Hey, these “spotlights”, as I have heard them being called, had suddenly appeared on my iPad about a month ago. I don’t mind much, but I just want to know if it will get worse, and if I need to do anything about it.
I Also had these “dots” on my screen as well. What even are they? Is my screen about to die???
Please lemme know if anyone has any feedback, thanks.
Your photos illustrate two screen hardware faults/issues - that can only be resolved by replacing the screen.
Your iPad has an edge-lit backlight - consisting of a multiple LEDs positioned along the edges of the screen. A backlight diffuser layer distributes light from the LEDs evenly across the back of the LCD screen.
Your first image shows a fault colloquially known as "stage lighting". Here multiple backlight LEDs or associated drive-circuitry have failed - leading to the bright alternating patches that you see along the edge of the screen. This fault appears to be a characteristic of the first and second generation iPad Pro 12.9” - complaints of which have been seen here with some regularity.
The second image, showing brighter diffuse patches, is due to partial delimitation of the screen diffuser layer. This particular issue is not uncommon with the iPad Air3 and iPad Pro 10.5" upon which the Air3 was based.
If you have on older model iPad, a screen replacement is unlikely to be economic. Instead, replacement with a much newer or current model would be a better option.
Your photos illustrate two screen hardware faults/issues - that can only be resolved by replacing the screen.
Your iPad has an edge-lit backlight - consisting of a multiple LEDs positioned along the edges of the screen. A backlight diffuser layer distributes light from the LEDs evenly across the back of the LCD screen.
Your first image shows a fault colloquially known as "stage lighting". Here multiple backlight LEDs or associated drive-circuitry have failed - leading to the bright alternating patches that you see along the edge of the screen. This fault appears to be a characteristic of the first and second generation iPad Pro 12.9” - complaints of which have been seen here with some regularity.
The second image, showing brighter diffuse patches, is due to partial delimitation of the screen diffuser layer. This particular issue is not uncommon with the iPad Air3 and iPad Pro 10.5" upon which the Air3 was based.
If you have on older model iPad, a screen replacement is unlikely to be economic. Instead, replacement with a much newer or current model would be a better option.
Chances are your iPad's backlight is becoming faulty.
While it is very possible that year and model iPad is long out of any type of AppleCare warranty, most Apple store locations do not repair iPads, but ONLY offer in/out of warranty device replacement.
Being that this iPad year and model is long out of warranty, an out of warranty device replacrment, in lieu of an actual physical device repair, will cost approximately 60% of that iPad's original OEM purchase price.
Might be better just to live with this issue or consider a purchase of a new or “newer” ( refurbished or used, seconhand ) iPad model.
Sorry & Best of Luck to You!
FYI,
If you decide to go down the path of purchasing used, secondhand Apple devices, from individual Apple device sellers, here is how to avoid purchasing an Apple iOS/iPadOS device with user activation lock, in the future.
If you purchase any iPad, or any Apple iOS device, for that matter, used/second hand, online, or even in-person, make sure this iPad does NOT have user activation lock and has been properly reset for sale.
A properly reset for sale iPad should initially power up to an animated, multi-language “Welcome” screen.
DO NOT take the iPad seller's word that this iPad is user activation lock free!
We have seen plenty of used iOS device purchasers get scammed.
User Activation Lock can never be bypasss, circumvented or worked around IF there is no correct previous/original user information to be able to do so.
Apple doesn't get involved with ANY user activation locked, used/second-hand sold devices, either.
So, buyer beware!
If purchasing a used device in-person, power the iPad ON
If the iPad DOES NOT display the initial animated, multi-language “Welcome” screen, then pass on purchasing this iPad.
If the iPad powers up to any other screen, then forget purchasing this iPad.
You cannot trust that the seller actually has the correct needed info to properly reset the iPad back to factory settings right then and there before the actual purchase and exchange of money for the iPad, in question.
Pass on the device!
If you are purchasing this used iPad online ask the seller to provide multiple images, either online or be sent to you via email, showing this animated, multi-language “Welcome” screen of the interested in purchasing iPad model.
Even better, ask for a short video be sent to you showing this animated, multi-language “Welcome” screen, in action and in its entirety, posted to the online ad or emailed to you.
If the online iPad seller refuses any of these requests, pass on the iPad. DO NOT buy!
Good Luck to You!
Weird “Spotlights” on the bottom of my iPad screen (7th generation)
