Your iPad Pro is not turning on and you’re not sure why. You pressed and held the power button, but nothing happens. In this article, I’ll explain why your iPad Pro won’t turn on and show you how to fix the problem.
Why Won’t My iPad Pro Turn On?
Your iPad Pro won’t turn on because either the software crashed and needs to be reset or restored, or a hardware problem is preventing your iPad Pro from turning on.
how to fix an iPad Pro that won’t turn on
Hard Reset Your iPad Pro
To force restart your iPad Pro, quickly press and release the volume up button, then quickly press and release the volume down button, then press and hold the Top button until the Apple logo appears on the screen. You may need to hold the Top button for 25–30 seconds!
If a force restart fixed your iPad, your problem was never that your iPad Pro wouldn’t turn on, because it was on the whole time.
A lot of people think their iPad Pro won’t turn on when their iPad is on, but the software has crashed so it’s displaying a black screen and not responding. It’s an easy mistake to make, because an iPad in that condition is almost indistinguishable from an iPad that’s turned off.
Try Charging Your iPad Pro
It’s possible your iPad Pro won’t turn on because it’s out of battery life. Try plugging your iPad Pro into a power source and see if the Apple logo appears on the screen. If the Apple logo doesn’t appear on the screen after a minute or two, move onto the next step!
Check Your iPad Pro’s Charger
Try charging your iPad Pro with multiple different chargers. If you find that your iPad Pro is charging with some chargers, but not others, then you’ve identified that the problem was your iPad Pro charger, not your iPad Pro.
If your iPad Pro is not charging regardless of which charger you use, move onto the next step, where we’ll help you troubleshoot problems with your charging cable.
Check Your Charging Cable
If you’ve had Apple devices for a while, you’ve probably seen your share of broken or frayed cables — they seem predisposed to breaking, such as when the rubberized outer sheath breaks from repeated bending, and the wires become exposed. If your charging cable looks like that, throw it away and get a new one.
But charging cables get a lot of abuse, and problems aren’t always apparent to the naked eye. Sometimes the wire can break while still inside the sheath. And inexpensive third-party charging cables have been known to spontaneously stop working, often because the power regulator chip inside the cable has failed.
There’s no good way to see any of this visually, so the best way to test your charging cable is to simply try a different one — ideally, a fully-authorized cable from Apple that you’re sure works.
Does Your iPad Pro Say “This Accessory May Not Be Supported”?
One of the most common reasons why an iPad Pro says “This Accessory May Not Be Supported” is because of low-quality, third-party charging cables that people buy in gas stations. Yes, Apple cables are expensive, but in my experience, those $5 knockoffs never hold up like the real thing.
If possible, charge your iPad Pro with the cable that it came with. If the charging cable your iPad Pro came with isn’t working, you can exchange it for a new one at your local Apple Store, so long as your iPhone is covered by an AppleCare plan.
Is There An Issue With The Display?
There’s probably a hardware problem if your iPad Pro still won’t turn on. If you recently dropped your iPad Pro, or if it has been exposed to liquid, some cables may have become damaged or dislodged from the logic board.
Plug your iPad Pro into your computer and open iTunes (PCs and Macs running macOS 10.14 or older) or Finder (Macs running macOS 10.15 or newer). Does iTunes recognize your iPad Pro? If it does, back up your iPad Pro right away. If there’s a serious hardware problem, this might be your last chance to back up your data.
If your iPad Pro shows up in iTunes of Finder and you can successfully back it up, or if it’s making any noises at all, you may need to have your iPad Pro’s display repaired.
If your iPad Pro doesn’t show up in iTunes or Finder, try doing a hard reset while your iPad Pro is connected to your computer. Do you see any error messages? If iTunes says you need to restore your iPad Pro, do it.
If you’ve tried the previous steps and your iPad Pro still won’t turn on, move onto the next step where I’ll discuss advanced software troubleshooting steps.
Advanced Software Troubleshooting Steps
Put Your iPad Pro In DFU Mode
If your iPad Pro still won’t turn on, we recommend performing a DFU restore. A DFU erases and reloads every line of code on your iPad Pro. When the restore is complete, it’ll be as if you were taking your iPad Pro out of the box for the very first time.
It’s extremely important to back up your iPad Pro before putting it in DFU mode. If you don’t, you’ll lose all the data on your iPad Pro.
- Plug your iPad Pro into your computer and open iTunes if you have a Mac running macOS Mojave 10.14 or a PC. Open Finder if you have a Mac running macOS Catalina 10.15 or newer.
- Press and hold the Top button for three seconds.
- While continuing to press and hold the power button, press and hold the volume down button.
- Hold both buttons down for about ten seconds.
- After ten seconds, release the Top button, but continue to hold down the volume button until your iPad Pro appears on iTunes or Finder.
- Click Restore iPad.
- Click Restore and Update.
Note: If the Apple logo appears on your iPad Pro display after Step 4, you’ve held the buttons for too long and will start again.
If a DFU restore doesn’t fix the problem you are having, move onto the final step of this article. We’ll discuss how to check for water damage and what your best repair options are.
Repair Your iPad Pro
Unfortunately, not every iPad Pro that won’t turn on can be fixed with a series of software troubleshooting steps. Sometimes you have to get your iPad Pro repaired.
One of the most common reasons why an iPad Pro won’t power on is because it was recently exposed to water or another liquid. That liquid can permanently damage the connectors inside your iPad Pro’s charging port, making it impossible to charge.
If you have to get your iPad Pro repaired, we recommend doing so through Apple. Apple provides support in-person, online, and through the mail. Make sure to set up an appointment if you plan to go into your local Apple Store. Without an appointment, you could spend a lot of time standing around!
iPad Pro Won’t Turn On: Fixed!
You’ve fixed the problem and your iPad Pro is turning on once again. Next time your iPad Pro won’t turn on, you’ll know exactly what to do! Leave a comment down below with any other questions about your iPad Pro.
