iPad unavailable message

Beach427Dolphin Said:

"iPad unavailable message: My iPad displays the message "iPad Unavailable" overtop the date and time display. It says to push home to unlock, but that doesn't work. I have shut it down and restarted it, but no luck."

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Stop Fiddling with the Device! Read the following...

Troubleshooting the Passcode...

Your iPad is locked. So, get this served.

Hold It Right There!:

Enter the passcode incorrectly too many times, and you'd likely be locked out for good. So, hold it right there, and refer to this link: If you Forgot the Passcode on your iPad, or your iPad is Disabled - Apple Support. It would be the one you've always entered. If you do not know it, then look for it in a location you may have stored it in.

If locked out...

Have any Proof of Purchase?

Unless you have the original packaging and receipt, you may be out of luck. If you do have it, however, then take this to an Apple Store, or an AASP (Apple Authorized Service Provider)! and they may be able to restore it. The reason for this blockage is all about Security & Privacy.

“Unavailable” generally indicates that you (or someone else) has repeatedly entered an incorrect Passcode. If you have a countdown, you can wait and try again. If you have tried too many times, you’ll have to restore the iPad.

An iPad passcode cannot be recovered, reset or modified from another device.

iPadOS 15.2 or later with a forgotten Passcode

Apple has introduced a new procedure with which to reset an iPad or iPhone with a forgotten Passcode - allowing you to use your AppleID and associated Password to reset your device.

How to reset your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch when you forgot your passcode - Apple Support

You will be able to restore data from a pre-existing iCloud backup without the use of a computer, but will require a PC/Mac to restore data from an iTunes backup.

iPadOS 15.1 and earlier - and all devices that are Disabled/Unavailable



If your iPad is disabled, or you have forgotten your iPad passcode, you have no alternative other than to follow this process:

If you’ve forgotten the passcode on your iPad, or your iPad is disabled – Apple Support

You’ll need access to either a PC (with iTunes installed) or a Mac (with iTunes or Finder - as appropriate for the installed version of MacOS).

Download and use iTunes for Windows – Apple Support

Update to the latest version of iTunes – Apple Support

Use of a PC or Mac is unavoidable. If you don’t have access to a suitable computer of your own, that of a helpful friend or family member will suffice. Alternatively, the technicians at the Genius Bar of your local Apple Store will be delighted to assist.

You may also need your AppleID and associated password. If these have also been forgotten, they can be recovered here:

https://iforgot.apple.com

To recover your credentials, you’ll need access to one of the following:

• Your primary email address mailbox that corresponds with your AppleID
• Any of the secondary/recovery email addresses that should be configured for your AppleID account
• Any of the trusted telephone numbers (fixed line or Cellular/Mobile) that are associated with your AppleID

Unless you AppleID account has not been fully/correctly configured, or has been seriously neglected, recovery of the AppleID and password should not be difficult.

More information about recovery of your AppleID:

If you forgot your Apple ID - Apple Support

More information about recovery of your AppleID password:

If you forgot your Apple ID password - Apple Support

When you recover access to your credentials, you would be well advised to log-in to your AppleID account from a web browser - and verify/update any email addresses and trusted telephone numbers:

https://appleid.apple.com