". It's a known issue that so far apple has refused to address. My iPhone 18 Pro has 22.3 gb of iOS data and 36GB of System Data and it's a 256gb model. 25-30% of my storage is unusable due to how apple OS is holding onto data.

You are of course entitled to your own opinion - as potentially flawed as it may be. Please remember that your own situation may differ from that of the OP.

Perhaps consider that recent versions of iPadOS, in particular iPadOS 26/27, make considerably greater use of available internal storage for downloadable LLM software-assets and cached data. This data is included within the reported System Data - and yes, this does consume a considerable proportion of local device storage. That said, there are instances where cached data can become orphaned - and is not purged as expected. In such situations, the remedy is to backup the iPad, erase, and then restore from the backup - this process eliminating all temporary and orphaned data from the device.

For the older lower-cost iPad models with only 32/64GB of internal storage, System Data can consume what may appear to be a disproportionate percentage of device storage. By example, my own iPad currently reports ~29GB of System Storage - this fluctuates by a few GB as temporary cached data is purged and replaced by fresh data.

Also consider that due to increased demands upon local storage, Apple no longer markets any model of iPad with less than 128GB of local storage. This, for some users will be adequate for their needs - but many contributors here would advocate that you purchase a device with at least 256GB of local storage.

Whichever iPad model you ultimately choose, you would be well advised to purchase as much internal storage as your budget might reasonably allow - as internal storage (and other hardware) cannot be changed, upgraded or extended as your needs, or that of iPadOS, grow over time. The available internal storage is fixed for the entire life of the device. If you run out of internal storage for your documents, photos and other data, you will forever struggle and become a source of frustration. It is far better to have more storage than you need, than to need more storage than you have.

A good rule of thumb is to quantify how much data storage you will need - add a healthy margin - then at least double it.

Within the Apple Support Communities we see regular tales of woe and disappointment when storage requirements are exceeded, necessitating replacement of the device; by contrast, we never see complaint of having too much available storage. It is relatively easy to fill limited internal storage space; perhaps consider higher tiers of storage as providing room for growth as your needs develop or mature - potentially extending the useful life of the device. 

Josh OSUIT wrote:

This answer is not helpful in the least bit.

Just because the answer isn't what you want to hear it doesn't mean it isn't helpful. At 64GB the iPad hasn't got enough memory. You can't add memory to your iPads. You and the OP are either going to have to change what you store on your iPads, change the way you use them or buy new devices. I understand that you might not want to hear that but that's the situation.

Lsmolina wrote:

100% agree. Buying storage isn’t an option for the way I use an iPad. I live and travel on my sailboat full time and many times don’t have connectivity so I need all my charts, manuals, and downloaded videos available offline. I’m already cherry-picking the apps I can keep on the device and I’m looking at the storage bar that’s showing that I’m out of room and quite literally half is OS/ system data. Very frustrating.

Arguably, given your dependence upon local storage for your marine charts, manuals and other offline material, you are a prime candidate for ensuring that your device has sufficient local storage - and the associated assessment of storage needs prior to purchase.

If you have exceeded the available storage of your device - and device replacement is not a viable or acceptable proposition - you might, as already outlined, consider connecting a USB storage device to your iPad. While not a full replacement for adequate local storage, this may provide a cost-effective alternative.

Your iPad will either have a Lightning or USB-C port - and may therefore require either an Adapter or USB hub to connect the USB Storage device. If your iPad has a Lightning port, you’ll need an Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter:

https://store.apple.com/xc/product/MK0W2ZM/A

USB storage is, unlike your iPad, very robust. Some USB devices are also water resistant - which for the environment in which you use your iPad, might be a useful consideration.

Have you tried a forced restart already?

This answer is not helpful in the least bit - the OP's issue is the same as mine. I have a freshly wiped 64gb iPad mini that I just updated to iOS 27 and it has 22gb of system data and 11gb of iPadOS on it. That's 33gb and HALF of the devices available storage just for the OS and "system files". It's a known issue that so far apple has refused to address. My iPhone 18 Pro has 22.3 gb of iOS data and 36GB of System Data and it's a 256gb model. 25-30% of my storage is unusable due to how apple OS is holding onto data.

Lsmolina wrote:

i think it’s reasonable for us to be concerned and disappointed that a 64GB iPad only lets you store 30-ish GB of data. That’s like someone selling you 1000 sq ft house and then saying you can only use 500 sq ft of it. This is obviously Apple’s way of getting someone to trade in an iPad for one with more storage***

[Edited by Moderator]

Equally, many would consider it unreasonable to be deprived of additional features and capabilities if an update were to be withheld from devices considered capable of running that version.

Functional updates and enhanced capabilities nearly always come with a hardware cost. In this instance, so as to maintain relative system performance, more temporary data is cached. Along with additional software assets occupying local storage, the consequence is less local storage being available for user data. For older devices that are storage constrained, this has potentially negative impact.

Clearly, Apple simply can't please everyone...

I 100% agree with buying the storage you need - I tell people this daily. But it doesn’t answer the problem of apples OS bloating and taking up excessive storage. I understand the reason why it’s 20+ gb but if for example a 64gb iPad that can’t even run some of the LLM stuff than that version of the OS shouldn’t be available for it. For what it’s worth, that iPad had one application on it (PayPal) and was running the previous version of the OS and I updated it because between the IPad OS and system files it was at 63gb. My iPhone right now, is at 22.3gb iOS and 40gb system data and apples solution to the system data is reboot which does nothing. That is what I meant by not being helpful to the OP - it’s not inherently a problem of buying too small. Also for what it’s worth some people can’t afford the biggest and best, and have to make do. It’s just in poor taste for a massive company like apple to turn a blind eye to a known issue and say reboot / the problem is your own / the problem is your poor. I 100% didn’t mean it as a slight against you or your post.

100% agree. Buying storage isn’t an option for the way I use an iPad. I live and travel on my sailboat full time and many times don’t have connectivity so I need all my charts, manuals, and downloaded videos available offline. I’m already cherry-picking the apps I can keep on the device and I’m looking at the storage bar that’s showing that I’m out of room and quite literally half is OS/ system data. Very frustrating.

i think it’s reasonable for us to be concerned and disappointed that a 64GB iPad only lets you store 30-ish GB of data. That’s like someone selling you 1000 sq ft house and then saying you can only use 500 sq ft of it. This is obviously Apple’s way of getting someone to trade in an iPad for one with more storage***

[Edited by Moderator]

I completely understand the difference between iCloud and device storage and I use iCloud for photos and videos because my iPad storage can’t store them without being at capacity but I disagree with your opinion that 64GB is not sufficient for practical use of downloading videos and having a few apps if you truly get 64 GB. I’ve got 2 seasons of a Netflix show downloaded and it takes 4GB and that’s the app taking up the most of my storage. My navionics charts take up 1.19GB. I’m down to the bare basics for other apps. If iPadOS and System Data didn’t take up 30GB of my storage I’d have no issues at all with 64GB