iPad Air Won’t Turn On? Here’s How to Fix It

by

If your iPad Air suddenly won’t turn on and seems completely unresponsive, don’t panic just yet. This is a pretty common issue and is often caused by something as simple as a firmware crash or a dead battery—not necessarily a hardware failure. Here’s how to troubleshoot it step by step and hopefully get your iPad Air back to life.

Force Restart Your iPad Air

In many cases, your iPad didn’t actually “die”—the system just crashed and needs a kick to reboot. A force restart is the easiest and fastest fix:

  1. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
  2. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
  3. Press and hold the Power button (on the top edge) until the Apple logo appears.

It can take 10–20 seconds of holding the Power button for the logo to show up, so be patient. If it doesn’t work the first time, try again two or three times. Still no luck? Move on to charging.

Charge Your iPad Air for at Least 30 Minutes

If the battery ran completely dry, your iPad may need a while before it shows any signs of life. Here’s what to do:

  1. Plug your iPad into a known working charger and cable.
  2. Leave it plugged in for at least 30 minutes—preferably an hour.
  3. Look for the charging icon on the screen after a few minutes.

Don’t see anything? Check your charging cable and adapter. Try a different USB cable, charging brick, or power outlet if possible.

Force Restart While Charging

Sometimes your iPad may be both drained and frozen. If that’s the case, you can force restart it while it’s still plugged in:

  1. While your iPad is charging, press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
  2. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
  3. Then press and hold the Power button until you see the Apple logo.

This trick can often wake up a frozen iPad that’s charging but not responding.

Still Not Turning On? It Might Be Hardware

If your iPad Air still refuses to turn on after trying all the above, it could be a more serious hardware issue—like a faulty battery, logic board, or screen. At this point, your best option is to:

  • Schedule a visit with Apple Support or head to a nearby Apple Store or authorized service provider.
  • If you’re still under warranty or have AppleCare+, it might be covered.

Leave a Comment