How to Restart Your iPad
Restarting an iPad can clear temporary software hiccups and give the operating system a fresh start. There are two main ways to restart: a standard restart using the software menus or the hardware buttons, and a force restart when the device is unresponsive. The steps differ slightly depending on whether your iPad has a Home button or uses Face ID.
Standard Restart via Settings
If the iPad responds to touch, you can restart it from the Settings app. This method does not require any button presses and works on all iPad models.
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap General.
- At the bottom of the General screen, selectShut Down.
- A power‑off slider appears. Drag the slider to the right to turn the iPad off.
- Wait about 10‑15 seconds for the device to power down completely.
- Press and hold the top (or side) button until the Apple logo appears, then release.
Standard Restart Using the Hardware Buttons
You can also restart the iPad using only the physical buttons. This is useful when you prefer not to open Settings.
- Press and hold the top button (on iPad models without a Home button) or the side button (on older models with a Home button) together with either volume button.
- Continue holding until the power‑off slider appears on the screen.
- Drag the slider to the right to shut down the iPad.
- After the screen goes black, press and hold the top/side button again until the Apple logo shows.
- Release the button and let the iPad boot up.
When to Use a Force Restart
A force restart is recommended when the iPad is frozen, the screen is black, or the device does not respond to touches or button presses. This method cuts power to the hardware and forces the system to reboot without erasing any data.
Force Restart on iPads with a Home Button
Older iPad models, including the iPad Air 2, iPad mini 4, and the original iPad Pro, feature a Home button. To force restart these devices:
- Press and hold both the Home button and the top (or side) button at the same time.
- Keep holding both buttons for about 10‑15 seconds, ignoring any power‑off slider that may appear.
- Release the buttons when