How to fix an iPad Air 3 that keeps lagging and freezing in iOS 13

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Lagging and freezing are common symptoms of performance problems that usually transpire in early devices. Nonetheless, these same symptoms can also affect new devices given that these too can be triggered by software-related factors. Aside from memory-related issues, malware and software bugs can also trigger the same symptoms to occur on a new device. Highlighted below are generic solutions to a similar issue on the iPad Air 3 that suddenly keeps lagging and freezing in iOS 13. Read on to find out how to fix this problem on your iPad.

Troubleshooting a problem on iPad Air 3 that keeps lagging and freezing in iOS 13

The fact that the problem has started from the recent iOS 13 update installation makes it more likely inflicted by an iOS bug. The iOS 13 update might have contained some minor, if not major system flaws that eventually ruined the smooth performance of your iOS device. For as long as no hardware damage is present, there’s always a way to get your iPad Air back to its normal state and work properly again as intended. The following procedures will help eliminate common post-update factors that could affect your device performance.

First solution: Force close apps.

Apps that were left suspended during the update on your iPad Air 3 might have crashed and eventually affected other apps and your iPad’s overall system performance. To clear this out, end all background apps using these steps:

  1. Double-press the Home button to launch the App Switcher window.
  2. Swipe left or right to browse through different app previews/cards.
  3. Then swipe up on an app card to close it.

Do the same to clear out all background apps from your iPad and then press the Home button to go back to the Home screen when done.

Second solution: Force restart your iPad to fix lagging and freezing in iOS 13.

Restarting the device can do a lot of wonders when it comes to resolving post-update issues. Aside from dumping junk files and errant caches, a simple restart can also rectify system flaws caused by the recent platform transition. All these without affecting any single file saved on your device’s local storage. Thus, if you haven’t already, you should consider a soft reset as the next potential solution to try on. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Simultaneously press and hold the Power button and the Home button for a few seconds.
  2. Then release both buttons when the Apple logo shows up on the display.

Wait for your iPad to finish rebooting and then use it again to see if the symptoms are gone.

ALSO READ: How to fix iPhone XS Internet very slow after iOS 13

Third solution: Install pending app updates.

Apps that have gone rogue from the recent iOS update are usually those that were not up to date. This usually happens as these apps are no longer supported or unable to meet the minimum system requirements to operate smoothly on the new iOS platform. To fix the problem, installing all pending app updates on your iPad Air 3 can help. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Tap to open the App Store app from your Home screen.
  2. Tap on your Apple ID profile picture located on the top-right corner of the screen.
  3. Scroll down to the Pending Updates section. This section is only available if there are pending updates on your iPad. A list of recent updates to your apps will then show up underneath this section.
  4. To apply pending updates manually, tap the Update button next to the name of the app.
  5. Otherwise, tap the Update All button to prompt the device to download and apply updates to your apps in the background. You will see then the recently installed updates under the Updated Recently section. 

Give your iPad another restart after installing all app updates to save and apply the recent software changes and likewise to refresh the apps. Then try and see if the problem on frequent lags and freezes is already gone.

Fourth solution: Free up memory space, if necessary.

Memory issues like when the device is running low on storage is also another factor to consider. A device in a low memory state is more prone to having performance issues including symptoms of random to frequent system crashes, sluggishness, lagging and freezing. To fix the problem, freeing up some space would be necessary. To check and manage your iPad storage, simply follow these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, tap Settings.
  2. Select General.
  3. Tap Storage and iCloud Storage.

Check how much is the Available Storage on your device. If it’s significantly low like less than a gigabyte, it denotes low internal memory. This also means the need to free up space, to keep your device performing properly. Note that insufficient memory often results in performance issues including symptoms of frequent lags and unresponsiveness.

ALSO READ: How to fix iPhone XR iOS 13 delayed touchscreen response issue

Fifth solution: Reset all settings on your iPad Air 3.

Settings that were overridden by the recent updates can also be the underlying cause of the problem, especially if the automatic iOS overrides caused some conflicts. This is usually what happens if you’ve customized your iPad settings according to your own preferences. Thankfully, these flaws can easily be rectified by a reset on all settings on your iPad Air 3. This reset does not affect any saved data on the internal memory but deletes all customized settings and including faulty iOS 13 overrides. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. From the Home screen, tap Settings.
  2. Scroll to and tap General.
  3. Tap on Reset. 
  4. Select the option to Reset all settings.
  5. Enter your passcode if prompted.
  6. Tap to confirm that you want to reset all settings on your iPad Air 3.

After the reset, all the original values are restored so you’ll have to re-enable necessary features so you can use them again on your iPad.

Sixth solution: Erase and restore your iPad Air 3 in iTunes.

This can be regarded among the last possible solutions to try on, if all else failed to fix the problem and that your iPad Air 3 still keeps lagging and freezing in iOS 13. A factory reset is usually needed to clear out major system errors that caused stubborn symptoms. But before you do, you’ll need to back up all critical files from your iPad storage to iCloud or iTunes. Failure to do so will result in permanent data loss. There are two ways for you to erase and restore your iPad. If the device is still responsive, then you can carry out a factory reset through settings. Just follow these steps:

  1. Tap Settings from the Home screen to get started.
  2. Select General.
  3. Scroll down and tap on Reset.
  4. Enter your device passcode when asked to proceed.
  5. Select the option to Erase all content and settings.
  6. Then tap the option to confirm full system reset.

If your iPad Air 3 is unresponsive, the above procedures could not be applied. As an alternative solution, you can use iTunes to manually erase and restore your iPad Air on a computer. All you have to do is get a Windows or Mac computer with iTunes ready. Then follow these steps if you’re all set to restore your iPad:

  1. Connect your iPad to the computer using the original USB cable.
  2. Open iTunes on the computer, if it isn’t already.
  3. Click on the iPad button located near the top of the iTunes screen.
  4. Navigate to the Summary pane then click the option to Restore iPad.

Follow the rest of the onscreen commands to finish restoring your iPad in iTunes. Keep it connected to your computer until the entire restore process is finished to avoid ending up with a bricked iPhone.

ALSO READ: How to fix an iOS 13 iPhone 8 that’s stuck on white Apple logo, couldn’t boot up to Home screen

Is your iPad Air 3 still keep lagging and freezing in iOS 13?

Persistent lagging and freezing symptoms may already denote a hardware issue unless a corrupted system data or iOS itself is to blame. To clear out major system data corruption or bricked iOS from the underlying causes, performing a recovery mode restore or DFU mode restore can be considered among the last possible solutions to try on. Both these restore procedures require the use of iTunes so if you wish to continue troubleshooting, secure a Windows or Mac computer that has the latest version of iTunes app in it. Then you can refer to a step-by-step guide on how to perform a recovery mode restore and DFU mode restore posted on this site’s tutorials section. Just visit the iPad Air 3 troubleshooting page for more information.

Aside from iTunes, there are also other tools or third-party software that are designed to repair major iOS problems including complex bugs from the iOS 13 update that might have ruined your iPad’s system performance and thereby caused lagging and freezing problems. These tools can be downloaded for free or purchase. Among the most reliable iOS repair and recovery tools for new iPads and iPhones are Joyoshare UltFix iOS System Recovery, Tenorshare ReiBoot, iMyFone Fixppo, and Dr. Fone – Repair, to name a few. Reading prior reviews will help you in choosing which software to download and utilize.

If all else failed to fix the problem and your iPhone Air 3 still keep lagging and freezing in iOS 13, then you should report it to Apple Support already. Doing so will prompt them to make further assessments on their end and develop a fix patch, if needed.