Can iPad Air sleep when cover closed be disabled?

Question

Level 1

13 points

Can iPad Air sleep when cover closed be disabled?

An advertised feature of the function of the iPad Air is to automatically enter sleep when the Smart Cover is closed. My wife tends to start listening to a YouTube movie in bed and then closes the cover of her original iPad so that the display goes out and continues to listen to the audio. I'm considering getting her a new iPad Air, but wonder if the auto-sleep feature will interfere with how she is used to doing things. Can the auto-sleep feature be disabled? Can it be made to only affect the display and still allow audio streaming to continue? Apologies if I am just behind the times -- we currently have no iOS7-capable devices.

iPad, iOS 5.1.1

Posted on Nov 11, 2013 6:04 PM

Answer 1

Feb 21, 2017 5:56 AM in response to steveBinLA

I disagree that "You can no longer play YouTube Videos in the background in iOS 7.". What is true is: "You can no longer play YouTube Videos in the background in iOS 7 with Youtube app by Google" . One solution is to use a different app to play youtube content. I use Protube for example, but I imagine there are other apps with that functionality.

Answer 2

sberman

Level 10

280,972 points

Nov 11, 2013 6:19 PM in response to steveBinLA

Both the new and your current iPad can completely disable the automatic cover lock using Settings > General > Lock/Unlock.

UPDATE - Oops - sorry, that feature started with iPad 2.

Message was edited by: sberman

Answer 3

Demo

Level 10

168,365 points

Nov 11, 2013 6:19 PM in response to steveBinLA

The Auto Lock can be turned off, but it will not put the screen to sleep. You can cover the iPad and the video will continue to play, but the screen will not turn black and go into sleep mode. You will simply be covering the screen.

When you put the iPad to sleep, YouTube Videos will quit playing. You can no longer play YouTube Videos in the background in iOS 7.