i dropped my Ipad sideways, the screen is only black and it wont turn on

You are welcome. 9 times out of ten it works!

Yesha/Alan.. this was too funny.

Alan deserves his 10 points, don't forget to reward him...

I was laughing through the whole post It reminded me of old TVs that needed to be banged on the side to get the reception improved.

Same thing happened to me when my son dropped my work iPad this morning. When I found Alanfromnewtonards' post, I thought it was a cruel joke. I nearly crapped myself when I smacked the back of it once... a good firm smack while face down on my knee... and it worked. Everything is back normal. Wahoo! Thanks Alan!!! You are a stud!!!

I very rarely post on sites such as this but I just had to say thanks. My daughter dropped my iPad on to a solid floor and was horrified when it wouldn't work again. I was surprisingly chilled, although inwardly gulping at the cost of replacing an expensive 64MB iPad. On reading this post I was inclined to think Alan was taking the p***, but to my amazement, it really does work. I would never have tried such a course of action without having first read the reactions from other posts, so, once again, this shows the benefits of a community coming together to fix our problems without the Big Apple's (very expensive) help. Hurray for Alan, indeed. You made my little daughter's day! And to any doubters out there, trust me, it works. Here's hoping my iPad has a long and happy life after its near-death experience!

I just had to email u all especially Happytaff. I dropped my Ipad and my screen turned blue as well. I almost passed out. I read your advice. I held the menu button and the on/off button down at the same time for about 10sec and the IPad actually came back on. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

Holy Crap!! I read all this and was just smacking my iPad for a while thinking it was a joke. Then I finally pressed both buttons at the same time and it popped right back on! Ridiculous...but awesome!

HaHaHa to everyone else who replied as well!! Our iPad got dropped down two cement steps over 3 weeks ago. We passed on the warranty and needless to say we're devastated to watch it take a tumble. For THREE weeks it sat on the kitchen counter. We'd pick it up, push the side buttons, both buttons, run our fingers over the screen, etc. willing it to work!! I did a search this evening and came across this forum... I jumped out of bed, ran to the iPad, sat down and placed it on my knee upside down and smacked it.... OMG imagine my surprise when I saw my screen saver!! It works like nothing happened. A HUGE thank you to the person who posted and everyone who came to confirm it works!! I woke up ALL sleeping family members at midnight, shouting Hooray!! :) thank you, thank you!! :)

It worked! I dropped it and I got the black screen. I tried restoring it and that didn't work and then I saw this suggestion. I have to say that I was terrified at first, but I didn't have to hit it too hard. And now it's back!

YAY!

Just one thing; you might have to do it a few times before it works. And I didn't hit it too hard. I just hit it in different spots and I hit it fast.

I dropped my ipad a week ago, I finally came to terms with losing it... I randomly decided to google for an answer to see how much apple would charge me at the store... and I found this thread. I'm like thinking "there's no effing way this is going to work" I beat the shiz out of it and still nothing... even though after I dropped it, i had it on the charger for like 3 days.... i figured I'd try plugging it in to see what happens.

First words out of my mouth "You have GOT to be SHlTTlNG me" mind my french but holy crap.... I don't normally post on forums but this was like, the most amazing thing ever. I had no idea my ipad was masochistic.

This works so well. Alan you deserve a medal, a lapdance, a bottle of the finest whiskey in the world. Cudos.

I can't believe this worked. Turned it over - pounded it a few times, hit the home and power key and it worked. Was really skeptical, but figured why not. Called the applestore and cancelled my appt. Thank you so much - save me $$$$

Just saved my son's life by following these directions! My 5 year old was playing with the iPad and dropped in on the tile floor. Although, it was in a case the screen turned blue and would not do anything but make sounds. I lightly tapped it on the back like 3 times and the screen re-appeared! Glad this was solved before my husband go home, LOL!!

My son just dropped my iPad on the hard wood floor and I almost cried when I picked it up! The screen had turned blue and was doing all of these trippy looking blue digital things on the screen. Googled my issue and was directed to this discussion. I tried it and lo and behold it worked!!!! I gave it a few good wacks (thinking the whole time that it doesn't matter what I do to it now because it is toast) and it came on and is working like normal. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! 🙂

Alan you are awesome I was looking at a weeks wait to get an appointment at the apple store did what you suggested a few firm wacks on the back and it worked believe me I had my doubts but yay it worked thanks again :-)

I am embarrassed to say this worked for me also.

last night the iapd stopped displaying BUT the ipad had sound effects, and i could see that the lock screen was "blacker" then when i tried to turn it on.

after several factory resets, i found the thread.

i took the cover off, made sure the iapd was "ON" and dropped it from about 6 inches onto its side, onto carpet.

sideways didn't do anything but straight down, camera down.... BAM. screen came back to life.

THIS MAKES NO SENSE.

and don't try it with any other electronic. And this probably means my ipad's days are numbered. but hey.

it worked.

I have never been an active computer community participant, but I am now. Like many of the posts, my iPad 2 (encased in an Outer-box), took a gentle tumble (2 ft max). It was so minor I didn't think anything of it until I turned it on. I did not get a black screen as the others did, but a blue screen with many random vertical white lines, some the full screen length, some not. But my iPad was unusable. Hard booted a couple of times, no luck. Found this discussion, and since there were so many replies on the success of Alan's "pat on the back" technique, I figured I had nothing to loose. I turned it on, turned it over, and gave it a gentle spanking, turned it over and it was fixed!

What was a conspicuous consumption, unaffordable and unneeded purchase has now turned into a can't do without it tool in my work life. So to all of you who took the time to reply, thank you very much and for you Alan I am indebted.