No service, Searching, and other relevant error prompts in mobile devices are usually attributed to a SIM failure as well as network outages. There are also other cases where the problem is tied to software-related issues including random system glitches, invalid settings, and bad updates. Thus both software and hardware aspects must be scrutinized when dealing with these problems.
Highlighted in this post are some tweaks that can be used to deal with a relevant issue on the iPad Pro device. Read on to learn what to do if your iPad is prompting a No service or Searching error and unable to make and receive calls and messages.
Before we proceed, if you’re looking for a solution to a problem with your phone, try to browse through our troubleshooting pages to see if we support your device. If your phone is in the list of our supported devices, then go to the troubleshooting page and look for similar problems. Feel free to use our solutions and workarounds. Don’t worry it’s free. But if you still need our help, then fill up our iPad issues questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.
ALSO READ: How to fix an iPhone 6 Searching error, no signal detected
How to troubleshoot iPad Pro with No Service issue
Before troubleshooting, make sure you’re in an area with cellular network coverage. Your device may be just telling you the truth. In that case, try to move to a different location where your cellular network signal is better and stronger. Stay away from any possible signal barriers too. If location isn’t an issue and you’re certain that you’re within your network coverage area, then you can try these subsequent walkthroughs to rule out software-related attributes from the possible triggers.
First solution: Turn Cellular Data ON or OFF.
Things like this can occur on any device among other random glitches that are usually remedied by restarting the main system that’s affected. Given that the main issue with affecting cellular services, consider this as your first workaround:
- Tap Settings from the Home screen.
- Tap Cellular Data.
- Then toggle the switch to turn Cellular Data On or off.
If you’re travelling internationally, check and see if Data Roaming is enabled on your device. If not, then you need to turned it ON with these steps:
- Tap Settings from the Home screen.
- Tap Cellular.
- Select Cellular Data Options.
- Then tap Data Roaming.
- Toggle the switch to turn Data Roaming ON.
Alternatively, you can do the Airplane Mode trick that works by turning Airplane Mode on and off from your iPad settings. Many people have found wonders from performing this workaround when dealing with devices issues affecting wireless functions. It wouldn’t hurt if you’d give it a try too and see what happens.
Second solution: Restart your iPad Pro (soft reset).
Another simple solution to minor software errors affecting wireless network functions is a soft reset or device restart. It effectively clears out random glitches that trigger occurrence of random errors. This doesn’t affect any saved data on the device, so there’s no need to back up files. If you haven’t already, then carry out a soft reset on your iPad Pro with these steps:
- Press and hold the Power button and the Volume Up button on the side of your iPad for a few seconds or until the Power Off slider appears.
- Drag the slider to turn off the iPad Pro.
- After about 30 seconds, press and hold the Power button on the top of your iPad for a few seconds.
- If prompted, enter the PIN code and select OK to proceed and access the Home screen.
Wait until your phone boots up and then see if the error is gone.
Third solution: Install carrier settings update.
If your device can connect to the Internet through Wi-Fi, then try checking for new carrier updates to download and install. Carrier updates usually contains patches that are used to fix problems affecting cellular services. To make sure you haven’t missed any critical update, check your iPad with these steps:
- From the Home screen, tap on Settings.
- Select General.
- Tap About.
- Navigate to the Carrier section.
- Then review the carrier information.
If a new carrier update is available, you will see a notification. If there is, then simply follow the onscreen instructions to update carrier settings on your iPad Pro.
Installing the latest iOS version available for your iPad Pro can also help. New iOS versions usually embed fix patches or codes that are programmed to get rid of bug-inflicted errors including network system errors.
- To check for new iOS update, simply navigate to your iPad Pro Settings-> General-> Software Update menu.
You will see an update notification if a new iOS version is available. To download and install iOS update, simply refer to the onscreen prompts.
Fourth solution: Reset network settings on your iPad Pro.
Network-related issues that could not be dealt with by the previous methods are generally resolved by performing a network settings reset on the device. Doing so eliminates incorrect network settings and invalid configurations that might have caused conflict and triggered the iPad to prompt a No service or Searching error. Wi-Fi networks will also be cleared out along with APNs, server settings and other relevant information as the original network settings and values are restored. Here’s how it works:
- Tap Settings from your Home screen.
- Select General.
- Scroll down to and then tap on Reset.
- Select the option to Reset network settings.
- If prompted, enter your passcode to proceed.
- Then tap on Reset to confirm action.
Allow your device to finish resetting and then reboots automatically when done.
Fifth solution: Remove and reinstall your SIM card.
Before anything else, get the Apple SIM card remover tool or a small, bent paper clip ready. Then find the SIM card tray on your device. You can find the SIM card tray at the bottom right side of the iPad. It’s the same side that where the mute switch and physical volume buttons are located.
- Turn off your iPad completely.
- While the iPad is turned off, gently insert the small paperclip into the small pinhole opening located in the SIM tray.
- Gently push it until the SIM tray pops out.
- Pull the SIM tray straight out.
- Remove the SIM card from the tray then examine it for any visible signs of damage. If there’s none, place the SIM card back into the tray in the same orientation before you removed it.
- Re-insert the tray when the SIM card is secured in place.
Be sure not to force the SIM tray back in place so as to avoid breaking the pins off the logic board, which can leave your iPad unable to connect to any cellular network.
If your account or cellular plan is set up with eSIM, then try erasing your eSIM profile and then add it back.
- To erase eSIM profiles on your iPad Pro, simply go to Settings-> Cellular menu, then tap the cellular plan (eSIM profile) that you want to delete. Then select the option to Remove Cellular Plan.
To set up your eSIM profile manually, refer to these steps:
- From the Home screen, go to Settings-> Cellular menu.
- Tap the option to Add Cellular Plan.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the screen then select the option to Enter Details Manually.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to manually enter all the required information.
After setting up your eSIM cellular plan, restart/soft reset your iPad Pro to clear its memory caches and to refresh its operating system.
If that doesn’t do any good either, then you should contact your carrier to ensure that eSIM is properly set up and activated for your cellular plan. If necessary, they can assist you with QR code scanning, carrier app downloading, or manually adding cellular plan information.
Other options
If none of the given solutions worked and your iPad Pro is still showing a No Service or Searching error, contact your carrier or service provider to check if there are any issues or network outages that might affect your network service. Also check and ensure that your account status is active and in good standing. Moreover, check that your iPad is not restricted from receiving cellular services and is set up with the correct data plan. All these and other necessary account details can only be access by your wireless carrier, so it’s imperative to give them a call to clear things out with your account. If you think that the problem is attributed to a damaged SIM card, then you can just request for a new SIM card replacement.
I hope that we’ve been able to help you fix the problem with your device. We would appreciate it if you helped us spread the word so please share this post if you found it helpful. Thank you so much for reading!