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Published on: 07.04.2023 | updated on: 01.04.2024
Experiencing a black screen on your iPad can be annoying—suddenly, you're cut off from accessing your apps, important files, and everything else you rely on your iPad for. However, the good news is that it’s not an unusual issue and can be fixed. This article will explain all about the iPad black screen and how you can fix it.
Firstly, we’ll explore the root cause behind the iPad black screen, such as a drained battery, software glitch, or hardware damage. Then, we’ll look into possible solutions, such as hard resetting your iPad or changing the battery if it’s aged.
Lastly, if DIY iPad repair doesn’t work, we recommend getting professional help. By the end of this article, you’ll, for sure, be equipped with the necessary guidance to work on your iPad with a black screen and bring it back to life.
Here are the reasons why your iPad is experiencing a black screen:
The battery may be dead, or the cable is damaged.
There are software glitches or bugs caused by certain apps.
Your iPad’s internal components may be damaged.
Here is how you can fix the black screen issue on your iPad:
In case of an aged or damaged battery, consider getting it replaced by a trustworthy repair store.
Install the iOS to the latest version to fix the software glitches or bugs.
If you suspect damage to the internal components, get your iPad checked by a skilled technician in your area.
It’s hard to use the iPad with a black screen as you won’t be able to view anything, but it's not the end of the world. With a bit of patience and the right approach, you'll likely find a solution that restores your iPad’s functionality. If, after following all the steps, your iPad is unable to display the normal screen, visit your local repair store and get your device checked by a skilled professional.
At Simply Fixable, our expertise lies in troubleshooting, diagnosing, and resolving all types of issues faced by tablets. Throughout this article, the steps we outline to diagnose and resolve the issue of a tablet that refuses to boot – for various makes and models – have been carefully refined based on our experience dealing with this problem over countless different instances. In addition, our blog is always kept up-to-date to reflect any changes to the best practices for tackling this problem.
If a screen goes black on an iPad, in technical terms, what really happens is that your iPad is experiencing the black screen of death. This condition is coined as the black screen of death because, in this state, the iPad does not respond to any inputs, and that’s despite the fact that you might be hearing notifications or other sounds.
Eventually, if this issue lasts long enough, the iPad will just turn itself off.
There are many root causes for the black screen of death. Luckily, this issue is fixable most of the time, so don’t panic just yet.
What could cause the infamous iPad black screen of death? Below are some of the main things that could cause this to happen.
The iPad has been jailbroken
The screen has been cracked or damaged
The device has been dropped
The iPad was left in direct sunlight and is now overheating
Using third-party chargers
Overcharging the device
Installing corrupted or unsupported apps
The iPad is dead due to no battery or other problems
Dead battery
Corrupt firmware
Unresponsive apps
Glitches within iPadOS
Issues with the ambient light sensor
Motherboard problems
Faulty display cable
An iPad can have one or a combination of more than one of the problems we’ve listed above. The age of the iPad can exacerbate the issue due to aging hardware and electrical components. As a result, older iPads are more likely to experience the black screen of death than new out-of-the-box devices.
In this section of the article, we’ll take a quick look at possible ways to troubleshoot this problem, as well as fixes that can help you get your iPad back up and running.
If your iPad suffered a fall, replace the cracked screen with a new one.
Make sure that you’re only charging the device using Apple-branded chargers.
Try to install the latest updates as soon as they’re available.
Ensure that auto brightness is off
Uninstalling any apps that are not working properly
If the iPad is overheating, place it in a cool spot for an hour
Try a soft reset according to Apple’s guidelines
Attempt to update your iPad using iTunes—Apple has a handy guide for this, too
You could also factory reset your iPad as per the Apple guidelines, but this may erase all your data
One reason why your iPad might have a black screen is that the internal connections within the display are failing. Replacing the screen is possible to do by yourself, but usually, it’s better to contact a reputable repair service for a quick and reliable fix.
If corrupted firmware or app issues are to blame, try a soft reset followed by a factory reset if necessary. Don’t forget to check whether the iPad is successfully charging, too—look into getting a second cable and adapter and try to charge it with that.
Issues with your iPad’s internal components are hard to diagnose at home. If you’ve exhausted all options, it’s safer and easier to contact a repair professional and get a quote and a diagnosis.
It can be frustrating when your iPad screen won’t turn back on. Let's look over the reasons why the screen went black on your iPad.
The three common causes of an iPad screen going black are issues with the charger or the battery, the iPad being dead for one reason or another, or a system glitch.
If your iPad screen suddenly goes black, and you can’t see anything on the display or hear any notifications, try the following fixes.
Sometimes your iPad battery will drain a lot quicker than usual, be it due to running too many apps at once or performing resource-heavy workloads, such as watching videos or playing games. As a result, the iPad screen will then go black due to no battery. Usually, when this happens, you’ll see a red “no battery” indicator on the screen when you try to power on the iPad. Fortunately, the fix is simple—just leave your iPad to charge to full, or better yet, to 80% to maintain the health of the lithium-ion battery found inside your device.
When charging, make sure to use original Apple chargers and Lightning cables. Third-party cables and adapters might be inefficient or even fail to charge entirely; worst-case scenario, you might damage your iPad’s charging port..
If your iPad is not charging and you’ve already tried to use a different charger and/or cable, you should consider a charging port replacement. Charging port failures are common in both iPads and iPhones, so it’s not unusual that you may need to replace it after a couple of years.
Attempting to improperly plug the cable into the port can damage both the connector and the port itself, and you may not even realize that you’re doing it—all it takes is a slight misalignment. An easy way to test whether the charging port is to blame is to try a different charger and cable that’s been proven to work on another device. If they don’t work on your iPad, that indicates issues with the charging port or the battery.
Doing a force restart can fix various problems with the firmware. Follow our steps to perform a force restart on your iPad.
iPad with a Home button
For an older iPad with a Home button with Touch ID, the process is as follows:
Press and hold the home button and the top power button until you see the Apple logo on the screen.
Once the Apple logo has appeared, release the buttons and wait for the iPad to reboot.
iPad without a Home button
Press and release the volume up button.
Press and release the volume down button.
Press and hold the power button until you see the Apple logo on the screen.
To prevent the iPad screen from going black at random, make sure to use original Apple chargers. If the issue occurs when you use a particular app, try reinstalling or uninstalling it and see if that helps.
If your iPad screen is black, but the device is still making noise, the good thing is it's not completely dead. That might indicate a more localized problem. Let’s check out some ways in which you can fix this.
A minor reason that can cause this is accidentally turning the screen brightness down all the way. Your iPad’s screen won’t be fully black then, not exactly, but it’ll be so dark that you may be unable to see anything in sunlit areas.
You could also have a problem with the light sensor if you have the auto brightness turned on.
If you can hear the notifications and alerts on your iPad, but the screen stays black, try the following fixes.
The auto-brightness feature uses the ambient light sensor on your iPad. The readings from this sensor may be skewed if it’s not working properly. As a result, the auto brightness feature can cause the screen to turn black or nearly black due to the incorrect data provided by the hardware..
To fix this issue, simply disable the auto brightness feature on your iPad by following the steps outlined below.
Open the iPad settings.
Search for “Auto Brightness” in the search bar.
Turn off the auto brightness slider entirely.
One of the components within your iPad is the screen ribbon cable, more often referred to as simply the ribbon cable. It’s a thin, flat cable made up of several individual wires that run in parallel to each other. This cable connects the display to the motherboard.. This fragile cable may get damaged if your iPad suffers a fall or another kind of external damage.
Replacing the ribbon cable requires taking apart the iPad, removing the screen, and installing a new cable. It’s a full-on repair job that requires a skilled technician. However, if you’re tech-savvy and feel confident, you could attempt a DIY repair as well t to save money.
Keeping the auto brightness off will stop the light sensor from turning the screen off in the future.
It sure is frustrating when your iPad is supposedly working just fine, but the screen stubbornly remains black. Luckily, there are a few reasons with easy solutions. Let’s see what you can do about it.
If your iPad is definitely on, but the display appears to be dead, firmware is often the cause. Your iPad may need an update to the latest version of the iPadOS, or perhaps the firmware you currently have is corrupted. Another common reason is external damage to the screen. Here are some ways to fix this problem.
Connect your iPad to a computer or a laptop.
Open the iTunes folder.
On an iPad without a Home button, quickly press and release the volume up followed by the volume down. Then, press and hold the power button until the device boots to the recovery screen.
On iPads with the Home button, press and hold the power button and the Home button until the iPad boots to the recovery screen.
On the computer, choose the Update option.
Updating your iPadOS doesn’t erase any existing data or user files, so it’s a safe bet. Regardless, you should periodically back up your data on iCloud or by using other similar cloud-based storage solutions.
Here’s what you can do to bring your iPad back to the last stable version of its firmware. . It has a good chance of solving the iPad black screen, as long as the issue is due to unstable or corrupt firmware.
The process for this solution is similar to the iPadOS update solution listed above, so make sure to check out those steps first. It only differs at the last step.
Rather than choosing the Update option, click on the Restore option. Once the process starts, do not power off the computer or the iPad until the your iPad has been restored.
If you’ve tried all of the above solutions yet the iPad screen still has a problem, you should consider a screen replacement. The best way to go about this is to contact a reputable repair shop in your area and get a quote.
To prevent this issue, consider using a screen protector, such as one made of tempered glass, to keep the display from being damaged if you accidentally drop your tablet. This will prevent various issues with both the screen and the rest of the hardware. In addition, keep your iPadOS up to date with the latest versions to rule out software glitches..
If you’ve tried to fix the issue of your iPad having a black screen using all of the above-listed methods and nothing seems to work, then it could just be too complex to fix at home. In those cases, it’s best to have it checked out by a skilled technician at a repair store near you.
If the iPad still isn’t working even after performing a hard reset, try plugging it into the computer and see if you can use it from there. If it works just fine, it’s most likely a problem with the screen; if it doesn’t, hardware failure is likelier. How to Fix the Issue?
Unfortunately, whether the problem lies within the display or in the hardware (such as the motherboard or the internal connectors within the screen), you’ll most likely need to get your iPad checked out by a professional. Taking it to an Apple Store is one option, but it’s often easier to just visit a third-party repair store you can trust.
To prevent external damage to the screen, invest a little money in a screen protector and tablet case to make sure your device will be able to mitigate any falls. It’s hard to prevent the failure of any internal components, though, so all you can do is take good care of your iPad and hope for the best.
Your iPad’s screen can be black for any number of reasons, but the Apple logo should still show up when you reset the tablet. If that’s not the case, you might need to dig a little deeper into the cause of the problem.
The issue could lie with your iPad’s motherboard. This component is pretty much what makes everything function, and even the tiniest problem with the so-called logic board can be all that it takes for your iPad’s screen to go black. If it’s not a hardware issue, the firmware might be to blame.
Motherboard problems often can’t be fixed at all, and if they can, you’ll still need to visit a repair store. To rule out firmware issues, follow the steps below.
Start by connectingto a computer and see if the computer recognizes the iPad. If it does, you can then restore it through iTunes.
In the Restore feature, you’ll be able to reinstall the iPadOS and download all the necessary updates. Unfortunately, this will delete all your data, so it’s best to only do this as a last resort—or if you frequently back up your iPad.
Approach this in two ways. For starters, buy an iPad cover and keep your device free from dust, moisture, and excess heat—and, of course, try your best not to drop it. Any of these things can contribute to the screen to go black. Outside of those forms of prevention, take care of the software side of things, too. Download the latest iPadOS updates as soon as they’re available as they often come with bug fixes.
There are a few things that can cause your iPad to have the Apple logo appear on the screen and then turn off. Let’s check them out.
If your battery is dead and you’re trying to recharge the device with an incompatible or broken charger, then you may see the Apple logo appear on the screen for a brief moment before the screen goes black.
This can also happen if your tablet is infected with malware, which you may have downloaded without even knowing it.
If you’ve been backing up your iPad and syncing it with iTunes regularly, you can easily restore it to a previous version with minimal hassle and data loss.
Open iTunes on your Windows or Mac PC.
Connect your iPad to the computer using a USB cable.
Launch iTunes on the computer and wait for the software to recognize your tablet.
Go to the Summary tab and then choose the option to restore your iPad.
Once the device is back in working condition, you can download your backups from iTunes or iCloud.
Nothing lasts forever—especially not iPad chargers. If yours is old or comes from a company that’s not Apple, chances are it might be failing to charge your iPad properly. Try another charger (preferably one purchased directly from Apple) and let the iPad charge for 30 minutes to see if that fixes the problem.
First of all, keep your charger in good condition. Replacing it every 12 months is a good idea to keep it functioning at its best. Once you get a new iPad, buy a new, latest-gen adapter and cable to match. As for malware, don’t open any links sent to you on messaging apps or social media, don’t download anything from sources you’re not sure you can trust, and consider downloading a reliable anti-malware app for the iPad to make sure you’re protected on all fronts.
Both iPadOS and iOS come with a feature called “Grayscale Mode.” This converts the display into grayscale, meaning that everything is displayed in black, white, and gray as opposed to in color. It’s a handy feature for accessibility reasons, but if you don’t need it, turning it off should also fix the problem..
You may have accidentally turned Grayscale Mode on without realizing it. No worries, this is an easy fix.
Getting rid of Grayscale Mode is really quick.
Go to your iPad settings.
Tap on Accessibility.
Navigate to Display & Text Size, then Color Filters.
Toggle it off to get rid of Grayscale Mode.
There is no real way to prevent this problem, but fortunately, if you can change the setting easily.
You’ve successfully charged your iPad up to full, but when you unplug the charger, the screen goes black? That’s a worrying issue that could indicate problems with your battery.
In most cases, this occurs because the battery is slowly dying. Batteries don’t last forever, their lifespan is also affected by bad charging habits such as overcharging and just charging for small amounts of time here and there.
To fix this problem, your best bet is to visit a reputable repair store in your area and get a quote on a battery replacement. The technicians will diagnose the issue, ensure that you do, indeed, need a new iPad battery, and handle the replacement for you..
As the iPad has a lithium-ion battery, it’s generally best to keep the battery between 20% and 80%, never charging it above that threshold. Anything over this amount is classified as overcharging. Avoid leaving your iPad to charge overnight and develop good charging habits to prolong the battery life.
It can be confusing when you plug your iPad in for a quick charge and the screen goes black. Let’s check out why this happens and what you can do about it.
This usually indicates a problem with the battery or the charger.
Third-party chargers have been known to cause this, as they may sometimes make your tablet heat up too much during the charging process, causing it to turn off as a safety measure. Another problem could be the iPad itself. If there is an issue with the battery, charging the tablet can cause the screen to go black.
First things first, try and make sure that the charger you’re using actually works. Test it with a different device, or better yet, use a different (Apple-made) charger with your iPad and let it charge for a full 30 minutes.
You can also try to perform a soft reset, but if the battery is dead, you’ll need to get a professional replacement.
Looking after your iPad battery is the best way to prolong its life. Try not to overcharge the device or leave it charging overnight. Charging the iPad to 80% at most is recommended to keep your battery healthy, and don’t let the battery drop below 20%. Avoid charging your device in bits and pieces for 30 minutes here and then 2 hours there. My iPad Screen Goes Black Intermittently
Your iPad screen may go black intermittently, meaning that it turns itself off for short periods, but you still get notification sounds. Here’s what the cause might be.
There are three main reasons why this can happen. Using a jailbroken iPad can cause all manner of issues, including the screen going black intermittently. The same goes for using faulty or corrupt apps. Lastly, if your iPad suffered some external damage, the screen might be acting up as a result.
If you’re using an iPad that’s been jailbroken, then there is nothing you can do, as such devices tend to run into issues eventually. A jailbroken device will malfunction and won’t last long, and the worst part is that the damage may be beyond repair.
A malfunctioning app can suddenly cause the screen to go black, so if you’ve recently installed any new software, get rid of it and see if that helps. The same goes for situations where the issue only crops up when you’re using a certain app, even if you’ve had it for a while.
If your device takes a bad hit from a drop and the screen goes black, that's a sign it might be damaged. Sometimes this happens right away, but other times it might take a day or two to really show. You might even see something that looks like ink spreading on the screen, or the screen could just suddenly go black while you're using it. When this happens, your best bet is to get the screen fixed by someone who knows Apple devices inside out.
Avoid buying iPads that have been jailbroken as it only causes problems and will drastically reduce the tablet’s lifespan.
If an app is acting up, it’s best to just get rid of it rather than hope it’ll fix itself. Come back to it later once the developer releases a bug fix.
Several things can contribute to your iPad Pro having a black screen. Let’s go over them one by one.
Your iPad Pro could have a black screen if it’s out of battery, the battery is dying, or the charger is faulty. In addition, things like corrupted firmware or apps can contribute to this too, not to mention external damage. Here’s what you can do to get this fixed.
Try to charge your iPad Pro with a first-party Apple charger for 30 minutes, and not the one you’ve been using up until now.
Try to perform a soft reset as outlined by Apple
Try to put your iPad in Recovery mode and start again, as per Apple guidelines
If that fails, try to run your iPad in Device Firmware Update (DFU) mode
This should fix glitches in your iPadOS and any apps. if they are minor. Unfortunately, this will delete everything on the iPad, so it’s best to only do this if you’ve recently backed up your device.
DFU mode can help your device get back to normal, but it’ll cost you all your files and settings, so tread carefully.
It’s worth noting that in DFU mode, your iPad’s screen will remain black throughout, so if you see any Apple logos or text popping up during the below process, it means you’re in Recovery mode and not in DFU. If that’s the case, start again from the beginning.
Run iTunes or Finder on your Mac or Windows PC
Connect your iPad to the PC.
Press the Volume Up button quickly, then release it.
Do the same with the Volume Down button.
Press and hold the top button until your iPad begins to restart.
Keep pressing the top button until the iPad enters Recovery mode.You should see a message from iTunes saying the iPad is in Recovery mode.
Follow the instructions on the screen to restore the iPad
As always, just taking good care of your iPad Pro will go a long way in preventing various problems. Buy a reliable screen protector and case; keep your device up to date with the latest iPadOS patches, and try to avoid using it out in the sun.
If your iPad Air’s screen is suddenly black, it’s no wonder that you’re looking for help. You’ve come to the right place—we’ll tell you what to do below.
Plenty of reasons can contribute to your iPad Air displaying a black screen, so you’ll need to do some troubleshooting to narrow it down. Some of the most common causes include hardware issues with the display itself or even the motherboard, not to mention screen cracks. The battery can cause a lot of trouble, too, so your iPad might be dead due to that.
It could be something painfully simple. You may have turned down the brightness all the way down to zero and it only appears that the screen is black even though it’s not. This is especially easy to overlook if you’re in a sunlit area.
Start by ruling out issues with the battery—use a different charger and cord and plug it in. Let it charge uninterrupted for about 30 minutes, and try to turn the iPad Air on.
To check whether your brightness is set correctly, ask Siri to turn it up, as that just might fix the problem.
If that didn’t help, try to perform a soft reset and see if that does it. If not, it’s often best to take your iPad Air to a repair service location and get an accurate diagnosis.
Use a PIN or a fingerprint to unlock your iPad if you tend to carry it around without a case; this will prevent the brightness from accidentally getting turned down. For the sake of your battery, make sure that you’re always using an official Apple charger.
If your iPad display is littered with small black dots, it could imply physical damage or a defect in the LCD panel.
Black lines or spots on an iPad screen are often caused by a drop, a crack in the screen, or even prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. These factors can damage the display panel or disrupt the microconnections within the screen.
In most cases, this cannot be fixed at home, at least not unless you attempt to perform a DIY screen replacement. It’s better to reach out to a repair store, be it an Apple Store or a reputable third-party service, and get your iPadf fixed hassle-free.
Unless your iPad is brand new and hasn’t suffered any damage, this issue is mostly caused by it being mishandled. Don’t drop your tablet and keep it in a secure case to make sure it lives a nice, long, happy life.
Always use a heavy-duty case for your iPad
Use a PIN or fingerprint readerso you can lock the screen
Avoid dropping the iPad
Keep the device out of direct sunlight
Avoid using third-party chargers
Try not to charge the device overnight
Avoid jailbreaking your device
Check ratings of apps before downloading and only use the official App Store
Make sure your device is charged before installing updates
Check your settings and download updates as soon as they are ready
Changing the screen on an iPad can be pretty pricey. Depending on the model, you might end up paying up to around half the cost of the device. On the other hand, that’s still cheaper than having to buy a new tablet!
If you want to save money, try replacing the iPad screen yourself with our DIY iPad screen replacement guide.
Service Provider |
Description |
Average Screen Repair Cost |
Apple |
Official iPad repair service |
$329.71 |
Simply Fixable |
Local repair service |
$180.19 |
Table. iPad screen repair cost
*Data in the given table is based on Simply Fixable's market research and the official Apple website
If you need your iPad to be repaired or receive a screen replacement, you have two options—heading straight to an Apple Store or working with a third-party repair service.
Apple is the go-to option if your device is still under warranty, although not all issues might be covered by it—and repairs performed after the warranty period can cost a pretty penny.
As you can see in the above table, getting your screen fixed at Simply Fixable is a lot cheaper than doing so with the help of Apple technicians. Simply Fixable only works with experts, ensuring that your repairs will be carried out quickly and safely. With over 2,000 locations all across the United States, getting your iPad fixed is both convenient and affordable.
To make sure that you don’t run into this problem again anytime soon, make sure to take good care of your iPad. This includes keeping the iPadOS up to date, avoiding apps from third-party sources, and using only original Apple chargers and Lightning cables. Most of all, make sure not to drop your device. Doing this won’t completely eliminate the risk of the iPad black screen of death, but it’ll help you prolong its lifespan and do what you can to avoid it on your end.
Reviewed by Monica J. White
Linkedin: Monica J.White
Expertise: Technology, PC Hardware, Software, Gaming
Monica is a journalist with a lifelong interest in technology. Monica attended King's College London and obtained her bachelor's degree in English Language and Linguistics. She then went on to get a master's at that same university, this time focusing on Global Media Industries. She first started writing over ten years ago and has made a career out of it, with a special focus on PCs and mobile devices. She enjoys the challenge of explaining complex topics to a broader audience, whether it's how semiconductors work or how to troubleshoot a tablet. Her work has previously appeared in Digital Trends, Tom's Hardware, Pay.com, SlashGear, Forbes, Springboard, Looper, Money, WePC, and more.
Professional Content Creator
LinkedIn: Hollie Spooner
Hollie is a technical writer with over 15 years of experience specializing in creating content to help keep the rest of the world informed and updated on all tech-related subjects. Hollie has created content for many writing platforms in the tech and IT industry, and her passion for turning words into helpful articles is still growing. Hollie holds several certifications, like "Professional Article and Blog Writing", "Writing Editing and Publishing", "Creative Writing" and "Technology Digital Solutions" by Open Education and Thompsons Education Direct. When she isn’t creating content for the web, she is enjoying a crazy life with her family and friends.
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