Tech Reference

'Why is my iPad screen black?': 3 ways to troubleshoot your iPad if the screen is unresponsive

Written by Steven John
iPad black screen
Don't worry if your iPad screen is black. There are a few simple ways to troubleshoot your iPad before you have to take into the Apple store. Indypendenz/Shutterstock
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Black screen of death, eh? That's it, toss your iPad in the trash and get a new one. Just kidding, of course — you should recycle it responsibly at an e-waste facility.

Actually, an iPad with a black screen is probably no big deal. Ideally, it's just turned off, or maybe it has a dead battery. And in the event of a software crash causing an iPad black screen, a quick forced reset will usually do the trick.

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How to troubleshoot your iPad if the screen is black

Why is my iPad screen black
An iPad can take up to seven hours to fully recharge if its battery is fully depleted. Steven John/Business Insider

Here are the steps to take if your iPad is unresponsive and has a black screen.

Charge the battery

iPad charging
A simple way to troubleshoot your iPad is to charge it. GaudiLab/Shutterstock

First, you can simply try turning the iPad on. Just hold the Power button on the top or side, depending on which model you have, of your iPad until the white Apple logo shows up on your screen.

However, if you do this and a battery icon shows up on your screen or nothing happens at all, you may have to connect the iPad to power and wait to see if it was simply drained. Apple recommends using only certified charging hardware, especially if you're having issues.

Adjust the brightness

shutterstock_1464901031
Sometimes if your brightness is too low on your iPad, the screen can look black in certain lighting. Hadrian/Shutterstock

Try brightening the screen, a feature you can access from your iPad's Control Center if screen brightness is the issue, as sometimes in bright light an iPad screen at its darkest setting looks black. You can also tell Siri to brighten the screen.

Reboot your iPad

Why is my iPad screen black
Rebooting your iPad with a forced restart will not delete any data. Steven John/Business Insider

If nothing else is working and you suspect the iPad is on, just frozen on the black screen, force a restart. 

Note that a forced reset is different than simply turning the iPad off and on again — which you can't do anyway when its screen is black — and can be more effective at refreshing an iPad that is working but is sluggish or buggy.

  • On iPads with a Home button, hold down the Home button and the Power button until the Apple logo appears.
  • On iPads without Home buttons, like newer iPad Pros, press the Volume Up button, then the Volume Down button, then hold down the Power button until the Apple logo appears on your screen.

Now try to turn the iPad back on as usual. Try this reset several times, and while connected to power if it doesn't immediately work, before you head to the Apple store, as it is occasionally not effective on the first try.

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Steven John
Steven John has been a freelance writer for more than a dozen years and has been a regular contributor to Business Insider since 2017. His work includes a focus on the tech world, covering companies including Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Google, and others. He also reviews restaurants, shares how-to cooking articles, and writes general interest pieces.Steven also writes for publications including Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, Forbes, and more. In the past, he also wrote for New York Magazine, Mashed, U.S. News & World Report and other outlets. He runs his own outdoor lifestyle site, Dad Gear Review, and co-hosts the Fact Trekkers podcast with his son. He has had two novels published, Three A.M. and Outrider. He graduated from Emerson College with a degree in communications focused on filmmaking.He is an avid outdoorsman and can be frequently found in a kayak or on a mountain trail, often with his family along for the adventure.Expertise:Tech industryTech hardwareOutdoorsCookingRestaurantsDIYPopular articles:Microsoft: A history of the software giant co-founded by Bill Gates, its products and services, jobs, layoffs, and moreYouTube is a major entertainment force. Here's the platform's history, plus how to create a channel and upload videos.Inside the life and career of Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, billionaire, and philanthropistTim Cook net worth: How the Apple leader earns and spends his moneyBecoming an Amazon seller is a simple process. Here's what's involved, plus how you make money and get paid.