How to Find Your iPad Pro Model: The Ultimate Guide

Apple’s iPad nomenclature is confusing, and none of their devices have the year noted anywhere on the device. If you were about to pull the trigger and buy a iPad Pro 12.9 5th generation case, then suddenly realized you didn’t know if it would fit, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll show you how to find out iPad Pro Model, and give you a full rundown of the evolution of everyone’s favorite device: Apple’s iPad Pro.

How to Find Your iPad Pro Model in Settings

If you’ve got your iPad open in front of you right now, it’s easy to find the model number in Settings. Click through Settings, then go to General. Click through About, and you’ll find a nice summary of useful information about your iPad.

First is name— the name you gave your device— and next is software version. This tells you what version of iPadOS you are running, and you’ll be able to determine whether it’s the newest version or whether you are due an update. Under the software version is the model name. 

If you’ve got an iPad Pro, your model name should say that, and it may also give another detail or two— for instance, iPad Pro (12.9 inch). What model name won’t tell you is your generation or year. To find this, you have to dig deeper into model number. 

The model number is actually the next line in the About screen, but you have to tap on it to show the actual model number— a short number beginning with A. Your model number is unique to your generation of iPad Pro, so that’s all you need to find out which iPad Pro you’ve got.

How to Find Your iPad Pro Model on the Physical Device

If your iPad Pro is turned off, or you just don’t feel like going into Settings, there’s another way of finding the iPad model by looking at the physical device itself. If your device has a cover or case, remove that first, then turn it over, and look toward the bottom of the device, right under the big words iPad.

Under those words are some smaller text. Line one begins with “Designed by Apple”, and it’s at the end of that line that you should see your model number, right after the word “Model’. Your model number begins with the letter A. For instance, if your iPad Pro was the original 2015 Wi-Fi model, it would read Model A1584.

Apple’s iPad Pro Lineup: Model Numbers and Key Changes

Once you have your model numbers, what next? Well, now you need to know how to map them to iPad years and generations. 

• Apple released its first iPad Pro in 2015, and that was a 12.9 model. It came with two model numbers: A1584 for the WiFi only version, and A1652 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular version that had a spot for a nano-SIM on the right. This first iPad Pro came with a black or white front bee, two cameras, and a lightning port and smart connector. It opened with touch ID working on the home button. 

• The 2016 iPad was just 9.7 inch. This again came in cell and no-cell options, and the Wi-Fi only version was labeled A1673. For WiFi and Cellular Apple used two model numbers: A1674 and A1675. This iPad also had black or white bezels and looked very similar to the previous year’s model, just smaller. 

• In 2017 the iPad Pro came in two different sizes, and even the smaller one was bigger than the 2016 iPad— 10.5 inches, to be exact. The numbers for this 10.5 inch iPad are A1701 for the Wi-Fi only version, and A1709 and A1852 for the cellular + Wi-Fi versions. Again we have the bezels, touch ID, and a big home button with touch ID front and center. 

• The larger 2017 iPad Pro was 12.9 inch, just like the original iPad Pro, and much the same in terms of looks. This one was labeled A1980 for Wi-Fi, and the Wi-Fi and cellular version had three mode numbers: A2013, A1934, and A1979.

• In 2018 Apple gave us both an 11 inch and 12.9 inch iPad Pro, and this is where both bezels and the hoe button disappeared in favor of edge-to-edge display. The 11 inch model was labeled A1980 for Wifi, and A2013, A1934, or A1979 for Wi-Fi and cell-capable. The 12.9 inch Wi-Fi only version was labeled A1976, and the Wi-Fi + Cell came with any of three model numbers: A1895, A1983, A2014. Since this was the third 12.9 inch iPad Pro, it’s also called the 12.9 inch iPad Pro 3rd generation (yes, ‘generations’ only count iPads with the same dimensions).

• For 2020 Apple unveiled another 11 and 12.9 inch set; the 11 inch is considered a ‘second generation’ and the 12.9 inch ‘fourth’. The 2020 11 inch was labeled A2228 for WiFi, and A2068, A2230, or A2231 for Wi-Fi + cellular. 2020 12.9 inch iPad Pros have the numbers A2229 (Wi-Fi only), A2069, A2232, or A2233.  The most obvious physical change was in the back cameras: both versions featured both a 10 MP ultra wide and 12 MP back cameras. 

• 2021 brought us the 3rd generation 11 inch iPad Pro and the 5th generation 12.9 inch.  For 11 inch, the numbers are A2377 (wifi) and A2459, A2460, and A2301 for Wi-Fi + cell. For the larger model, the numbers are A2378 (WiFi), A2461, A2462, an A2379 for WiFi + cell.

That’s a lot! But that encompasses all the iPad Pro model numbers you can have. Why Apple didn’t go with a simpler numbering system, no one knows. But it is what it is, and the good thing is— you can figure out the release year and generation from the model number, if you know what came out when.  Do you get to buy that iPad pro 12.9 5th generation case? Well, if your numbers are A2378, A2461, A2462, or A2379 you certainly do!