Since all iPad apps come from the same source (namely the App Store, or iTunes Store), Apple keeps track of all versions and sub-versions of apps as they are released in the store by their developers. And since, whenever you install an application on your iPad from the store, its version number is listed, it is very easy to figure out if you have available updates for one or more of the apps you have installed on your device, as you'll learn in this tutorial.
See if you have any updates to install on your iPad
Here are the simple steps to follow to check for updates for your iPad apps:
- First, if needed, click on the Home button to see your Home screen.
- Look for the "App Store" icon, and tap on it.
- By default, the App Store will load with the screen that was last selected when you launched that application.
- There is an "Updates" button at the bottom of the screen, and it may already display a white number on a redirect background, indicating the number of updates you currently have ready to download and install.
- Tap on the Updates button, and a screen will open, listing all the updates available; depending on the number of applications you have installed on your iPad, and how long ago you last checked for updates, you may have too many updates to see in a single screen, in which case you can flick up or down with your finger to scroll through the entire list of updates. The next tutorial explains how to download and install updates on your iPad.
This is all it takes to check for new updates for your iPad apps; note that this approach allows you to update your iPad from the device itself. But Apple also lets you do the same thing from iTunes: once you plug your iPad into your Mac or PC, iTunes will automatically check in the App Store for new updates, and tell you about them. It doesn't matter how you install your app updates, your iPad and iTunes won't install them twice.