Having issues and problems with your iPad?
Sadly, at one time or another, all of us iFolk run into an error, bug, or just plain Apple-weirdness.
And we need to do some iPad troubleshooting NOW.
If this sounds like you or a loved one, fear not! You are most certainly NOT alone.
And Apple ToolBox is at the ready, to work through some of your problems and hopefully get everything back to working order.
Periodically, our team here runs into trouble with our iDevices and iPads.
Contents
- 0.1 So to assist us all, we compiled a list of common symptoms and basic iPad troubleshooting tips!
- 0.2 Related Articles
- 1 General iPad Troubleshooting Tips and Maintenance
- 2 iPad Symptoms and Cures
- 2.1 Symptom: Why won’t my iPad turn on?
- 2.2 Check Out Our Video Tips for iPads Not Turning On (Dead)
- 2.3 Symptom: Why is my iPad not responding or slow to respond to my touch?
- 2.4 Symptom: Why cant I install the latest iOS /iPadOS update on iPad?
- 2.5 Symptom: Why isn’t my iPad showing up in iTunes when connected?
- 2.6 Symptom: My WiFi connection doesn’t work on my iPad, how do I fix it?
- 2.7 Symptom: Why isn’t an app or the App Store app working on my iPad?
- 2.8 Symptom: Why is my iPad not charging or is charging very slow?
- 2.9 Symptom: How do I stop my iPad battery from draining?
- 2.10 Symptom: My iPad is stuck in a reboot loop! How do I fix my iPad from restarting?
- 2.11 Related Posts:
So to assist us all, we compiled a list of common symptoms and basic iPad troubleshooting tips!
These tips are suitable for all iPad models, from the oldest to the newest.
Related Articles
- My iPad will not turn on: How to fix a dead device
- Black or Blank Screen on iPad or iPhone
- iPad running slow? How to speed up a slow iPad
- iPad Frozen, Not Responding, How To Fix
- Reset Your iPad Back To Factory Settings
General iPad Troubleshooting Tips and Maintenance
- Make sure that you have the latest version of iTunes. Use iTunes to backup and update your iOS software, if possible. We find that iTunes is more stable for updating and yield consistently good results
- Open the App Store and check and see if any of your apps have updates. If so, update your apps too
- Make sure that your iPad software is up to date. To check, first, connect your iPad to your computer, select your device in iTunes, and then click “Check for Update” in the Summary section of iTunes. You can also do a software upgrade wirelessly (iOS 5 or later) with your WiFi connection, tap Settings > General > Software Update
- Make sure that your battery is fully charged and then Optimize Settings for More Battery Power
- To improve battery life, you can turn off the feature that allows apps to refresh in the background. Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and set the switch to Off
- If the Mail app lists Background Activity, you can choose to fetch data manually or increase the fetch interval
- Clean Your iPad’s Screen–your know it’s time when your iPad has more fingerprints than pixels
- Delete any apps you no longer use or never used!
- BackUp–just in case you ever need it
- Free-Up Space with an iPad Spring Cleaning–yeah, it’s that important we should do this at least once a year and preferably MORE
iPad Symptoms and Cures
Symptom: Why won’t my iPad turn on?
Turn your iPad off and on
- On an iPad with no Home Button and iPhones X or later: press and hold the Side/Top/Power button and either volume button until the slider appears
- On an iPad or iPhone with a Home Button and iPod Touch: press and hold the Side/Top/Power button until the slider appears
- Drag the slider to turn the device off and after the device turns off, press and hold that Side/Top/Power button again until you see the Apple Logo
- With iOS 11 and above, restart using Settings > General > Shut Down
Reset or force restart your iPad
- On an iPad with no Home Button and iPhones 8 or later: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and immediately release the Volume Down button. Then press and hold the Side/Top/Power button until the device restarts
- On an iPhone 6s and earlier, iPad with a Home Button, or iPod touch: Press and hold both the Home and the Top (or Side) buttons for at least 10 seconds, until you see the Apple logo
Check Out Our Video Tips for iPads Not Turning On (Dead)
Symptom: Why is my iPad not responding or slow to respond to my touch?
- It may be that your screen is dirty. Try cleaning your screen
- To do this, unplug everything, turn off iPad (see above), then with a very soft, lint-free and slightly damp cloth gently wipe the screen. Do NOT use window cleaners and paper towels
- If you have any screen protector sheet, try removing it
Symptom: Why cant I install the latest iOS /iPadOS update on iPad?
- If you were able to download the iOS update but the install button is grayed out, you may be missing one of these:
- The iPad must be charged to over 50%
- Low Power Mode must be OFF
- You cannot be connected through VPN
- You must have a Wi-Fi connection (not cellular)
Symptom: Why isn’t my iPad showing up in iTunes when connected?
- Check that your Lightning port is clear of any dusty, debris, or dirt
- Make sure that you have the latest version of iTunes
- iPad requires USB 2.0 or higher to function properly. Unplug your iPad from your computer, and plug it into a different USB port
- Turn your iPad off and on
- Disconnect your iPad from your computer, then turn your computer off and on and reconnect
- Especially for Windows users, if the above steps do not resolve your issue, uninstall iTunes entirely and then reinstall the latest version of iTunes
- If you are on macOS Catalina on your MacBook, you will need to use Finder to sync or restore your iPad
Symptom: My WiFi connection doesn’t work on my iPad, how do I fix it?
- Turn WiFi off and then on by tapping Settings > Wi-Fi
- Make sure that your Wi-Fi router and the modem is on
- Update your Wi-Fi software to the latest version.
- Turn your iPad off and on by holding the On/Off button until “slide to power off” shows
- Turn your Wi-Fi router off and on
- Change your DNS settings to use Google’s Public DNS of 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. Learn more about how changing your DNS improves performance
- Tap Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings and reset your network settings
Why is my regular Wi-Fi password not working after updating to iPadOS 13 or above? Check these tips for fixing Wi-Fi issues on iOS 13 / iPadOS+.
Symptom: Why isn’t an app or the App Store app working on my iPad?
- Update your iPad to the latest iOS version
- Check to see if there is an update for your app, if there is, update (App Store > Updates)
- Only one app with issues? Try closing the app by double pressing Home or swiping up the Home Gesture Bar and swiping up on the problem app’s preview to close it. Then relaunch that app and see if it works normally
- Turn your iPad off and on
- Force restart your iPad by pressing both the home and power buttons and maintain this hold until you see the Apple logo on the screen. Then release the buttons and the iPad restarts
- Remove the app. You may want to backup before removing any app. Tap and hold on the app icon until the icons start to wiggle. Just tap the “x” button to delete an app. After removing the app, go to the App Store and reinstall it.
Symptom: Why is my iPad not charging or is charging very slow?
- To charge your iPad, you can try either connecting your iPad to a power outlet or connecting to a port on your computer using the charging cable that came with your iPad.
- Computers generally don’t supply enough power to their USB ports to be able to charge an iPad. When this happens, a “Not Charging” message appears
- Check that your Lightning Port on both your iPad and your charger is clean and clear of any debris, lint, or dust
Symptom: How do I stop my iPad battery from draining?
- Change your notification settings to Show Previews only when unlocked instead of always
- Use headphones or earphones instead of your iPad’s speakers
- Turn off background app refresh
- Turn down your iPad’s screen brightness or have your iOS manage brightness settings via Auto-Brightness
- Set your iPad’s Auto-Lock to 30 seconds via Display & Brightness Settings
- Switch off the Data Roaming Setting – Even in older iPads, we have seen that the wi-fi/cellular settings can cause battery drain. Switching off the Data Roaming may help in addressing this issue.
- If you have the Wi-Fi/Cellular iPad, tap on Settings > Cellular Data > Toggle off. Do the same for the other mobile options, i.e., Cellular Data > Cellular Data Options > Enable LTE to off and Data Roaming to off
- Once you have set the settings to off; next you can toggle them back to ON. This simple toggling of Cellular related options can often fix battery issues on an iPad that has both Wi-Fi and Cellular
Sometimes the iPad consumes excessive battery if there is a process in the stuck mode
Try doing a forced restart on the iPad.
Let the device charge until 100% and then start using it and see if it made a difference to your situation.
Symptom: My iPad is stuck in a reboot loop! How do I fix my iPad from restarting?
The chances are that your iPad has insufficient battery power even to start up
Usually, iPads don’t attempt to restart until there is enough battery power.
But for you (and some unlucky others), something is telling the iPad to try to boot even though the battery can’t last long enough to finish.
Hence, the loop you experience–charging a little, attempting a boot, shutting off, charging a little, trying to boot and so forth again and again.
We need to get your iPad sufficiently charged to complete a normal and full boot cycle
- Plug the iPad into a power source. Ideally, use the charger that came with your iPad. DO NOT plug it into your computer
- Next, hold down the home button and the power button simultaneously for as long as you possibly can–the longer, the better–and ideally at least 30 minutes to 1 hour
- Holding down these two buttons prevents that loop cycle. That allows your iPad to charge up a bit. Think creatively about how to hold these buttons down for a length of time
- As soon as you release these buttons, your iPad tries to boot. If you don’t hold Home and Power long enough for a sufficient charge, that loop pattern continues
- So try and hold down these buttons for as long as possible–or create some makeshift tools to assist–keep these gentle, so they don’t cause other damage
Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.
Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.
In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.
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Why does my ipad screen not return to normal size after zoom? When they open Safari and use chrome sometimes I cannot see the screen because it zoomed in too far. The page does not fit the screen. I often get split screen trying to zoom out and can’t get it to return back to normal. each update seems to be getting worse.
I get quite a bit of piano music from Amazon to my Kindle. I have 2 issues you may be able to answer.
1. There is some type of blue line segment that surrounds the page and
2. Why is there a large X in the upper right-hand corner of the screen? It is almost impossible to get that X removed!
I use my I-pad for performances so you can see these issues are very irritating.
Thank You
Battery charges perfectly, connects to WiFi perfectly…but…when I try to access any program, Facebook, Email, or even a game…the IPad shuts the program off and goes back to the home screen. I am at a loss how to fix this.
Can you help.
I am having the same problem. Did you find a solution? Thank you.
Often I will click on an app (this happens to all apps) and it will come on and then go back to the home screen. This happens often, and there seems to be no reason why. Any thoughts?
I am having the same problem. Did you find a solution?
My ipad air 2 will no connect to wifi. Other items in the house connect. I have followed every one of the steps. what else could be wrong?
Purchased latest version iPad Air. I can not get email to work
I am trying to post something to Facebook with a photo. For the last 4 days it has worked fine. Today it says that it is taking a while to post and has stated that for the last hour. I tried changing the photo but it did not make a difference
In messenger,on the names of my contacts in upper right corner there is a icon of phone n video camera except one name.how can I correct this.??without this that contact can not receive phone call or video,n can’t make call. Ty
I am using CareLogic for work and the hyperlinks within the program are not working via Safari nor Chrome. It was working fine. I have turned Java Script on and off, I have accepted blocked pop-ups.
I am unable to charge the iPad model A1397.. the screen shows the ITUNES icon and under it the charging mechanism that is plugged into the ipad… what does this mean?
In messenger,on the names of my contacts in upper right corner there is a icon of phone n video camera except one name.how can I correct this.??without this that contact can not receive phone call or video,n can’t make call. Ty
A silver circle has appeared on my I-pad screen it is approx 2″ wide any idea what has caused this to happen
Hi Shirley,
This sounds like assistive touch, an accessibility feature. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch, then select AssistiveTouch to turn it off. Then go to Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut and turn if off or change it to something else you want.
Liz
Using iPad for Zoom
Microphone has such bad quality such as echo/crackling that I always have to be muted as causing problem in meeting?
Any ideas?
Hi Chris,
Remove any case and screen protector and check if those cause issues. If not, try cleaning your microphones and speakers
Hi,
I am having an issue with my iPad pro series 1 in that it will show charging when connected to my windows 10 PC but will not connect to iTunes.
Progress to eliminate this issue thus far is
removed old iTunes and all associated files and folders from PC and reloaded windows 64 iTunes from apple (MS) site backed up the iPad and erased all data and reimaged to get latest version of iTunes. I did not reinstall the backed up file to eliminate the possibility of there being some file that is causing the problem. I now have my iPhone 6s connecting with no problem and my iPad mini connecting no problem but the iPad pro charges but will not connect.
any suggestions?
Safari has been acting very odd lately on my iPad.
If I have a number of sites open (let’s say just 4) and I shut it down, or lose my WiFi when I open up safari again sometimes all the sites are gone.
I open up new ones and continue where I was and the next time
I close down (or sometimes on just its own whim) and come back to Safari the old sites that I had open are back and the new ones are gone.
This has never happened before on this or my previous iPad.
Does anyone have an answer to this bizarre situation?
Hi,
I am looking for a fix for for photos that are blurry in my ipad, and will not fully download.
Any idea how I can fix this issue.
Thank you, Barry
My iPad Pro 11:
Each time I do a google search the screen pops back to the home screen in about 30 Sec. It is updated to 13.4.1 turning off and on doesn’t help.
Thanks!
Hi Terry,
this usually means that an update to the app is available.
Check the App Store and see if any apps need updating. If so, update them.
The Reminders app on my iPad will not sync with my phone. iPhone is running on version 13.4.1 iPad has version 12.4.6 and says it’s updated. How do I fix this?
Hi ,can you help please .why has my iPad suddenly to be connected to my WiFi hub every time I switch on ? It was connecting automatically.
Thanks
When I want to write an email, I tap the writing icon on the upper right corner and noting happens. I have to go to contacts and click the mail icon or recall a trashed message to set the page for writing a n email.
How do I fix it?
My husband has managed to put the privacy setting on my iPad. How do I get it off.
Hi Lesley,
Do you mean Screen Time? Try turning Screen Time off–go to Settings > Screen Time > tap Turn Screen Time off.
If that doesn’t work, you need to ask your husband to remove those restriction settings.
I have an iPad A1337 it keeps going into reboot mode.
I have connected to iTunes and restored the software on it.
It then seems to work fine for limited things like reading emails and word doc/pdf attachments and viewing YouTube, but then when I turn it off, the next time I try to use it, the initial problem reoccurs with it keep turning off after about 2 or 3 minutes and then keeps going into reboot mode.
PS, I have checked that the iPad is running the correct OS for its age and iTunes is the correct version for A1337, also it is not a battery issue as the iPad still has the same problem when it is fully charged and/or connected to a power source.
2018 iPad Pro 11 inch – Volume up button not working. It seems ok physically but the iPad does not respond when the button is depressed. I’ve tried just about everything… restart, resetting all settings. I’m of the opinion it may be an operating system fault.
Is there any way I can run a diagnostic test to check the operating system (IOS).
Can anybody help, please, thanks.
Hi Marcus,
Apple does not offer a consumer diagnostic app, but there are third-party apps that offer some diagnostic tools. We do not recommend any particular app, so check the app store and read through the reviews to ensure they do what they promise.
Apple does have diagnostic tools that its technical support team can use on your device, so it cannot hurt to contact Apple Support and see if they are able to run any of these tools remotely.
My mini iPad keeps changing the characters when I type .
At times I can not use the iPad because it keeps adding additional characters in my texts.
It’s as if the keyboard itself has a mind of its own.
It is extremely frustrating
Please help.
This message is sent on my second iPad as I cannot get google on the one with the address shown in the above box. Google shows as an app but switches itself off as soon as I try to use it. Please help
Hi Leah,
I don’t think I completely understand what’s going on with your iPad. Are you using the Apple Mail app? Or are you using Google’s Gmail app?
If you use Safari and try logging into Gmail using the browser version, can you do that?
The center part of the screen is white which makes the icons hard to see. It is normal color about a half an inch all the way around. The icons are easy to see when sliding them over, but in the majority of the screen the icons and words are hard to see or read.
Why does a lock keep showing up when i am playing games on i pad mini 2 it goes away than comes back. do can still play games. does not stop anything can you help?
iPad air first generation. After Using voice to text, as I am doing now, once I stop recording I hear a rapid beeping sound. The only way to stop the sound by unplugging the power. How do I solve this problem?
Hi Bob,
Does the beeping only cease when unplugging?
First, let’s reset Dictation. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard and toggle Enable Dictation off–then confirm with Turn Off Dictation. Restart the iPad, and return to those settings and turn Dictation back on. Depending on your iOS version, you may need to set-up Siri again as well.
then test and see if the beeping is gone or remains.
If it’s still there, try this:
1) Tap the microphone icon to start dictation feature
2) Before you begin speaking, tap the volume buttons on the side to turn the volume down all the way down
3) Then speak your message and see if the beeping stops
If that doesn’t help, let us know what iOS version you run and the exact model info–find this data in Settings > General > About
Version 12.4.5
Model # MD787LL/A
I did as you instructed and I had to use the reduction of volume to Stop the beeping. I tried three times with the volume up & The beeping returned. I then did it again with the volume off and tried it six more times with the volume up and the beeping return. Thank you for your help and it’ll be nice not to hear that beeping all the time. It appears that the beeping will return after a few sessions of Dictation. This is a great improvement. Is there a solution to make this permanent ?
Hi Bob,
When you turn down the volume with dictation open, it should not impact any other sound volumes (like for calls, music, video apps, and so forth)
At this time, this process is the only way we know to lower those annoying dictation beeps!
Open an app that supports dictation and access the keyboard
Press the Mic icon
Don’t say something, press the volume down button until the on-screen slider moves to its lowest position.
Press the Keyboard symbol to close
Then press the Mic icon again, you should no longer hear those beeps
There used to be an option in Settings > Sounds to adjust the system sounds–but that option is gone! What a shame.
The images are not rotating properly when I turn my iPad from vertical to horizontal.
Some games won’t play as usual when I rotate the iPad.
Suddenly in zoom meetings the picture is only in the center of the screen rather than showing the entire screen.
In Words with Friends, I can play with the screen the right way, top to bottom, but any messages, like when a word won’t work, shows up upside down.
I don’t know how to fix these problems. Help m
When I open an attachment, it comes up on the right hand side and not a full page. I can’t get rid of it even though I ave tried swiping it away. Can you help?
HI Alice,
It sounds like you opened it in Quick Look. Try tapping the attachment once with a quick tap rather than a tap plus hold.
How do I get my keyboard to stay at the bottom of the screen instead of in the middle blocking everything
Hi Theresa,
Press and hold the key in the bottom right corner that looks like mini-keyboard, choose Dock from the list of options.
My screen has changed colors and I can hardly read anything! My iPad got very hot yesterday while I was using it.
If someone sends me a email that has link to something and I press the link the end result does not seem right.
I press the link and it opens no problem but it is only small and difficult to read . The open link is only as wide as about the quarter of the screen ( I use my iPad in landscape ) and I cannot figure out how to get open links as large as the screen.
Hi Edward,
It sounds like your email links are opening up in a floating slide-over window in Safari–so part of your screen shows the link’s contents in Safari and part of your screen shows your Mail app.
To get Safari full screen,
1) In the floating slide-over window, press and hold the gray handlebar that’s at the top
2) Drag that handlebar slightly down until the app icon shows up in place of the content
3) Drag and then drop that app icon in the top center of your iPad’s screen
To turn off slide-over completely, go to Settings > Home Screen & Dock > Multitasking and toggle off Allow Multiple Apps
Hi my ipad mini 2019 wont pause when pressed on Netflix and utube
Hi Donna,
Try closing all your open apps, restart your iPad, and test again to see if the pause button now works.
To close apps.
On an iPad with iOS 12 or later or iPadOS, from the Home screen, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause slightly in the middle of the screen. Or for older iOS versions, double-press the home button to open the app switcher
Swipe up on each app’s preview to close the app
Repeat until all apps are closed
When I click on a website sent through an email, the site comes up as a vertical strip on the side of the screen. How can I get it fullscreen again? I am not able to view the full site without scrolling left and right.
HI Barabra,
It sounds like you have your iPad in split-view mode in Safari.
To get back to a single screen in Safari, orient your iPad into landscape mode
Open Safari, if it’s not already open
To exit Split View, touch and hold the button that looks like overlapping squares, and choose either Merge All Windows or Close All Tabs. Or tap the “x” button to close your Safari tabs individually.
If that didn’t work, it’s possible that your iPad is in split-screen mode, to turn this off see this article: How-to close apps in iPad multitasking Split View or Slide-Over
While I am typing an email in Yahoo Mail and I get to a certain length , each time I press a letter on the keypad the text drops behind the keyboard so I cannot see what I am typing . This happens everytime I press something on the keyboard
Why do I have to turn it off then back on to get my email every day. If I don’t it will buffer forever. Thanks?
I haven’t used my IPad Air for over5 months and now it won’t open with any of my known Passwords. How can I start it from any of my Apple devices.
Esohe,
Is it the device passcode that you cannot remember or the Apple ID password?
Are you seeing a message that your iPad Air is disabled and to try again in XX minutes (or hours/days)?
Check out these references for assistance and guidance.
What to do when your iPad is disabled and says “Connect to iTunes”
Forgot iPhone/iPad passcode? How to reset your passcode
I manage a fleet of iPad 6th 7th Gen and build them using Hexnode.
The new builds are having issues with screen capture while using safari.
If a person is in a web site and takes a snapshot it will kick them out of the site with the error “Your access has expired, please re-login ” and forcing them to access the site again.
This has only started occurring on the new builds in the last few weeks.
Prior to that, there are no issues.
Is there a workaround for this problem?
Hi Mark,
First, check if you inadvertently placed a restriction on screenshots–if your users can take a screenshot in another app, then there is no restriction. However, if they are unable to take screenshots elsewhere, then its likely there is a restriction. This could be in Screen Time or in Hexnode’s Advanced Restrictions.
People also see this error when Safari is blocking cookies.
Go to Settings > Safari
Make sure “Block All Cookies” is turned off
Then close Safari and relaunch it
To close Safari
Double-click the Home button to show your most recently used apps
Swipe right or left to find Safari
Swipe up on the Safari app’s preview to close the app
If none of these solutions works for you, we suggest you reach out to Hexnode support
My finger does not work when zoom asks to place my finger non comment that shows when trying to get zoom , what can I do
iPad will not hold the page that I want to see, work, play on. It will come up and a few seconds & will disappear. It will bring up the web browser, but when you try to bring up google, or another page. It goes back to the home page. thank you
My IPad Air backing is coming unglued. How do I fix it at home.
Hi Barbara,
The best recommendation is to call Apple Support or contact a local shop that specializes in Apple.
If you do not want to go this route, some readers have used a very small amount of super glue (Gorilla brand–but brand probably does not matter) around the edge and then applied pressure via heavy books (or similar) to secure the glue bond. Make sure you cover the screen with a cloth (cover just the screen and tape it around so it doesn’t overflow into the edges you are gluing together.) Just bear in mind that this can be risky!
Another option is to purchase an iPad Air cover that fits snuggly around your iPad Air and keeps those pieces that are coming undone together–this is a far safer recommendation since it does not include glue.
As my guarantee runs out at the end of April I would like to get my problems sorted
One thing that happens is when I am typing the lower keys change to upper keys.
Pages keep moving to another page then come back again
When I click on to Google I often get a blank page.and when the box appears it takes a while before I am able to type
Lots of logos appear but the disappear.
There Are other thing that happen but I can’t bring them to mind
They may seem minor faults but they are very frustrating