Your iPad is frozen, sluggish, or stuck on a screen, and you need it to start fresh without erasing anything. The right restart method depends on whether your iPad has a Home button and whether the screen still responds.
Start with a normal restart when the iPad works. Use a force restart only when the iPad is not responding, then move to recovery mode if it gets stuck during startup.
1. Pick the restart that fits your iPad
Use a normal restart first. It turns the iPad off, waits 30 seconds, and turns it back on with the top button.
- Use the button method when the screen responds.
- Use Control Center on iPadOS 18 or later when you want an on-screen power control.
- Use Settings when the buttons are hard to press.
- Use AssistiveTouch when physical buttons are difficult to use.
- Use a force restart when the iPad is not responding.
2. Restart newer iPads without a Home button
- 1.Press and hold either volume button and the top button until the power-off slider appears.
- 2.Drag the slider.
- 3.Wait 30 seconds for the iPad to turn off.
- 4.Press and hold the top button until you see the Apple logo.
This covers current iPad models without a Home button, including models with Face ID or Touch ID in the top button.
3. Shut down iPads with a Home button
Older current supported iPads with a Home button use a simpler button restart: press and hold the top button until the power-off slider appears, drag the slider, wait 30 seconds for the iPad to turn off, then press and hold the top button until the Apple logo appears.
4. Power off from Control Center or Settings
- Control Center: Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen, press and hold the Power button in the top-right corner, let go, drag the slider, then wait 30 seconds. Turn the iPad back on by pressing and holding the top button until the Apple logo appears.
- Settings: Open Settings, tap General, scroll down, tap Shut Down, then drag the slider. Press and hold the top button until the Apple logo appears to turn it back on.
The Control Center power button is for iPadOS 18 and later. The Settings path works on current iPadOS devices.
5. Set up AssistiveTouch for button-free restarts
AssistiveTouch gives you an on-screen control when pressing physical buttons is difficult. Open Settings > Accessibility > Touch > AssistiveTouch, then turn on AssistiveTouch. Tap the AssistiveTouch menu button and choose the restart action when it appears.
To place it where you want it, use Customize Top Level Menu, Single-Tap, Double-Tap, or Long Press to assign Restart iPad, then trigger that action from AssistiveTouch.
6. Force restart a frozen iPad
- iPad without a Home button: Press and quickly release the volume button nearest to the top button, press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button, press and hold the top button, then release the top button when the Apple logo appears.
- iPad with a Home button: Press and hold the top button and the Home button at the same time. Release both buttons when the Apple logo appears.
A force restart is for an iPad that is not responding and cannot be restarted by turning it off and back on.
7. Update through recovery mode when startup stalls
Recovery mode is not a normal restart. Use it when the iPad turns on but gets stuck on the Apple logo, a red screen, or a blue screen.
Connect the iPad to a computer. On a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, open Finder. On a Mac with macOS Mojave or earlier, open iTunes. On a Windows PC, use the latest version of the Apple Devices app or iTunes. Locate the iPad on the computer.
- 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, then press and hold the top button. Keep holding until the recovery-mode screen appears.
- iPad with a Home button: Press and hold both the Home button and the top button. Keep holding until the recovery-mode screen appears.
When the computer gives you the option to restore or update, choose Update.
8. Handle work or school iPads through IT
Managed, supervised iPads can receive a device-management Restart device command from the organization that controls them. MDM can manage idle reboot with the Idle reboot allowed setting on iPadOS 18.1 or later; Apple also lists an Allow idle reboot command for iPadOS 18.4 or later, off by default on supervised devices.
For a work or school iPad, contact the organization that manages the device when restart behavior is controlled by device management.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does restarting an iPad erase anything?
No. A normal restart turns the iPad off and back on. It is separate from erase, reset, and restore workflows.
What is the difference between restart and force restart on iPad?
A normal restart uses the power-off slider. A force restart uses button presses for an iPad that is not responding and cannot be restarted normally.
How long should I wait after turning my iPad off?
Wait 30 seconds after dragging the power-off slider, then press and hold the top button until the Apple logo appears.
Can I restart an iPad without using the physical buttons?
Yes, but only through AssistiveTouch. Assign Restart iPad in AssistiveTouch for a fully button-free restart. Settings and Control Center on iPadOS 18 or later can shut the iPad down, but Apple says to turn it back on by pressing the top button.
