screenrant.com iPad Frozen Or Black Screen? How To Force A Hard Reset

Apple's tablet is very reliable but there can be glitches, even with an iPad, that results in a black or a frozen screen when the power is on, leaving the tablet unresponsive. This can be very disconcerting to experience, leading to the fear that something is seriously wrong. The good news is that this frozen state can usually be fixed fairly easily but the steps required are not always so obvious.

Ever since the first iPad, Apple has worked to make it much easier to use than a computer. While tablet PCs existed long before the iPad, they were more closely related to a Windows laptop than a modern tablet, requiring frequent updates and restarts, along with the need for anti-virus software and standard computer maintenance. The iPad was a breath of fresh air, relieving the user from those duties and providing a computer that worked a bit more like a TV. The user could simply switch it on and start using it without all of the fuss. As the iPad gets more powerful and more popular, viruses are possible and random glitches can happen, although both of these are very rare.

Related: How To Hard Reset Apple’s iPhone SE (2020)

When an iPad does have a problem, powering off completely and back on again will often resolve the issue. However, there are situations where the screen becomes frozen, with nothing moving, and touching the screen has no effect. Even the sleep, volume, and home buttons may become unresponsive. As startling as this might be, it isn't a cause for alarm and Apple does have a solution. There is a way to initiate a hard reset, which interrupts any active processes and forces an immediate reset, rather than the usual power off and reset options that place the request in a scheduling queue and waits for its turn to proceed with the shutdown or restart.

How To Initiate A Hard Reset On An iPad

There are two similar but different methods depending on the type of iPad being used. For an iPad without a home button, a sequence of physical button presses is needed. The user should press and release volume up, then volume down, followed by pressing and holding the sleep button until the Apple logo appears. This might take longer than expected so keep holding for a minute, if necessary. For an iPad that has a home button, press and hold the sleep button and the home button at the same time, then wait until the Apple logo appears. In both cases, the screen will go black, if it wasn't already, before the familiar white apple with a bite missing is seen. After the iPad finishes its startup, the iPad should be good with everything back to normal.

The iPad is very dependable but can have rare issues, particularly when running Test Flight apps, which are pre-release versions only available via an invitation from the developer or when a pre-release version of iPadOS is installed. When the iPad becomes unresponsive, a hard reset might be the only recourse. Despite the dramatic name, a hard reset doesn't erase any settings or result in a loss of data, beyond whatever might have been in progress at the time the iPad's screen froze.

Next: How To Multitask Like A Pro On iPad After Upgrading To iPadOS 15

Source: Apple

Alan is a Tech Writer living in Nova Scotia, Canada. A tech-enthusiast since his youth, Alan stays current on what is new and what is next. With over 30 years experience in computer, video and photo equipment, you can expect useful tips and insights in his writing. Alan has a degree in programming, many years focused on design, editing, and animation. A period of managing logistics and e-commerce operations for a mobile accessories company rounds out a diverse background. Alan is a true jack of all digital trades in this ever-changing computer-enriched world. To stay flexible in mind and in body, he practices yoga, light cardio, and eats a whole food diet, based on minimally processed plants.