iPad Pro 12.9” not responding to touch intermittently

I bought the IPad Pro 11inch 1TB capacity model in November 2018 and started experiencing problems in January 2019. Apple initially refused to replace my iPad and told me to try using my iPad as new for a week to see if the problems would still occur. They also told me I had to show video proof of the problem which was a hassle as the problems only arose intermittently. After successfully recording proof of the problem even with my iPad setup as new, they replaced my iPad.

New iPad was fine initially, now in May, I’ve had to request for a new iPad again as the problem started happening once more. This is even after I’ve updated to the latest IOS 12.2. The employee at the Apple Store told me he had never heard of this problem before and that I was the first person to complain about it. He clearly didn’t realise that it was the second time I was complaining about this issue in the same Apple Store. I also showed him the PCmag article which also highlighted the issue and that I wasn’t the only one experiencing it.

If this third iPad also experiences similar problems, I will most likely request for a refund as the iPad is just unusable and frustrating to use as the problems occur so frequently. Hopefully, Apple recognises the problem and fixes it before that day comes.

I found that pressing the lock button and then immediately unlocking it again sorts out the problem until the next time. I can't image hardware being the fault if a lock/unlock can fix it. To me it seems like a software memory overflow where the device is too busy sorting something else out to bother registering a touch.

Take your iPad Pro into your nearest, “local” Apple Store for diagnostics, evaluation and possible options.

Did you purchase extended, two year AppleCare+ for your iPad Pro?

Good Luck to You!

I bought my 12.9 iPad Pro in Nov. 2018. After one month it developed the very random “stuttering” screen behavior. Apple has agreed to replace it.

Most certainly a software problem, not hardware. I’ve been using the 12.4 betas and this problem has been completely fixed. Hoping that it stays that way in the final release of 12.4 etc.

Component aging on a 1-1/2 year old device?

Not buying that.

Now that the case is off and the iPad can vent heat properly, I would use that thermal camera with and without the case on to see if it can read the thermal differential.

I really think this is a heat related issue.

Also, the internal heat does ramp up when you are charging the iPad’s battery, making the iPad potentially warmer when being in tne case.

AND if you are using the iPad whilst charging at the same time, the iPad/iPad battery heats up even more and potentially more with the case applied.

I am theorising that the issue is a heat related one and NOT a component based/aging issue.

Although, do you leave your iPad up and running all the time or do you turn it off when not in use or when you charge it?

Constantly turning the device on/off could be similar to turning a computer on/off rather than putting it to sleep and leave it running.

Turning devices on/off on a consistent basis can have the potential to cause component “brown-outs”.

I bought the 11” yesterday through Best Buy and noticed the same problem right out of the box. Didn’t give it much importance. Held it on my hand during the entire setup and it worked just fine, but every time I set the iPad down the problem would intermittently come back. It only happened when I set the tablet down on a flat surface. If I picked it up, it worked just fine. I called Apple to find out if there was a fix for this and they said it was a hardware problem. Took it back to Best Buy and they offered an exchange for a new iPad. I ended up just returning everything. Eh.

HI,

I have joined to beta program in order to get opportunity to send feedback to Apple in this case. It seems the new beta (12.1.2) solved this problem. There was freezing immediately after installations of all betas and software versions in the past, now my 12.9 iPad works well since two days.

Crossed fingers...

So I worked something out. Do yourself a favour and download one of those battery apps that cleans out memory. I downloaded one that's just a big iPhone version. When I jumped in it said I had 4% ram available. I cleared it and the iPad was working like it was brand new with not a single stutter anymore. I think there are some problematic apps that use ram even when they're closed. I'm doing a process of elimination but it's vastly improved since I downloaded this new app.

Hi everyone,

Sorry I know I have posted a lot of hypotheticals but I did some research and found that audio apps have been causing iPads to stutter. As I had just purchased the Roli Seaboard, I downloaded the Noise and Roli apps.

I deleted them this morning and have used my iPad all day - not a single stutter anymore. Problem sorted!

There is only a growing minority of iPad Pro users, across all year and models reporting the unresponsive touch issues with iOS 12 and, possibly, iOS 11.

There are between 500-1000 users that have reported the issue here in these communities.

There are 5-6 postings that are building up pages in these postings, like this one and I see and respond to, at least, one posting of this unresponsive touch issue a day.

This issue is affecting only a very small percentage of the total amount of all iPad Pro users, perhaps only up to 1%, or so, currently.

In 3 years of iPad Pros, there are a very, VERY large majority of iPad Pro users NOT having this particular issue.

If the number of users having this unresponsive touch issue keep increasing, then Apple will probably move more quickly on this issue.

iPad Feedback

http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

Cognizant Apple employees read ALL feedback generated from all of the various feedback pages and transfers the data to the proper and responsible Apple teams and personnel , but NO Apple employees will ever respond with any type of direct, individual replies from the feedback you post.

The more users that post product feedback about any product issue, the faster Apple is made aware and starts working on a fix/solution for a future software update.

Also, you may want to phone contact Apple, directly in Cupertino, California, and calmly talk to an Apple customer service employee about this issue via the link below.

Contact - How to Contact Us - Apple

Good Luck to You!

Hi all,

For those of you who are still experiencing it - can you please try something?

iPad 3rd Gen: When your iPad has been idle for hours, hold it and feel the warmth of the Pencil. A few of us have noted warm Pencils now. DO NOT disconnect the Pencil from the side and try using the iPad. Check if it still stutters.

iPad 2nd Gen, plug the pencil in, leave it for a while. Pick up the iPad again, leaving the pencil in, try and use it and see if it stutters.

A few of us have been able to deduce that our issues are to do with Pencil connectivity.

I have an iPad 12.9 (2015) and never had this issue until probably one of the latest iOS 11 or since iOS 12. Now it has become just unbearable, as the device is often rendered useless by a clearly iOS-only-related issue: out of convenience I in fact use the Assistive Touch - which floats a semi-transparent square above whatever app is running, and even when any parts of the screen stops responding within an app (from Apple or 3rd-parties), this ‘floating’ element is not only fully touch-responsive and functioning, but it can still be dragged across the whole screen, with a perfect response to the position and movement of the finger that drags it. So, clearly, it is not a hardware issue (i.e., “it’s not my iPad” to have an issue), or it would affect also this software-created item just like any other element appearing on the screen. It’s instead an iOS-related issue (i.e., “it’s your software to generate the issue, Apple!”), which still allows this iOS-feature to function but leaves any other app temporarily ‘disconnected’ from receiving any input from the screen.

I have just updated to iOS 12.2, and the problem is still there, with no improvement whatsoever.

I’m an early-days iPad user and it’s so frustrating that Apple just doesn’t give a **** about fixing something like this! Why should anyone upgrade to any new iPads, if they report exactly the same type of problems?!

Hello

my mame is Steffen from Munich in Germany and I am owing a 12.9 pro ipad in the 3rd generation which I bought in November 2018.

concerning the non responiveness of the

display , I have a trick that really works.

Press simulteanously the power and the side button , the second one for approx 40 seconds

First the slider occurs but still press both and after approx 20 seconds the screen wakes up

I think this should eliminate the said issue

Please appologize my poor english

I’m not disputing that you have problem at all. I too have had my (un)fair share of touch screen issues - all the way back to the release of iOS12...

The common factor with this “touch” issue is the laminated Apple Pencil-compatible touch screens used with the iPad Pro models. Other issues with these particular screens include de-lamination problems - that manifest as edge-illumination-bleed on First/Second Generation 12.9” devices, and bright illumination patches on 10.5” devices. However Apple has never confirmed (or so much as commented/acknowledged) that issues exist with the touch screens on these devices.