Your iPad screen is glitching and you don’t know why. It might flicker, freeze, delay when you touch it, or something else that’s very frustrating. In this article, I’ll explain how to fix an iPad screen glitch!
Hard Reset Your iPad
By hard resetting your iPad, you’ll force it to abruptly turn off and back on. Sometimes crashed software can cause screen glitches, so restarting your iPad may fix the problem.
Follow the steps below to hard reset your iPad:
iPad Without a Home Button
First, press and quickly release the volume button closest to the top button. Then, press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button. Finally, press and hold the top button until the screen turns off and the Apple logo appears.
iPad With a Home Button
Press and hold both the Home button and the top button at the same time until the screen turns off and the Apple logo appears.
Turn Off Auto-Brightness
We’ve heard from people who said they had success fixing iPad screen glitches by turning off Auto-Brightness. Here’s how to turn off Auto-Brightness on your iPad:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Accessibility.
- Tap Display & Text Size.
- Turn off the switch next to Auto-Brightness.
Take Off The Case & Wipe Off The Screen
iPad displays are very sensitive. It’s possible your iPad case or something on the display is triggering the touch screen and making it glitch. Take your iPad out of its case and wipe it with a microfiber cloth to clear off any debris that may be on the screen.
Is An App Causing The Problem?
Do you know if your iPad is glitching only when you open a specific app? If so, there’s a decent chance that app is causing the glitch.
There are a couple things you can do to try and fix the problem, and we’ll walk you through both those steps below.
Close The Problem App
If you think an app is malfunctioning, the first thing to do is close it and see if the problem persists.
If you have an iPad with a Home button, double-click the Home button while your iPad is unlocked. This will activate the app switcher, which shows you all the apps currently open on your iPad. Locate the app you want to close and swipe it up and off the top of the screen.
For iPads without a Home button, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold your finger in the center of the screen until the app switcher opens. Then, swipe up on the app until it disappears.
Check For An App Update
It’s possible an app is making your screen glitch because it’s out of date. App developers regularly release updates to introduce new features, fix known bugs, and make sure their app runs smoothly on the latest version of iPadOS.
Open the App Store and tap your picture or account icon at the top right. Tap App Updates. If an update is available for your problem app, tap Update to its right. There’s also an Update All option if you’d like to download all available app updates.
Delete The Problem App
Deleting and reinstalling an app can give it a fresh start. Sometimes, app files can become corrupted, causing problems when you try to use it.
To delete an app on your iPad, press and hold on its app icon until the menu opens. Tap Remove App -> Delete App -> Delete.
Now that you’ve uninstalled the app, open the App Store and tap the Search icon. Type in the name of your app, then tap the download button to its right.
Once it has finished installing, reopen the app to see if the problem has resolved. If the app continues to glitch, you may have to find an alternative.
Back Up Your iPad
If your iPad screen is still glitching, it’s time to back it up. While we haven’t ruled out the possibility of a deeper software problem, it’s very possible your iPad is broken and will need to be repaired. This may be the last chance you have to back up your iPad. Follow the steps below to save a backup to iCloud or your computer, then move onto the next step in this article.
Back Up Your iPad To iCloud
Open Settings and tap on Your Name at the top of the screen. Tap iCloud > iCloud Backup. Make sure the switch next to Back Up This iPad is on, then tap Back Up Now.
Back Up Your iPad To Your Computer
On a Mac running macOS Catalina or later, connect your iPad using a cable and open Finder. Select your iPad in the Finder sidebar. Click General at the top of the window, then select the circle next to Back up all of the data on your iPad to this Mac. Click Back Up Now.
If you have a PC, open the Apple Devices app (or iTunes if Apple Devices is not installed). Connect your iPad to your computer using a cable. Click on your iPad when it appears, select the circle next to This computer, then click Back Up Now. If you have a Mac running macOS Mojave or earlier, use iTunes instead of Finder.
DFU Restore
A DFU restore is the deepest iPad restore. Before you put your iPad in DFU mode, we highly recommend saving a backup because a DFU restore erases and reloads all the code on your iPad. We bet you don’t want to lose all of that information!
After you’ve backed up your iPad, look up how to DFU restore your specific iPad model. The steps differ depending on whether your iPad has a Home button or not.
Screen Repair Options
Unfortunately, if your iPad is still glitching after you’ve put it in DFU mode, you’ll probably have to look into repair options. It’s possible that an internal connector has been damaged or become dislodged.
Reach out to Apple support for repair options. Apple offers mail, phone, online, and in-person help. Make sure to schedule an appointment if you plan on going into your local Apple Store!
Get A New iPad
Sometimes the best thing to do when your current iPad is glitching is to get a brand new one. If multiple internal components of your iPad are broken, a repair could be very expensive.
Instead of paying a lot to fix your old broken iPad, why not use that money and invest in a new one?
From Glitched To Fixed!
You’ve fixed the problem with your iPad and it’s no longer glitching! Make sure to share this article on social media to teach your family and friends how to fix iPad screen glitch issues. If you have any extra questions, please leave them in the comments below!
