How to identify new iPad icons near battery indicator?

I guess that you are referring to this new status icon:

Yours is one of many reports seen in recent days. This new icon appears to be undocumented by Apple at this time.

My own extensive testing has demonstrated this icon to indicate that a download to the iPad is occurring (you'll note from my screenshot that a download from a website is partially complete). When switching away from Safari to use another App, allowing the Safari to complete the download as background task, the new status icon will persist in view until the background download is completed.

Apple's documentation is often slow to catch-up with new features. Here is another status icon - that appears briefly when connecting some USB-C hubs - that Apple have yet to add to their documentation:

That indicates that it's syncing, most likely with a computer.

For more information on the various symbols, see:

Learn the meaning of the iPad status icons - Apple Support

Regards.

If you go to Safari, you'll see the download arrow at the top right. Click on it and you will see that status of the download. You can delete it if desired and then clear it, the symbol will go away.

So, I also had the "download icon" appear today and, as with others, it didn’t go away so I spent some time experimenting. The first thing I discovered is that it’s actually appearing for everything I download but for most downloads it disappears when the download completes. In fact on some occasions I can only catch it appearing/disappearing if I record the screen as it’s so fast in turning on/off. But I also discovered that if I download any podcast from the BBC (via Safari) then the "download icon" never disappears even after I remove the

MP3 from the download list or even if I delete the actual download. But, as others have found if I lock/unlock my iPad then the icon has disappeared when I sign-in to my iPad (iPad Pro 12.9 running 18.5 btw).

This symbol is related to syncing between devices. I noticed it after updating to 18.2.1 on my iPad. I also have an iPhone but haven’t updated it yet. After checking “Screen Time” under “Settings”, I noticed that it was showing the use of “Apps and Website Activity” of both devices. 

I listen to Podcasts on my iPhone but not on my iPad. I also use YouTube on my iPad but not on my iPhone. When I view “Screen Time”, it shows data from All Devices, but I can toggle on and off to view my screen time on each synched devices. 

So, this new symbol shows that data is being synced between these two devices and even though I haven’t yet updated my iPhone and it doesn’t have the new symbol, I can see the exact use of data on both. I’m fairly certain that this new symbol will show up on my iPhone if and when I update to 18.2.1

This syncing also occurs even if both devices are not connected to each other by Bluetooth or Hotspot. 

It’s notification of a download not complete. Cancel the download it goes away

zlot wrote:

Definitely to do with downloading/synching, but the real question remains: why does it persist after downloading/synching? Rebooting makes it go away and it will return as soon as you download/synch. Then it will stay again.

I've already posted everything that is known, along with screenshots, in my earlier replies to this thread. At this time, Apple has not provided definitive information or documentation concerning the appearance of this icon.

That said, it is strongly suspected that the appearance of this icon relates to the incomplete download of LLM models associated with Apple Intelligence features and functionality; these LLM models are automatically downloaded when first accessed. When the download completes, the icon will disappear of its own accord.

If your iPad is not operating as expected, try a forced-restart - as this will often clear an isolated software issue:

Force restart iPad (models with Face ID or with Touch ID in the top button)

If your iPad doesn’t have the Home button, do the following:

1. Press and quickly release the volume button nearest to the top button.
2. Press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button.
3. Press and hold the top button.
4. When the Apple logo appears, release the top button.

If the problem persists after performing the restart, it may be necessary to reset your iPad settings. While this reset will not cause any loss of data, as a precaution, it is always wise to ensure that you have a current iCloud or iTunes backup before performing the reset:

How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

When you are happy to proceed, you can perform the reset from iPad settings:

Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset > Reset All Settings

If the problem still doesn’t clear, the next step is to reset the iPad to factory settings:

Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings - Apple Support

Otherwise, you would be best advised to seek assistance directly from Apple Support. You can contact the Support Team using the Support link at top-right or bottom-left of this page. Alternatively and perhaps easier, you can initiate and manage your support cases using the excellent Apple Support App. If not already installed on your iPad, the App can be downloaded from the App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-support/id1130498044

TGoidman1995 wrote:

I have new blue square with white in centre next to my % charged top right ipad

I guess that you may refer to this new status icon:

Yours is one of many reports seen in recent weeks.

This new icon appears to be undocumented by Apple at this time. At present, pending confirmation by Apple, this appearance of the icon is believed to have some relationship to post-update synchronisation tasks performed by your iPad after updating to iPadOS 18.x. It is currently suspected that the icon appears while download of Apple Intelligence LLM models are running as a background task.

AppleWeary wrote:

Any reply yet from Apple?

Apple have not yet offered any clarification regarding this new status icon or its specific meaning. All that we know, at this time, is that the icon indicates an incomplete download/synchronisation task.

Both! I found your comment after searching for the source of this new status icon, and tried your suggestion.

It turns out that you have to clear your Safari download history via the toolbar icon, but it doesn’t clear the status icon until you lock and unlock your iPad.

Thanks!

This status icon appears, usually only briefly, when connecting some USB-C hubs or other USB-C accessories to the iPad.

Hey. I first noticed this on 01/03/25, but it had been on my iPad Mini for probably a few days already. I called Apple Support. Very long phone call, but they were able to verify 1) that this forum post is the only available screen shot (nice work @LotusPilot); and 2)that they don't know what it is either. They helped me troubleshoot some security settings – there were a few unrecognized phone numbers from the EU/K in my 'trusted phone numbers' that I got rid of; but the whole process of screen sharing with the Apple rep solved the situation by replacing the mystery icon with the rep's purple screen share icon. So, they gave me a case ID# and I called it a night.

It showed up again tonight for the first time. I called Apple Support, reopened the case. None of the security infos have changed, but strangely I wasn't allowed to Accept the screen share, but only Reject: twice. Third time I rotated the screen to portrait, and it worked. That, and the fact that it got replaced/annihilated by the screen share icon again, as well as noticing that the mystery icon was both faintly pulsing and impervious to any action or dialogue whatsoever, leads me to agree with @varjak paw (thank you) that it's an exploit designed to sync or share information. However, it doesn't exist at the handy 'status icons meaning'-link provided.

This time I'm going to get a callback tomorrow – they don't have any new infos, but they're looking into it. I'm not optimistic, but at least it goes away after screen sharing with the Apple rep (only known resolution).

emarybear wrote:

Just wondering if someone got any definitive answers on this?

my symbol has been there for 3 days now and is pulsing light blue/dark blue.

(not sure that if its downloading or syncing it should take that long?)

To the best of my knowledge, Apple have not yet offered any clarification regarding this new status icon or its specific meaning.

At this time, other than its unexpected appearance, there have been no reports of unexpected behaviour.

CathPr wrote:

This annoying symbol occurred this morning and no matter what I did persisted while I was trying to download three pdfs. It stopped the download on my iPad. However I downloaded the same pdfs on my iPhone with no problem and no symbol. Is this an Apple bug?

Apple have not yet offered any clarification regarding this new status icon or its specific meaning. All that we know, at this time, is that the icon indicates an incomplete download/synchronisation task.

After updating to iPadOS 18.4 and downloading a large ZIP file that icon appeared on my iPad as well. It persisted after the download was complete but disappeared again after I cleared the download from the Safari toolbar icon and locked the iPad screen (I did both in short succession, so I am not sure which of the two actions did the trick).