Protecting your iPad with a passcode is a great way of securing it from prying eyes. However, if you get a warning message like “iPad is disabled, connect to iTunes” it is most likely due to entering the wrong passcode more than ten times.
Besides that, your iPad can be disabled if there’s an error while downloading the iOS update. Or, if you are running on the older version of iOS, it can also lead to this problem. Unfortunately, when you come across this message, your iPad is temporarily locked, and you can’t access any of its functions.
Nevertheless, you can tackle such errors by using iTunes or without iTunes. Either way, we will guide you through the entire process.
Table of Contents
Before You Begin
Here are a couple of important things you need to remember before you jump into fixing the disabled iPad.
- You should have enabled Find My. (If you haven’t enabled it, don’t worry. There’s another method you can try)
- All your data will be cleared if you don’t have an iCloud backup.
- While unlocking with iTunes, ensure your Lighting to USB cable is properly attached, has no physical damage, and is functional.
- Your computer should be running on the latest version of the OS.
How to Unlock Disabled iPad With iTunes?
Unlocking a Disabled iPad with iTunes requires a PC. If you have Windows OS, you need to download iTunes on your computer. But, it would be easier if you have a Mac as iTunes is pre-loaded there. Or, if you don’t have any, you can ask for help if someone has either Windows or Mac. Once your iTunes is ready. Let’s start the process.
- Launch iTunes on your computer.
- Connect the Lighting to the USB cable on your computer and iPad.
- If you are using an iPad with a home button follow the given steps:
- Press and Hold the Home button and Power button simultaneously without releasing them.
- Keep holding both buttons, and your iPad will be turned off, and after some seconds, you will see Apple Logo on the screen. Still, you should not release the finger and keep holding both buttons until you see the iTunes + lighting cable. Once you see the iTunes + Lighting cable on your screen, you can now release it.
- If you are using an iPad without a home button, follow the given steps:
- Quickly Press and Release Volume Up, then press and release Volume Down. Next, keep holding the side button as Your iPad will be turned off. After a second, you will see the Apple logo. Keep holding the side buttons until you see the iTunes + lighting cable.
- Once your iPad goes into recovery mode, A message will pop up on your connected computer, something like “There is a problem with the iPad that requires it to be updated or restored.”
- Now, Click on Restore.
- A new window will appear, and Tap on Restore and Update.
- Once you tap it, iTunes will download the latest iOS firmware for you. During the process, your iPad may reboot several times and take around 20-30 minutes to complete the whole process.
- You need to be patient and do not unplug your cable while the process is running. Once the iPad is rebooted, it will start as brand new. And you can unplug the cable and set up your iPad like before.
How to Unlock Disabled iPad Without iTunes?
Although your iPad may display “connect to iTunes,” you can still solve such an issue without iTunes. For that, your iPad should have enabled the feature called Find My before it was disabled. You can easily reset and unlock the iPad wirelessly if you have enabled Find My.
Using Find My via Your Apple Device
To unlock via Find My, you need another Apple device with Find My app like the iPhone to use this method. Here’s how you can do it.
- Open the Find My app on your iPhone.
- Select your iPad.
- Scroll down and tap on Erase This Device.
- Click on OK.
- You are required to fill in your phone number and Apple ID Password.
- Once you do it, your iPad will begin resetting, and it may take a while to complete the process.
Using Find My via iCloud
It’s similar to the above method, but you don’t need any Apple Device to use it. You can use your iCloud account to access Find My. For that, you need to use a browser on your PC or Phone. Search for iCloud on your search engine, or you can click here. You can follow the below steps for more.
- Open iCloud on your browser.
- Sign in with your Apple ID.
- Enter the two-factor verification code. (If the sim card is in your disabled iPad, you can take it off and use it on your phone to receive the code.)
- Now, tap on Find iPhone.
- Tap on All Devices.
- Select your iPad.
- Tap on Erase iPad and click on continue.
- You are required to fill in the iCloud account.
- Then follow the guide shown on your device.
- Once you do it, your iPad will begin resetting, and it may take a while to complete the process.
Contact Apple Support Center
If you are unable to fix the disabled iPad. It’s time to take it to the Genius Bar (Apple’s Official Tech Support). They will find out the best solution to fix your disabled iPad. Generally, they won’t take any charge to fix it if you are under warranty, or they might charge a few bucks depending on the reason for disablement.
