iPad Frozen? How to Unfreeze It Fast

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A panicked student came in yesterday clutching her iPad. "It's completely frozen - I was in the middle of my coursework and it just stopped responding." She'd been holding the power button for ages, tried plugging it in, nothing worked. I showed her the force restart sequence. Twenty seconds later, it was working perfectly.

Frozen iPads are one of the most common issues we see - and about 90% of them are fixed with a simple force restart. The problem is that the method changed with newer iPads, so the "hold the power button" approach people remember doesn't always work.

Pro Tip

Good news: A force restart won't delete your data. It's not a factory reset - it just forces the iPad to restart when the normal shutdown method isn't responding. Your photos, apps, and files stay exactly where they are.

Force Restart Your iPad

The force restart method depends on which iPad you have. There are two different approaches - one for newer iPads without a Home button, and one for older iPads with a Home button.

Not sure which you have? Look at the front of your iPad. If there's a physical button below the screen, that's the Home button - skip to the second method. If not, use the first method.

iPads Without Home Button (Newer Models)

This applies to iPad Pro (2018 and later), iPad Air (4th generation and later), iPad mini (6th generation and later), and iPad (10th generation).

The sequence is quick button presses followed by a hold:

1. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button (the one closest to the top button)
2. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button
3. Press and hold the Top button (power button) until the Apple logo appears - this takes about 15-20 seconds

Warning

Keep holding: Don't let go when the screen goes dark. Keep holding the Top button until you see the Apple logo. If you let go too early, the iPad might just show the power-off slider instead of restarting.

Once the Apple logo appears, release the button. Your iPad will boot up normally. This usually takes 30-60 seconds.

iPads With Home Button (Older Models)

This applies to iPad (9th generation and earlier), iPad Air (3rd generation and earlier), iPad mini (5th generation and earlier), and all iPad Pro models before 2018.

The method is simpler - just hold two buttons at once:

1. Press and hold both the Home button and the Top (or Side) button at the same time
2. Keep holding both even when you see the power-off slider - ignore it and keep holding
3. Release when you see the Apple logo appear (about 15-20 seconds)

After the Apple logo appears, your iPad will restart normally.

If Force Restart Doesn't Work

If the force restart sequence doesn't bring up the Apple logo, try these steps:

1. Make Sure You're Doing It Right

The most common mistake is letting go too early. For newer iPads, make sure you're doing the quick press-release on both volume buttons BEFORE holding the power button. For older iPads, make sure you're holding BOTH buttons simultaneously.

2. Charge Your iPad

Connect your iPad to a charger and leave it for at least 30 minutes to an hour. A completely dead battery can make an iPad appear frozen when it's actually just out of power. Use a wall charger, not a computer USB port - it provides more power.

3. Try Recovery Mode

If your iPad still won't respond after charging, try connecting it to a computer and putting it in Recovery Mode:

1. Connect your iPad to a Mac or Windows PC with a USB cable
2. Open Finder (Mac with macOS Catalina or later) or iTunes (Windows or older Mac)
3. Perform the force restart sequence, but keep holding the buttons past the Apple logo until you see the recovery mode screen
4. Your computer should detect the iPad and offer to Update or Restore
5. Choose Update first - this reinstalls iPadOS without erasing data

Did You Know?

Update vs Restore: Always try Update first. Restore will erase everything on your iPad. Only use Restore if Update fails or you don't need the data.

Why iPads Freeze

Understanding why your iPad froze can help prevent it happening again:

Low Storage

This is one of the biggest causes of iPad freezes that people don't realise. When your iPad has less than 10% storage free, it struggles to perform basic operations. Check Settings > General > iPad Storage.

Overheating

iPads slow down or freeze when they overheat. This happens during intensive gaming, video editing, or when left in a hot car. The iPad has thermal protection that shuts down processes to cool down - sometimes a bit too aggressively.

Ageing Battery

An old battery that can't deliver stable power can cause random freezes and shutdowns. If your iPad freezes frequently and the battery drains quickly, it might be time for a battery replacement.

When It's a Hardware Problem

While most freezes are software glitches, some indicate hardware issues. Signs that suggest a hardware problem:

• Force restart never works - If your iPad won't respond to the force restart sequence at all (not even after charging), the buttons or logic board may have failed.
• Freezes during startup - Getting stuck on the Apple logo repeatedly suggests a logic board or storage issue.
• Freezes after drops - If the freezing started after a drop, internal damage may be causing connection issues.
• Freezes with overheating - If your iPad gets hot and freezes, there may be a failing component drawing too much power.

Hardware-related freezes typically require professional diagnosis. Logic board repairs range from £100-£180 depending on what's failed. We offer free diagnosis so you'll know exactly what's wrong before committing to repair.

Pro Tip

Frequent freezing? If your iPad freezes more than once a week, something's not right. It could be a storage issue, a failing battery, or an app causing problems. We can diagnose what's causing it and whether repair makes sense.

Frequently Asked Questions