iPad: The Missing Manual, 4th Edition

Appendix B. iPad Troubleshooting and Care

You’ll learn to:

• Restart a stuck iPad

• Back up and restore your iPad

• Update your iPad’s software

• Locate a lost or stolen iPad

• Find an iPad repair shop

LIKE MOST ELECTRONIC GADGETS, the iPad always works perfectly fine—until it doesn’t. Many iPad woes are common and pretty easy to fix—the battery ran all the way down and needs to charge up a bit before iTunes will recognize your iPad, or the rotation lock is still on and that’s why the screen is always sideways. You can solve less obvious glitches in the iPad’s behavior by adjusting something in the Settings area, as explained in Appendix A.

But the iPad is a little mini-computer in its own right, and it can exhibit bigger problems that require more than flipping a setting—and may even need the help of a technical expert. Figuring out what your iPad is trying to tell you when it’s sick is the first step in getting it back to good health. This chapter explains what to do if your iPad starts acting weird—and where to go if you need more information or can’t fix it yourself.

In 2012, Apple introduced a revamped version of its AppleCare extended warranty for its prized tablet. Now dubbed AppleCare+ for iPad, this new $99 insurance policy covers a variety of potential iPad mishaps, and you’ll find out about that here, too.

Troubleshooting Basics

IF YOUR IPAD IS freezing up, crashing, or just acting erratically, ...