You’re seeing lines on your iPad’s screen and you’re not sure why. This problem usually occurs when your iPad’s display cable gets disconnected from its logic board, but it could also be a software problem. In this article, I’ll explain why there are lines on your iPad screen and show you how to fix the problem step-by-step!
Restart Your iPad
First, let’s try and rule out a minor software glitch. Restarting your iPad will let all of its programs shut down normally, which could fix a problem causing lines to appear on your iPad’s display.
On an iPad with a Home button, press and hold the top button until slide to power off appears on the screen. On an iPad without a Home button, simultaneously press and hold either volume button and the top button until slide to power off appears.
Swipe the white and red power icon from left to right to shut down your iPad. Wait a few seconds, then press and hold the top button until the Apple logo appears on the center of the display.
In some cases, the lines on your iPad screen will be so obstructive that you can’t see anything on the screen. If the lines on your iPad screen are completely obstructing your view, you can restart it by doing a hard reset. A hard reset abruptly turns your iPad off and back on.
The way to hard reset an iPad depends on which iPad you have:
- iPad with a Home button: Press and hold the top button and the Home button at the same time. When the Apple logo appears, release both buttons.
- iPad without a Home button: Press and quickly release the volume button nearest to the top button, press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button, then press and hold the top button until the Apple logo appears.
It can take 25–30 seconds before the Apple logo appears, so be patient and don’t give up!
Backup Your iPad
We recommend backing up your iPad as soon as possible if there are still lines on the screen. This may be your last chance to back up if your iPad is seriously damaged or suffering from liquid damage.
Backing up your iPad saves a copy of all the information on it. This includes your photos, contacts, videos, and more!
You can use your computer or iCloud to back up your iPad. You’ll need a USB-C cable (or a Lightning cable for older iPad models) and a computer with the Finder (on macOS Catalina 10.15 or later) or the Apple Devices app (on Windows) to back up your iPad to a computer. If you want to back up your iPad to iCloud, you don’t need a cable or a computer, but you will need enough iCloud storage space to save the backup.
See also: How to back up an iPad
Put Your iPad In DFU Mode
The Device Firmware Update (DFU) restore is the deepest type of iPad restore and it’s the last step we can take to rule out a software problem. This type of restore erases and reloads all the code on your iPad, restoring it to its factory defaults.
We strongly recommend saving a backup of the information on your iPad before putting it in DFU mode. Check out our step-by-step guide when you’re ready to put your iPad in DFU mode!
Screen Repair Options
Most of the time, lines on your iPad screen are the result of a hardware problem. It can occur when you drop your iPad on a hard surface, or if your iPad gets exposed to liquids. Vertical lines on the display of your iPad are typically an indicator that the display cable is no longer connected to the logic board.
Set up an appointment at your local Apple Store to meet with a technician, especially if your iPad is covered by an AppleCare+ Protection Plan.
No More Lines!
I hope this article helped you fix your iPad or find a repair option that will help you get its screen replaced as soon as possible. Now that you know why there are lines on your iPad screen, make sure to share this article on social media with family and friends! Leave any other questions you have for us in the comments section below.
