What does this article cover 

This article covers eight total solutions to revive the iPad screen. The eight solutions are based on three unique situations that users will likely encounter when tackling the iPad black screen issue. This article also has a step-by-step guide so users can practically implement the solutions on their iPads. 

Key Takeaways

• When the iPad screen goes black, it is called the iPad black screen of death. 
• The iPad black of screen happens due to corrupt firmware, unresponsive applications, faulty charger or battery, broken cables, and faulty display. 
• Using proper preventive techniques like regular iPadOS updates, installing applications from the Apple store only, and using the original Apple charger and lightning cable can reduce the chances of getting a black screen on your iPad.

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So, you’ve got a black screen on your iPad, and the screen is not responding. Here’s how you can fix the iPad black screen using eight different solutions. 

The screen goes black on iPad due to several different reasons. The iPad is the only Apple device suffering from this issue. Collectively, all the iPhones and iPads in the Apple lineup are prone to this issue. 

Since this issue is quite common, users in the Apple community have developed many troubleshoots that can help fix an iPad screen blackout. 

So, without further ado, let’s jump into some of the most reliable troubleshoots.

The screen goes black on an iPad

If a screen goes black on an iPad, in technical terms, the iPad is known to have experienced the black screen of death. This condition is coined as the black screen of death because, in this state, the iPad does not respond to any user input, despite users being able to hear the notification sounds. 

Eventually, if this issue prevails for a longer time, the iPad will eventually just turn off. There are many root causes for the black screen of death. Luckily, the iPad's black screen of death is fixable most of the time, so don’t panic just yet. 

Why is my iPad screen black and won’t turn on?

The iPad screen goes black due to a number of different reasons. Those reasons include, 

• Unusual battery discharge or dead battery
• Corrupt firmware
• Unresponsive applications
• Glitch and bugs in the iOS
• Malfunction of ambient light sensor
• Faulty display cable

An iPad can have one or a combination of more than one of the listed problems. The age of the iPad can exacerbate the issue due to aging hardware and electrical components. Older iPads are more likely to experience the black screen of death than new out-of-the-box devices. 

How to fix an iPad with a black screen?

In this section of the article, we will look at possible troubleshoots and fixes that can fix the problems mentioned above and remedy the situation. 

We will also include some situation-based solutions and fixes catering to specific iPad behavior. 

iPad Screen Blackout

If your iPad screen suddenly goes black, and you cannot see images or hear any notifications, try the following fixes. 

How to fix the issue?

Solution 1: Charge the iPad 

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Sometimes the battery can experience an unusually fast drain, resulting in rapid drop in battery percentage. As a result, the iPad screen goes black due to no battery. Usually, when this happens, you will see a red no battery indicator on the screen when you try to power on the iPad. If this is the case with your iPad, let it charge. 

When charging, make sure you are using the original Apple-supplied charger and lightning cable. Third-Party cables and chargers do not provide effective charging. Not only that, but they  can also harm the fragile charging port of the iPad. 

Solution 2: Replace the charging port 

If your iPad is not charging, you should consider a charging port replacement. A faulty charging port is nothing new. Every iPad charging port is susceptible to damage because it receives the most wear and tear as it is constantly being used every day. 

Rubbing the lightning cable against the charging port causes the pins in the charging port to deform and degrade. Simply plug in the charger to another iPad to verify if your iPad’s charging port is damaged. If it starts charging, it indicates your iPad’s charging port is damaged. 

Solution 3: Perform a Force Restart

Doing a force restart can restore the display to your iPad. Do the following to perform a force restart on your iPad. 

iPad with a Home button

For an older iPad with a home button with Touch ID, the process is as follows, 

• Press and hold the home button and the top power button until you see the Apple logo on the screen. 
• Once the Apple logo has appeared, release the buttons and wait for the iPad to reboot. 

iPad without a Home button

• Press and release the volume up button.
• Press and release the volume down button.
• Press and hold the power button until you see the Apple logo on the screen.

My iPad screen is black, but I can hear it

If you can hear the notifications and alerts on your iPad, but the screen stays black, try the following fixes. 

How to fix the issue?

Solution 1: Turn off Auto Brightness

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The auto-brightness feature uses the ambient light sensor on an iPad. The readings from the ambient light sensor will be skewed if it is not working properly. As a result, the auto brightness feature can cause the screen to turn black because the data provided by the ambient light sensor is not correct. 

To fix this issue, simply disable the auto brightness option on your iPad. Here’s how you can do it. 

• Open the iPad settings.
• Open the auto brightness setting menu by searching it in the settings search bar. 
• Turn off the auto brightness slider. 

Solution 2: Change the Screen Ribbon Cable

The iPad will also not show the display if the screen ribbon cable is damaged or disconnected. The screen ribbon cable connects the display to the logic board of the iPad. This fragile cable gets damaged when the iPad is dropped on the floor or if it hits a hard object. 

Replacing the screen ribbon cable requires taking apart the iPad, removing the screen, and installing the new cable. It is a fully-fledged repair job that requires a skilled technician, or if are confident, you could attempt a DIY repair as well if you want to save money. 

iPad is on, but the screen is black

If you are in a situation where the iPad is turned on, but the screen is not giving any display, it usually means that there is something wrong with the firmware of the iPad. Here’s how you can fix it. 

How to fix the issue?

Solution 1: Update the iPadOS with recovery mode

• Connect your iPad to a computer or a laptop. 
• Open the iTunes folder. 
• On an iPad without a home button, quickly press and release the volume up button, followed by the volume down button. Then, press and hold the power button until the device boots to the recovery screen. 
• On iPads with the home button, press and hold power and the home button until the iPad boots to the recovery screen. 
• On the computer, choose the update option.

Updating the iPadOS does not erase any existing data or user files present in the device. Still though, you should always periodically backup your data on iCloud or other similar cloud-based storage solutions. 

The next solution we are going to talk about is to erase all data present on the physical storage drive of the iPad. 

Solution 2: Restore the iPad firmware with Recovery mode

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This solution is used to restore the last stable firmware of the iPad. It has a good chance of solving the iPad black screen, granted the issue is due to unstable or corrupt firmware. 

The process for this solution is similar to the iPadOS update solution listed above. It only differs at the last step. 

• Rather than choosing the update option, click on the restore option. This should set the process in motion. Once the process starts, do not power off the computer until the entire process is complete. 

Solution 3: Change the Screen 

If you have tried all the above solutions yet the iPad screen still has a problem, then you might need to change the entire screen. 

Changing the screen on an iPad is a costly repair and will set you back quite a lot of money. Sometimes, the cost of replacing the screen is half the value of the entire iPad itself. If you want to save cost, try replacing the iPad screen yourself with a DIY iPad screen replacement guide. 

iPad black screen hard reset not working

If you have tried resetting the iPad black screen using all of the above-listed methods and nothing seems to work, then perhaps the issue is too complex and deep-rooted. Therefore, it may require professional a professional checkup. Take your iPad to the nearest Apple center and have it checked thoroughly. 

Conclusion 

To prevent the iPad screen from going black again, make sure you are following the right protocols: Update the iPadOS regularly, don’t install applications from third-party sources, and use the original Apple charger and lightning cable. Doing this may not fully eliminate the risk of getting the iPad black screen of death, but the chances will be reduced significantly.