Hi there! I see you're trying to update the Substack app on your iPad but it says it requires a slightly later version of iOS than your device currently has. That can definitely make it tricky to get the update installed.

Could you please tell me the exact iOS or iPadOS version your iPad is currently running? You can find this by going to Settings > General > About > Software Version.

From what I’ve gathered, the latest Substack app needs iPadOS 17.0 or later to install1. Since your OS version is 10_15_7, which corresponds to macOS Catalina on Mac (and not iPadOS), could you confirm if you’re actually referring to your Mac or iPad?

If it’s your iPad and it’s running an older version of iPadOS, your device might not be compatible with the latest version of the app just yet. If your iPad supports iPadOS 17, you might want to update your iPadOS via Settings > General > Software Update.

If your device isn’t eligible for iPadOS 17, then unfortunately the app can't be updated to the newest version on that device. However, I can help explore other ways to access Substack content if you’d like.

Let me know what your current iPadOS version is, and we’ll take it from there!

16.7.12 is my version

Thanks for sharing your iPadOS version—16.7.12. That helps clarify things! To confirm, that’s the software you currently have on your iPad, correct?

With iPadOS 16.7.12, you should generally be able to run the Substack app, though the very latest versions sometimes require iPadOS 17 or higher. Since you mentioned the update says it requires a slightly later version, it sounds like the current app update has bumped the minimum OS requirement just above 16.7.

Regarding the features of the Substack app itself (version 16.7.12 isn’t a Substack app version but your iPadOS version), the latest Substack app offers:

- Beautiful, focused reading of posts with a queue functionality
- Access to world-class writing, podcasts, and videos
- Engaging real-time features like subscriber chats and livestreams
- A discovery feed to explore new independent creators and ideas
- All your subscriptions conveniently in one place1 2.

If your device’s OS can’t update beyond 16.7.12, the app won’t upgrade to the newest version. But you can still access Substack on your iPad’s browser via Safari or any browser at https://substack.com — the web experience is robust and offers most features.

Would you like me to guide you through clearing any app cache or uninstalling/reinstalling the app for your current OS? Or do you want help navigating the web version optimized for your device? Let me know how you want to proceed!

How to update to the latest version of Substack app?

Thanks for your question about updating the Substack app to the latest version on your iPad! Here’s a straightforward step-by-step for how to do that:

1. Check your iPadOS version — You already mentioned it’s 16.7.12. The newest Substack app usually requires iPadOS 17 or later. If you can, go to Settings > General > Software Update and see if an update to iPadOS 17 is available for your device.

2. Open the App Store app on your iPad.

3. Tap your profile icon at the top right corner.

4. Scroll down to see available updates.

5. Look for Substack in the list. If you see it, tap Update next to it.

6. If Substack doesn’t appear in the list of apps to update, try searching “Substack” in the App Store. If the app page shows an Open button rather than Update or Get, that means you have the latest compatible version installed already.

7. If the App Store says the app requires a newer iPadOS version than you have, and your device cannot upgrade to iPadOS 17, you won’t be able to update the app to the very latest version. In this case, you can continue using the version you have, or access Substack on your iPad’s browser via Safari at https://substack.com for a full experience.

8. If you’re running iPadOS 17 or later but still cannot update, try uninstalling the Substack app first by pressing its icon until you see the “Remove App” option, then reinstall it fresh from the App Store.

If you run into any specific error messages while updating, or want me to guide you through any of these steps, just let me know! I’m here to help.

Are you satisfied with the solution I provided?