How to Reboot an iPad

This wikiHow will teach how to reboot an iPad, as well as reset an iPad that you are locked out of due to a forgotten passcode.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Rebooting a Frozen iPad

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    1
    Find the Power and the Home buttons. You'll find the Power button along the top edge of the iPad, and the Home button is in center at the bottom.
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    2
    Press and hold both buttons until you see the Apple logo.
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    3
    Release the Power and Home buttons. If you hold too long, you'll enter Recovery Mode.
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    4
    Wait while the iPad continues to boot up. Rebooting this way will typically fix most minor problems your iPad is experiencing, such as connection issues or being unable to charge.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Resetting a Disabled iPad (iTunes)

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    1
    Connect your iPad to your computer. If you have forgotten your iPad passcode, you can use iTunes to restore it. This will delete the data, but allow you to access your device again.
    • This method only works if you've previously synced your iPad to your computer with iTunes. If you've never synced with iTunes, you can reset using iCloud instead.
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    2
    Open iTunes on your computer. You must have previously synced your iPad to this computer in order to use iTunes to restore it.
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    3
    Click the iPad icon in iTunes. You'll see this along the top of window, next to the menu that selects your iTunes library.
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    4
    Click the Restore iPad button.
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    5
    Click Restore to confirm.
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    6
    Wait while your iPad restores. This may take a little while to complete. You can monitor the progress on the iPad's screen.
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    7
    Swipe to start the setup process.
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    8
    Tap your language and region options.
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    9
    Tap the wireless network that you want to connect to.
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    10
    Sign in with your Apple ID and password. This will restore all of your App Store purchases for your iPad, as well as restore any synced iCloud data like contacts and email.
    • If you don't remember your Apple ID or password, you can reset them using the iForgot website.
    • If you are being asked to sign in with a previous owner's Apple ID, you'll need to either sign in with their login information or have them remove the iPad from their account at icloud.com/find in any web browser. You won't be able to use the iPad until the previous owner has removed it.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Resetting a Disabled iPad (iCloud)

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    1
    Open the web browser on a computer or mobile device. If you are locked out of your iPad because you forgot the passcode, and you've never used iTunes to sync it, you can use iCloud to erase and restore it.
    • This will not work if you were not signed into iCloud on your iPad, or your iPad is not connected to a wireless network. If this is the case for you, you'll need to use Recovery Mode to restore the iPad.
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    2
    Visit the Find My iPhone website. Despite its name, this service works for all iOS devices, including the iPad.
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    3
    Sign in with your Apple ID and password. If you don't remember your Apple ID or password, you can reset it using the iForgot website.
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    4
    Click the All Devices menu. You'll see this at the top of the window.
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    5
    Click your iPad in the list of devices. If your device cannot be located because it is offline, you'll need to use Recovery Mode to restore the iPad.
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    6
    Click the Erase button. You'll see this in the card with your iPad's details in the corner.
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    7
    Click Erase. Your iPad will immediately begin erasing and resetting.
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    8
    Wait while your iPad resets. This may take a few minutes. You can monitor the progress on your iPad's screen.
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    9
    Swipe the screen to start setting up the iPad.
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    10
    Tap your desired language and region.
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    11
    Tap your wireless network. Enter the password if one is required.
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    12
    Sign in with your Apple ID and password. This will restore your iCloud data on your iPad.
    • If you're asked to sign in for a previous owner's Apple ID, you'll need to either sign in with their login information or have them remove the device from their account at icloud.com/find. You will not be able to use the iPad until the previous owner has removed it from their Apple ID.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    My iPad won't turn on after a reset. It just displays the Apple logo then shuts off. How do I fix this?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Most likely your iPad has been bricked. You can look online for various methods of unbricking iOS devices. One way is by connecting your device to a computer (if it is a Windows based system, you must have iTunes installed) and seeing if the computer can recognize the iPad. If not, you'll need to bring your device into the Apple store.
  • Question
    How do I do a hard reset of my iPad?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Press the Off button for a long time and press Reset. If it's not there, go to Settings and tap Reset the same way.
  • Question
    My iPad is connecting to WiFi but my Facebook and Gmail are not. What can I do?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    It may be because of the WiFi you are using. Try turning it off and on, and try again. If it still doesn't work, it might be because Facebook and Gmail are blocked on the WiFi.
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About This Article

wikiHow Staff
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 626,522 times.
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Co-authors: 11
Updated: July 28, 2022
Views: 626,522
Categories: Ipad
Article SummaryX

1. Press and hold the Power and Home buttons.
2. Release your fingers when you see the logo.

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