How do I stop iOS apps updating?

[LarryfromGwent]

I have an iPhone 4s and iPad2, both running iOS 9.3.5, the last iOS update which will run on these models.

However, iTunes keeps trying to get me to update Keynote, Pages and Numbers - I currently have versions 2.6.2. The new version is 3 which only works with iOS 10

The first time this happened, I just hit update all as I usually do only to discover Keynote, Pages and Numbers 3 requires iOS 10. Fortunately, I had a backup and could recover and re-install the old versions.

So now, when I'm updating apps on my iPhone 4s and iPad2, I have to individually select each app and tell it to update, avoiding updating Keynote, Pages and Numbers - it's time consuming and a pain.

Apple know I have an iOS which is incompatible with Keynote, Pages and Numbers 3. Trying to make me update to version which isn't going to work won't get me to but a newer iPhone or iPad. I fact, it's more likely to make me buy a Android system.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

I assume this issue is happening in iTunes and not on the iOS devices. iTunes isn't smart enough to remember your iOS device models/iOS versions as far as updating apps, so it will always attempt to download the latest versions. Because you can sync multiple iOS devices, and they aren't connected most of the time, iTunes cannot track which devices/iOS version you own and enable storgae of multiple versions of the iOS apps. This is the way it works on all Macs. I agree it is a pain, but it is what it is.

The saving grace is that if you were to restore your iPhone/iPad and reinstall the apps, you can always download the latest compatible versions of the iWork apps directly from the App Store on the devices. Since the App Store communicates with the devices directly, it will know which version of iOS they are running, and if it tries to download/install a newer version that isn't compatible, it will tell you that and offer to download/install an older compatible version.

C