Apple’s iPad has consistently marked among thebest tablets, and is considered to be a sort of trailblazer in the field in its own right. As a logical result, your first encounters with common tablet glitches are likely to be iPad glitches. If you’re not sure what to do to fix your device, that’s okay, as you have to start somewhere. Here are some somewhat common problems that we’ve found plague iPads again and again, as well as some related iPad troubleshooting advice. Take care and read through the issues related to your problem to get started troubleshooting your iPad.

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What You Need

Apple iPad

While the following issues are all centered on the basic Apple iPad, they may also apply to other versions of Apple’s tablet. We also have guides available toiPad Pro problemsas well asiPad Air problems, should you be looking for more device-specific advice.

It should also go without saying that the age-old advice ofturn it off and then turn it back on againalso applies to your iPad. Our intensive guide abouthow to reset an iPad— which includes both soft resets and factory resets — may be of additional guidance for you as well.

Dead pixels

It can be frustrating if a pixel isn’t working on your iPad. You’ll first notice this as an unresponsive dot on the display that doesn’t change, or stays black no matter what happens. Sometimes there may be more than one pixel like this.

Possible solutions

iPadOS updates not installing

Eager to get the latest iOS/iPadOS updates and all the new features offered? You may discover that your iPad is obstinately refusing to download the update, even if it says it will or if it was scheduled to update at a specific time. Fortunately, this is usually due to not meeting specific requirements needed to update, not a permanent flaw on your iPad.

Still not working? Here are some common issues that prevent updates:

  • verify your iPad battery has at least a 50% charge. To be safe, it’s a good idea to just plug your iPad in before you start a big update.
  • Make sure you are not using a cellular data connection for your internet. The iPad will not start such a big download when on a data connection to avoid using up cell data.
  • Check that Low Power Mode is turned off. If it’s accidentally enabled, the update probably won’t work.
  • Disable your VPN if you are using one. While you may whitelist sites on many VPNs, that doesn’t really work for downloading a software update straight from Apple, so disable it for this change, and turn it back on afterward.

The frozen screen glitch

You may find from time to time that your iPad screen freezes and remains unresponsive to your touch. You’re not alone, as this is a common complaint. The most likely source of the problem is an app, but it’s not always easy to identify which one. If it happens repeatedly, take note of what you have running and try uninstalling it to see if that solves the problem permanently. Whatever the cause, your immediate solutions to quickly troubleshoot a frozen iPad screen are the same.

iPad won’t turn on

It’s a nightmare with any electronic device when it refuses to turn on at all. Don’t assume the worst, though, it may prove easy to revive.

iTunes or Finder don’t recognize the iPad

iTunes or Finder can sometimes glitch out and not recognize your iPad. Obviously speaking, this can cause major issues with using your iPad as intended. If iTunes or Finder aren’t recognizing your iPad then you can try a few things to solve the problem.

iPad won’t charge

If you find that your iPad won’t charge when you plug it into a power adapter, there are a couple of possible reasons. If it doesn’t charge when you plug it into the computer, it may just be the port you are using, try the power adapter instead. You can see whether the USB port on your computer is charging it or not by looking at the battery icon on the iPad. If it is charging, you’ll see the lightning symbol; if not, it will sayNot chargingnext to it. Some computer ports can’t provide enough juice to charge the iPad, and it will always charge more slowly via the computer, even if it does work. Read on for more ways to troubleshoot and iPad that just won’t charge.

iPad won’t connect to Wi-Fi

Very few users will want an iPad that isn’t connected to the internet, but getting connected isn’t always easy. Before you start serious troubleshooting, you should checkSettings>Wi-Fion the iPad and make sure that it is turned on. It’s also worth making sure that Wi-Fi is accessible on another device.

iPad running slow or lagging

If you find that your iPad is not its usual zippy self and you are experiencing lag when you navigate, you can try a couple of fixes. You may just have too many things running.

Cellular data connection dropping

Cellular data connections dropping can cause serious annoyances as you move about. Obviously, this will be seriously influenced by how good the coverage is in your area. If you have good coverage on the same network with your phone, but the iPad is struggling, you could try a couple of things. First, check inSettings > General > Cellularand make sure it’s on. You could also try a restart. If it continues to be a problem, go through the steps below.

iPad randomly crashes and glitches out

Sometimes your iPad will randomly turn off, restart, or have an app crash. You might find that this is a bigger issue on older iPads. you’re able to try a few different things to alleviate the problem. It is quite likely to be related to specific apps, so take note of what you were doing when it crashes and see if a pattern emerges over time.

Slow battery recharges

When everything is running as it usually should, your iPad should take about three hours to recharge. If you own an older model, it still would only take about four hours, at a maximum. That said, many users report that it takes much longer for their iPad to recharge fully. We have a couple of tips to try and speed up the charging process.

Apple Pencil not working

We completely understand how frustrating this issue can be, mainly because you likely bought the Pencil to pair specifically with your iPad. We have several solutions to try out to get the two working together again.

iPad stuck in bootloops

A bootloop is a glitch where your device gets stuck in a cycle of turning off and turning back on; The iPad continues repeating that over and over again on a seemingly endless loop. We’ve found that these frustrating cycles tend to result from a bug in whatever app you were last trying to use. That said, there could also be a couple of other factors causing the bootloop. We have several recommendations to try out to stop the looping before you take your iPad to the Apple Store for help.

Possible solutions

  • Wait for an update. Unfortunately, bootloops are often caused by bugs in specific apps or the iPad’s current operating system. In that situation, you just need to wait for an app or OS update to be released. A recent example of this happened in June 2020, when a version of iPad iOS caused iPads to bootloop unexpectedly while working, usually around a minute or so after starting up. Apple doesn’t waste a second when it comes to releasing patches for these problems. Just keep an eye out for new updates.
  • Force a manual restart, or “soft reset,” and see if it solve the problem. A manual reset is a powerful troubleshooting tool. To start the reboot, hold thePowerandHomebuttons down for about 10 seconds simultaneously. You don’t have to count it down; you’ll see when the reboot has started because the Apple logo will appear on the screen. Some newer iPads don’t have a Home button. For those devices, press and quickly release theVolume upbutton, press and quickly release theVolume downbutton, and then press and hold thePowerbutton until the device restarts. If this doesn’t work, you may need to force a factory reset, unfortunately. Before resetting anything, though, may sure you back up all of your important data.
  • Go into recovery mode. This feature prevents bootloops and opens the door for your iPad to fully update if your device is stuck in an infinite bootloop. Apple hasa full guide, but to explain it briefly — connect your iPad to a computer; then press and release theVolume upbutton, theVolume downbutton, theTopbutton, and then hold theTopbutton as your iPad restarts. If this is completed correctly, your iPad will reboot into recovery mode. If your device has a Home button, hold theHomeandTopbuttons simultaneously. Continue holding them until you see that recovery screen.