What’s the Problem?
Getting the app onto the iPad is only part of the problem. Most apps are built for a newer version of iOS, so the current version of the app won’t work on the original iPad running iOS 5.1.1. However, assuming there is a version of the app that runs on the older operating system, you can put it on your iPad. First, try to download the app through the App Store on the iPad. In theory, this process should work, and for apps that have an original iPad-compatible version available, the iPad should prompt you to download the older version. At this point, confirm that you want to download the old version. In practice, this process doesn’t always work, but there is a neat trick that can help you get over this App Store hurdle.
How to Download Apps to the First-Generation iPad
The trick here is to go around the App Store to make the purchase on a computer and only use the App Store on the iPad to download the already purchased app. You do this by using iTunes on your PC or Mac to make the purchase. In 2017, Apple removed the App Store from iTunes, so you need an older version of iTunes. Once downloaded and installed, you have access to the App Store through the iTunes app on your computer. If you use Windows, you need to remove the previously installed version of iTunes before installing the older version.
