How to Troubleshoot an iPad Power Shutdown

Troubleshoot your iPad with software updates and hard resets to fix shutdown issues.

The iPad normally shuts down quickly, with a swipe and tap of the power bar on its screen. It safely closes all currently open applications while saving any unsaved data on the device. If you are unable to shut down the iPad, there may be an issue with your device's current software, which can result in erratic behavior when attempting to use it. If your iPad is updated to the latest version, a device reset may correct the shutdown issues by forcibly shutting down the tablet and restarting it to the home screen.

Things You'll Need

• iPad USB cable
• iTunes 10.4 or later

Instructions

Update iPad Software

1. Open iTunes on your computer, and plug the iPad USB cable into the bottom of the iPad.

2. Plug the unplugged end of the cable into the computer's USB port.

3. Click the iPad icon in the side menu in iTunes, and click "Summary." Click "Update," then "Download and Install" to download the latest software update and automatically install it on your iPad.

4. Click "Continue," then "Install" to start the software installation. Select the Controls menu at the top of iTunes, and click "Eject iPad" after the software installation finishes -- indicated by a status message at the top of iTunes.

Hard Reset

1. Double-tap "Home" on the iPad to access the multitasking menu, and press your finger against the application icon at the bottom of the screen until it shakes.

2. Tap "-" on the app's icon to close the background application, which safely saves data within the application.

3. Double-tap "Home" to exit the multitasking menu. Hold "Power" and "Home" simultaneously for six seconds until the iPad's screen turns off.

4. Release the held down buttons once the Apple logo appears on the iPad's screen.

References

• Apple: Support - iPad - Basic Troubleshooting

Resources

• Apple: iTunes