Asked at the counter: “My iPad has frozen on the Apple logo, and my daughter’s older…

Start with charging and a force restart. Neither deletes anything.

FREE, ONE-MINUTE CHECKS

• Plug in with a charger you trust and leave it. Apple says to charge for up to an hour before deciding an iPad is dead; a flat iPad can show nothing for several minutes.
• Use the iPad’s own adapter or one of similar power. A small phone adapter can be too weak to wake a large, flat iPad.

FORCE RESTART

iPad without a Home button (Face ID or Touch ID in the top button): press and quickly release the volume button closest to the top button, press and quickly release the volume button furthest from the top button, then press and hold the top button until you see the Apple logo.

iPad with a Home button: press and hold both the Home button and the top button together until you see the Apple logo.

IF IT IS STUCK ON THE APPLE LOGO

That usually means the software failed part-way through an update. Apple’s route is to connect the iPad to a computer (Finder on a Mac, or the Apple Devices app or iTunes on Windows) and let the computer reinstall the software. WARNING: if the computer offers “Restore” rather than “Update”, restoring erases the iPad. Choose Update first. If only Restore works and you have no backup, stop and ask a repair business whether the data can be recovered first.

WHEN IT PROBABLY NEEDS A REPAIR BUSINESS

• Nothing after an hour on a good charger and a force restart.
• It turns on but the screen stays black or flickers, or touch does not respond even though the buttons do.
• The charging port is loose or the iPad only charges at an angle (see our iPhone charging post; the same checks apply).

Sources checked: Apple Support (UK): If your iPad doesn’t respond.