PLEASE HELP!! 💚 Unique situation for my son’s iPad.

It is a common misconception that an iPad can remain fully functional with damaged or defective physical buttons. 

Whilst Accessibility features (such as assistive touch) can be used to augment the User Interface, these features cannot be used as a substitute for physical button sequences that must be used to trigger system recovery actions. Sooner or later, as now, you will encounter a situation from which you cannot recover.

Until repaired, you will not be able to resolve a locked-out (disabled) iPad - or reset a forgotten device passcode.

To further compound your problem, the iPad4 is obsolete - and therefore has no support at all from Apple. Even if service was still available, the cost of repair would very likely be uneconomic. As is, unless you can find an independent repair shop that may be able to fix the iPad for pennies, you would be best advised to abandon attempts to use the iPad4.

As final nails in the coffin of hope, be aware that the iPad4 has a 32-bit system architecture. App Developers have dropped all support for 32-bit devices. Most (if not all) 32-bit Apps compatible with iPad4 have been retired and withdrawn from the Apple App Store - and as such are no longer available. Many online services won't work with such an outdated iPad.

Sorry, while likely not welcome news, it is perhaps better to understand the situation than have false expectation of success in restoring the iPad4 to a functional state.

You're very welcome - although I am sincerely sorry to nail the coffin shut.

If considering a pre-owned iPad, in addition to standard due diligence (another subject), ensure that all the physical buttons work and that the charging port and screen are undamaged.

For information, here is a list of the highest version of iOS supported by the older models of iPad (for simplicity - “generations” are shortened to a number) that are restricted in their ability to be updated:

32-bit devices (obsolete)

iPad1 - iOS 5.1.1

iPad2, iPad3 and iPad mini1 - iOS 9.3.5 (WiFi Only models), iOS 9.3.6 (WiFi+Cellular)

iPad4 - iOS 10.3.3 (WiFi Only), iOS 10.3.4 (WiFi+Cellular)

64-bit devices

iPad Air1*, iPad mini2 and iPad mini3* - iOS 12.5.7

iPad Air2, iPad mini4 - iPadOS 15.8.3

iPad5, iPad Pro (9.7"/12.9" 1st generation)* - iPadOS 16.7.10

iPad6, iPad Pro (10.5"/12.9" 2nd generation) - iPadOS 17.7.5

(*) obsolete

Newer models are all able to be updated to the current version - iPadOS 18.3.2

• iPad Pro 13" (M4)
• iPad Pro 12.9" (3rd generation and later)
• iPad Pro 11" (1st generation and later + M4)
• iPad Air (3rd generation and later + M2/M3)
• iPad (7th generation and later)
• iPad mini (5th generation and later + A17 Pro)

If considering a replacement iPad, you would be well advised to only consider an iPad capable of running iPadOS 18 - as this will (a) ensure that hardware/repair support is available should it be required, and (b) the iPad is capable of running current Apps. Both of these considerations will keep the iPad "relevant" to its intended user (your son).

Your passcode and Apple ID password are not stored or saved anywhere.

If you can't remember them, your only option is to wipe the ipad and reset it.