iPads have a pretty good reputation for working smoothly. Still, they sometimes hang or freeze. This raises the question: how can you best fix a frozen iPad without losing data?
Connect it to a power source and close any unnecessary apps. If that does not help, try rebooting the device by pressing and holding the home and top buttons. If the iPad gets stuck on starting, you will need a macOS to update the iPad’s software. If this does not help, the best thing to do is contact Apple Support.
If that was a bit too quick, worry not. We will take you through the best ways to get your frozen iPad running in all possible scenarios step by step.
Method #1: If Your iPad Has Slowed Down
The first possible scenario is that your iPad hasn’t completely stopped. Instead, it has slowed down. Here’s what to do.
Connect to a Power Source
The first thing to do if your iPad takes too much time to load is connect it to a power source. Chances are it’s just low on battery.
Closing Apps
If connecting to a power source didn’t do you any good, try shutting down unnecessary apps. The device’s RAM is often overwhelmed, and releasing some load off takes it back to normal.
Deleting Corrupted Apps
Another possible cause of slowed working is a corrupted app. It’s easy to catch since your device will experience slowing down every time you open a specific app. If that’s the case, try deleting and re-installing the app.
Method #2: If Your iPad Is Unresponsive
The second possible scenario is that your iPad is completely unresponsive. The screen is stuck in one place or stands black and wouldn’t go anywhere. Here’s what you can do.
Reboot the Device
The thing to do right off the bat is to reboot the device. If your iPad happens to have a home button, the procedure is effortless.
- Press and hold the home button and top button (on the iPad’s top edge).
- Hold them until the iPad reboots, and you see the familiar Apple logo.
In case your device doesn’t have a home button, the procedure is somewhat different.
- Press the volume up button.
- Press the volume down button.
- Press and hold the top button until the iPad reboots.
After following this procedure, you can still encounter two problems.
- The iPad does not reboot at all.
- The iPad reboots but gets stuck at the Apple logo.
In the first case, ensure everything’s right with the external hardware. Most probably, the problem lies there. If nothing is wrong with the hardware, your best bet is to contact Apple Support for further assistance. In the second case, follow the instructions of method #3.
Check the Hardware
Here are a few simple diagnostics you can run to find faults in your iPad’s hardware.
- Connect the iPad to a charger. Change the power adapter or the charging cable.
- Check if your iPad is overheating. You can refer to Apple’s Device Temperature Guide if that’s the case.
If doing all this hasn’t helped you, the issue with your iPad is probably a bit more subtle. We advise contacting some professional or Apple’s Customer Care Service.
Method #3: If Your iPad Gets Stuck on Startup
The last possible scenario is that your iPad gets stuck on the Apple logo while rebooting or startup. Handling this requires some expertise. If you’re not a technical person, we advise contacting an expert on the matter. But if you’re up for a challenge, here’s what to do.
- Connect the iPad to a macOS via a data cable.
- Open the Finder if you’ve Mac Catalina and iTunes if you have the older Mac versions. If you’re unsure which Mac version is installed on your Mac, this might be helpful.
- In the “Locations” tab of the Finder or iTunes, locate your iPad.
- Reboot your iPad by long pressing the home and top buttons.
- You should see a pop-up on your macOS giving you two options: “Update” or “Restore”.
- Select “Update”. It will take up to 15 minutes to update your iPad. You can be sure that no data will be lost this way.
After the update is completed, you just need to restart your iPad. Hopefully, it will be all nice and smooth again.
Conclusion
If your iPad is behaving awkwardly, you need to check a few things. Firstly, look up if everything’s okay with the hardware. Then, restart the device. If it still doesn’t work, update it using an external device. Hopefully, this will restore your iPad’s normal functioning. But if it doesn’t, it is best to contact a professional or Apple’s customer care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most of the time, a low battery or an overworked RAM is behind your frozen iPad. Also, too low or too high a temperature can cause your iPad to get stuck. At times, the problem could be a bit more subtle. There could be problems with your iPad’s software or hardware.
If your iPad has a home button, all you need to do is to press and hold the home button and top button (the one near the top-right edge) until you see the familiar Apple logo. But if your iPad doesn’t have a home button, the procedure is a bit tedious. Press the volume up and volume down buttons. After that, hold the top button until you see the Apple logo.
The hard reset – daunting as it may sound – doesn’t do anything drastic to your iPad. It doesn’t delete data or files. It won’t even revert any of the settings. The “hard” in the hard reset comes from the fact that you’re forcing the iPad to restart.
