Your iPad is stuck on the Lock Screen, and tapping or swiping is not getting you in. The cause is usually something simple: moisture on the display, a case pressing the edge, a frozen system, an accessibility mode, or a passcode problem.
Start with the quick fixes that do not erase anything. If the screen still will not cooperate, use the reset and restore options Apple supports.
1. Remove anything blocking the screen
Clear anything that can interfere with touch before changing settings.
Restart the iPad if the screen responds enough to do it.
Wipe the screen until it is clean and dry.
Disconnect every Lightning or USB-C accessory.
Take off the case.
Remove the screen protector.
Try the Lock Screen again.
A dirty display, wet screen, tight case, screen protector, or connected accessory can make an iPad act like touch has failed.
When touch comes back, unlock it normally. Use Face ID by waking the iPad, glancing at it, and swiping up. Use Touch ID by pressing the Home button or resting your registered finger on the top button. For a passcode, press Home or swipe up, then enter the code.
2. Force restart the iPad
On an iPad without a Home button, press and quickly release the volume button closest to the top button.
Press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button.
Press and hold the top button until the Apple logo appears.
On an iPad with a Home button, press and hold both the Home button and the top button until the Apple logo appears.
If the iPad is awake but frozen, this force restart uses the buttons and does not erase your data.
3. Turn off Zoom or VoiceOver
The screen may still be working while an accessibility feature changes the gestures enough to make the Lock Screen feel broken.
If the Lock Screen is magnified, double-tap the screen with three fingers to turn Zoom on or off.
After you unlock the iPad, adjust it from Settings > Accessibility > Zoom.
If VoiceOver is on, use the VoiceOver unlock method.
On a Home button iPad, press Home with the finger registered for Touch ID.
On a top-button Touch ID iPad, rest the registered finger on the top button.
On a Face ID iPad, wake it.
Glance at it.
Drag up from the bottom edge until you hear two rising tones.
If you already set up Accessibility Shortcut, triple-click the Home button or the top button.
If a menu appears, tap the feature you want to turn off.
Change that shortcut later from Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut.
4. Control it without normal touch
Voice Control: Say Show numbers.
Say Tap and the number beside the Lock Screen control.
AssistiveTouch: Tap the AssistiveTouch menu button.
Choose actions such as Home, Siri, Control Center, Lock Screen, App Switcher, gestures, or Restart iPad.
Mouse or trackpad: Use the pointer to select Lock Screen controls and enter the passcode.
If a non-touch control was already set up, use it to get past the Lock Screen or reach the setting that is causing the trouble.
After you regain access, set up Voice Control from Settings > Accessibility > Voice Control > Set Up Voice Control > Continue.
Turn on AssistiveTouch from Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch.
Pair a Bluetooth mouse later from Settings > Bluetooth.
5. Reset a recently changed passcode
Use this when touch works again but the new passcode is the real problem.
Enter the passcode incorrectly five times until iPad Unavailable appears.
Tap Forgot Passcode?.
Tap Enter Previous Passcode.
Enter the old passcode.
Follow the onscreen steps to create a new passcode.
On iPadOS 17 or later, you can use the previous passcode within 72 hours of changing it.
The Forgot Passcode? option requires network connectivity.
6. Erase the iPad from the Lock Screen
- 1.Enter the passcode until iPad Unavailable appears.
- 2.Tap Forgot Passcode?.
- 3.Tap Start iPad Reset.
- 4.Enter your Apple Account password.
- 5.Tap Erase iPad.
- 6.After the restart, follow the setup steps and create a new passcode.
When the iPad accepts taps but the passcode is lost, reset it from the unavailable screen. This erases the iPad.
Apple documents Forgot Passcode? and Start iPad Reset for iPadOS 17 and later. Apple also says Erase iPad appears on iPadOS 15.2, iPadOS 16, and iPadOS 17 or later when the iPad is connected to Wi-Fi or cellular and Find My was already enabled.
7. Restore it with recovery mode
Use recovery mode when the iPad is locked out, the passcode is forgotten, or the screen will not let you complete the reset on the iPad. This erases the device.
Turn off the iPad.
Connect it to a computer with USB.
On an iPad without a Home button, press and quickly release the volume button closest to the top button.
Press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button.
Press and hold the top button.
On an iPad with a Home button, press and hold both the Home button and the top or side button.
Keep holding until the computer-and-cable image appears.
In Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes, choose Restore when asked to Restore or Update.
Wait for the restore to finish.
Set up the iPad again.
Use Finder on a Mac with macOS Catalina or later. Use Apple Devices on Windows where supported. Use iTunes on a Mac with macOS Mojave or earlier, or on Windows where iTunes is used.
8. Erase it from Find My
Use Find My from another device when it was already enabled, instead of fighting the locked screen.
From iCloud, go to icloud.com/find.
Sign in to your Apple Account.
Select the iPad.
Choose Erase This Device.
Follow the onscreen steps.
If the iPad is online, the erase starts after you finish those steps.
If it is offline, the erase starts the next time it connects.
From another Apple device, open Find My.
Choose Devices.
Select the iPad.
Scroll down.
Choose Erase or Erase This Device.
If two-factor authentication is not turned on for your Apple Account, you cannot erase from the Find My app, so use icloud.com/find instead.
Activation Lock stays on, so you need the Apple Account and password to reactivate the iPad.
9. Update iPadOS or get service
Once the iPad unlocks, update iPadOS from the iPad or from a trusted computer.
On the iPad, back up the iPad.
Plug it into power.
Connect to Wi-Fi.
Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
If an update appears, tap Download and Install.
On a Mac with macOS Catalina or later, open Finder.
Select the iPad.
Click General.
Click Check for Update.
Click Download and Update.
In iTunes, select the iPad.
Click Summary.
Click Check for Update.
If the screen still fails after cleaning it, removing accessories, removing the case and screen protector, restarting, and force restarting, get Apple service. If the buttons do not work and you cannot reach recovery mode, get service for that too.
For a school or work iPad, contact IT before erasing it yourself. A mobile device management administrator can send Clear passcode or erase a managed iPad remotely, but that is not available for a personal unmanaged iPad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a force restart delete anything on my iPad?
No. A force restart only restarts the iPad with the hardware buttons. Erase, Restore, and recovery mode are the options that remove data.
What if my iPad screen works but my passcode is wrong?
Use Enter Previous Passcode within 72 hours if you recently changed it on iPadOS 17 or later. If that option is not available, erase the iPad from the Lock Screen, Find My, or recovery mode.
Can I set up a new mouse while the iPad is locked?
Apple’s Bluetooth pairing steps go through Settings, so a new Bluetooth mouse is for after access is restored. A mouse or trackpad helps at the Lock Screen when it was already connected.
Why is my iPad speaking items or using different gestures?
VoiceOver is on. Unlock with the VoiceOver method for your model, or triple-click the Home button or top button if Accessibility Shortcut was already configured.
