Force restart your iPad with its physical buttons
A force restart can help when your iPad is frozen, touch controls are not responding, an app will not close, or the screen is stuck on the Apple logo. You do not need to use the touchscreen for this process. You only need the physical Volume Up, Volume Down, and Power buttons.
This restart sequence forces the iPad to turn off and boot again. It is useful when a normal restart is not possible because the display or touch screen will not respond. A force restart does not erase your data.
Video Tutorial
Use this button sequence to force restart
Use the buttons in this order. The first two button presses are quick presses. Do not hold either volume button down.
- Quickly press the Volume Up button, then release it.
- Quickly press the Volume Down button, then release it.
- Press and hold the Power button.
- Keep holding the Power button, even if the slide to power off screen appears.
- Continue holding until the iPad turns off.
- Release the button after the iPad turns off. The Apple logo appears as the iPad automatically starts again.
What to expect while the iPad restarts
The slide to power off control can appear while you are holding the Power button. That is normal. Do not try to move the slider. Keep holding the button instead.
After the screen turns off, release the Power button. The Apple logo should appear as the iPad begins rebooting. Once it finishes starting, you can use the iPad again and check whether the frozen app, black screen, or unresponsive display has cleared.
The key part is the order: quick press Volume Up, quick press Volume Down, then hold Power. If you hold a volume button instead of briefly pressing it, start the sequence over and try again.
When a force restart is useful
Try this process when your iPad does not react to taps or swipes. It can also help if an app has stopped responding and you cannot close it normally. If the iPad appears stuck during startup and remains on the Apple logo, the same physical-button sequence gives it a chance to restart.
A black screen can also make a normal shutdown difficult because you cannot see or use the on-screen controls. Since this method uses the buttons on the iPad itself, you can perform it without relying on the display.
Important details to remember
A force restart is different from using the on-screen power slider. You are not sliding the control to shut down. You are holding the Power button after the two quick volume-button presses until the iPad turns off.
Keep the button presses deliberate. Press and release Volume Up. Press and release Volume Down. Then hold Power until the shutdown happens. Releasing the power button too early can prevent the restart from completing.
The sequence shown here uses a Volume Up button, Volume Down button, and Power button. Check that you are using the physical buttons rather than on-screen volume controls. Once the Apple logo appears, the force restart has started successfully.
If the iPad still does not respond
Try the sequence once more, paying close attention to the button order. The volume buttons need short presses before you hold the Power button. Keep holding the power button through the slide to power off screen until the iPad turns off.
If the Apple logo appears, let the iPad continue its automatic reboot. If the screen remains unresponsive after it restarts, the force restart has still completed, but the original issue may need further troubleshooting.
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