https://www.perplexity.ai/search/d3666795-6f34-45a0-a538-ff1cac55b661
https://www.ifixit.com/Patrol/Wiki/728/en
https://www.ifixit.com/Patrol/Guide/116104/en
# Let’s see if my mother’s A2229 iPad is easy to fix via some tidbit
you know or can find. She said she turned it off and it won’t turn
back on. When plugged in, the display doesn’t indicate anything.
Disassembly required?
It is strictly possible this is just a software "blackout" rather than
a hardware failure, meaning disassembly is often not required. The
A2229 (iPad Pro 12.9-inch 4th Gen) lacks a home button, so the
"tidbit" is the specific timing of the force restart sequence, which
is different from older models.
**The "Tidbit" Fix (Force Restart Sequence):**
Timing is critical. Do this while plugged into a high-wattage charger
(USB-C PD, not a small phone block):
1. **Press and quickly release** Volume Up.
2. **Press and quickly release** Volume Down.
3. **Press and HOLD** the Top (Power) button.
* *Crucial Detail:* Do not let go when the screen stays black.
Hold it for a full **20–30 seconds** until you see the Apple logo.
Many people release too early.
**Alternative Diagnostic:**
Connect it to a computer (Mac or PC with iTunes/Apple Devices). If the
computer recognizes a device in "DFU" or "Recovery" mode (even with a
black screen), the display or backlight may be the issue, but the
brain is alive.
**Disassembly Required?**
**Doesn't seem reasonable** to assume disassembly yet. Only if the
above sequence fails (tested with a known good USB-C PD cable/brick)
does it point to a hardware failure—likely the USB-C charging port
flex or a main logic board short.
<span
style="display:none">[^1_1][^1_10][^1_11][^1_12][^1_13][^1_14][^1_15][^1_16][^1_17][^1_18][^1_19][^1_2][^1_20][^1_21][^1_22][^1_23][^1_24][^1_25][^1_26][^1_27][^1_28][^1_29][^1_3][^1_30][^1_31][^1_32][^1_33][^1_34][^1_35][^1_36][^1_37][^1_38][^1_39][^1_4][^1_5][^1_6][^1_7][^1_8][^1_9]</span>
<div align="center">⁂</div>
[^1_1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxNKgsBmCIw
[^1_2]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud8VyEjRDrg
[^1_3]: https://www.asurion.com/connect/tech-tips/fix-ipad-wont-charge/
[^1_4]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtDR4dD8m-s
[^1_5]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfv95fO7quc
[^1_6]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc3nqlf6gVg
[^1_7]:
https://www.esrtech.com/blogs/how-to/why-is-my-ipad-screen-black-and-wont-turn-on
[^1_8]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNDwrvuwnfU
[^1_9]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzW1LIuxf0E
[^1_10]: https://www.asurion.com/connect/tech-tips/how-to-fix-ipad-wont-turn-on/
[^1_11]: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254698396
[^1_12]:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ipad/comments/1aevc1g/ipad_says_not_charging_but_i_know_its_not_a/
[^1_13]: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102642
[^1_14]:
https://www.att.com/device-support/article/wireless/000097026/Apple/iPadPro129inch4thGen
[^1_15]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y4osaRmBDA
[^1_16]: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254885088
[^1_17]:
https://prepaid.referafriend.uscellular.com/support/device-tutorials?page=apple-ipad-pro-12-9-(4th-gen)-ipados-14%2Freset-device%2Frestart-device%2Fp5_d27325_t20763_o1326
[^1_18]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AnxgKdBG34
[^1_19]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo5-YPQQei8
[^1_20]: https://support.apple.com/en-us/101603
[^1_21]:
https://www.reddit.com/r/mobilerepair/comments/16lbdlz/mostly_dead_11_in_ipad_pro_1st_generation_with_a/
[^1_22]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsRNBBPHqNo
[^1_23]: https://www.imyfone.com/iphone-issues/ipad-reboot-loop-solutions/
[^1_24]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxo5vuNqgv8
[^1_25]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3nA9DTWzXo
[^1_26]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32jayrkjfbE
[^1_27]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcDSTDvAI34
[^1_28]:
https://www.reddit.com/r/iPadPro/comments/15bzy6e/the_dreaded_moment_happened_my_usbc_port_died/
[^1_29]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG65n_HJX9E
[^1_30]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpqguXqdNsg
[^1_31]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq0oy5U5iY8
[^1_32]:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ipad/comments/1fbjmxy/ipad_stuck_in_a_restart_loop_any_idea_how_to_fix/
[^1_33]: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254898637
[^1_34]: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6082856
[^1_35]: https://www.ifixit.com/Troubleshooting/iPad/Black+Screen/482083
[^1_36]:
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/749241/Where+do+I+begin+to+test+for+ipad+no+power
[^1_37]: https://www.facebook.com/groups/carrolltonga/posts/2301167220081594/
[^1_38]: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254899992
[^1_39]: https://www.facebook.com/groups/290114757140088/posts/784386331046259/
---
### What is that sequence called?
That specific button combination is officially called a **Force
Restart** (sometimes referred to as a "Hard Reset" or "Hardware
Reboot").
It is a hardware-level override that physically cuts power to the
logic board and forces the firmware to reload, bypassing the frozen
software state that was preventing the screen from turning on.
### Does iFixit mention this?
**Yes, but it is easy to miss.**
You likely landed on the main **"iPad Pro 12.9" 4th Gen Repair"**
page. Because iFixit’s primary goal is to help you replace broken
parts (and sell the tools to do so), their device pages prioritize
**Repair Guides**—lists of instructions for removing the screen,
battery, or charging port. This structure implicitly suggests that
disassembly is the next step because those are the most prominent
links.
However, they do have a specific (but separate) guide titled **"How to
Force Restart an iPad Pro"** that covers this exact fix. It is often
buried in their "Troubleshooting" wiki rather than listed alongside
the main hardware guides like "Battery Replacement" or "Screen
Assembly."
**Why the confusion?**
* **Repair vs. Troubleshooting:** iFixit organizes content by *device
components* (e.g., Battery, Screen). If your screen is black, a user
naturally clicks "Screen," which leads to a guide on *how to remove
the screen*.
* **The "Black Screen" Wiki:** They have a separate troubleshooting
wiki for "iPad Black Screen" that *does* list the Force Restart as
Step 1, but it is much harder to find than the main device repair hub.
<span
style="display:none">[^2_1][^2_10][^2_11][^2_12][^2_13][^2_14][^2_15][^2_16][^2_17][^2_18][^2_19][^2_2][^2_20][^2_3][^2_4][^2_5][^2_6][^2_7][^2_8][^2_9]</span>
<div align="center">⁂</div>
[^2_1]: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+to+Force+Restart+an+iPad+Pro/116104
[^2_2]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNXTFUhEpQM
[^2_3]: https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/234524/iPad+Mini+2+won't+turn+on
[^2_4]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmjI2lu3kKw
[^2_5]: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254885088
[^2_6]: https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/792760/No+Power+and+no+sign+of+life.
[^2_7]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySDVGlL1wCQ
[^2_8]:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ifixit/comments/1l7w8x3/urgent_help_my_ipad_wont_turn_on/
[^2_9]: https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/633790/My+iPad+won't+turn+on
[^2_10]:
https://www.cloudifi.com.au/blogs/news/how-to-hard-reset-and-ipad-or-ipad-pro
[^2_11]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lws6kAwq_c
[^2_12]:
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/304047/My+iPad+suddenly+shut+down+and+won't+turn+back+on.
[^2_13]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XODzOEEdWhU
[^2_14]:
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/300007/Blank+screen+after+replacement
[^2_15]: https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/330636/iPad+won't+turn+on+at+all
[^2_16]: https://www.ifixit.com/Device/iPad_Pro_12.9%22_4th_Gen
[^2_17]:
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/134681/Ipad+mini+won't+turn+on+Tried+everything
[^2_18]:
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/332310/ipad+shut+down+and+won't+start+again!
[^2_19]: https://www.ifixit.com/GuidePDF/link/116104/en
[^2_20]:
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/81848/My+Ipad+screen+not+working+please+help+me
---
# It’s not in the general iPad troubleshooting guide I clicked on on
their site. What is the cause of this issue to help describe it?
This issue is almost certainly a **"SpringBoard crash"** or a
**firmware hang** in the "Always-On" power management system.
Here is a technical breakdown of what actually happened to help you
describe it to others:
### 1. The SpringBoard Crash (The "Blackout")
**SpringBoard** is the application on iOS/iPadOS that manages the home
screen and launches apps (similar to `explorer.exe` on Windows or the
Finder on macOS).
* **What happened:** A background process likely stalled the main
interface thread. The display driver was waiting for a signal from the
OS to "wake up," but the OS was frozen in a state where it couldn't
send that signal.
* **Why the screen was black:** To save power, the iPad aggressively
cuts power to the LCD backlight when it thinks it's asleep. Because
the software froze *while* asleep, it never got the command to turn
the backlight back *on*, even though the CPU might have still been
running low-level tasks (which is why it felt "on" but looked "off").
### 2. The Solution: Hard Reset (Hardware Interrupt)
The "button dance" you performed sends a signal to the **Power
Management Unit (PMU)** chip on the logic board.
* Unlike a software restart (sliding to power off), this signal is a
low-level hardware interrupt.
* It physically cuts voltage to the CPU and forces the system to
re-initialize its boot sequence from scratch ("cold boot"), clearing
the frozen state.
### 3. Why It's Not in the General Guide
iFixit’s general "Troubleshooting" section is effectively a flowchart
for **broken parts** (Hardware). Since this is a **software** freeze
that mimics dead hardware, it falls into a gray area:
* **Hardware guides** assume the screen or battery is physically broken.
* **Software guides** assume the device is turning on but acting weird.
* This specific issue—"Software freeze causing hardware to look
dead"—sits awkwardly in the middle, often relegated to forum posts or
the specific "Force Restart" wiki page rather than the main repair
hub.
**In short:** Your mother’s iPad didn’t "break"; it just "fainted" and
needed a cold bucket of water (the hard reset) to wake up.
<span
style="display:none">[^3_1][^3_10][^3_11][^3_12][^3_13][^3_14][^3_15][^3_16][^3_17][^3_18][^3_19][^3_2][^3_20][^3_3][^3_4][^3_5][^3_6][^3_7][^3_8][^3_9]</span>
<div align="center">⁂</div>
[^3_1]:
https://www.imobie.com/ios-system-recovery/how-to-fix-black-screen-ipad.htm
[^3_2]: https://milaaj.ae/ios-update-freezes-your-ipad/
[^3_3]:
https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/21/typing-these-four-characters-could-crash-your-iphone/
[^3_4]: https://www.chesona.com/blogs/trouble-shooting/ipad-hard-reset-guide
[^3_5]:
https://www.zugucase.com/blogs/news/why-your-ipad-is-freezing-and-how-to-fix-it
[^3_6]:
https://appleinsider.com/articles/17/12/02/apple-software-sees-disastrous-embarrassing-week-with-ios-springboard-crash-macos-root-user-security-flaw
[^3_7]:
https://www.esrtech.com/blogs/how-to/why-is-my-ipad-screen-black-and-wont-turn-on
[^3_8]:
https://www.reddit.com/r/applehelp/comments/o77f31/my_ipads_been_stuck_on_the_apple_logo_force/
[^3_9]:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2024/08/22/new-iphone-warning-typing-this-will-crash-your-device/
[^3_10]: https://www.asurion.com/connect/tech-tips/how-to-fix-ipad-wont-turn-on/
[^3_11]: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254936031
[^3_12]:
https://www.reddit.com/r/iOSBeta/comments/1fp0ix3/ios_181_db5_lots_of_springboard_crashes/
[^3_13]: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102642
[^3_14]: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kakirepair/posts/5200706326676282/
[^3_15]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpringBoard
[^3_16]: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254885088
[^3_17]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aOprwmywqQ
[^3_18]: https://www.macrumors.com/2024/08/21/iphone-character-bug-respring/
[^3_19]:
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/81848/My+Ipad+screen+not+working+please+help+me
[^3_20]:
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/427571/Stuck+in+recovery+loop+after+attempted+update.
