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The second generation of the iPad with Wi-Fi, GSM and CDMA models. Some models were refreshed before the iPad 3. Repair is difficult and requires heat and prying. Released on March 11th, 2011. Model numbers: A1395, A1396, and A1397.

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How do I fix "iPad is disabled" error?

Hi,

In my tiny community, I'm known for fixing iPhones and iPads. The other day I got a very interesting iPad 2 (iOS 7.1) which has been totally disabled with wrong passcode tries. The owner swears she always entered the right passcode and it didn't unlock.

She even tried so long that now the iPad only says: "iPad is disabled. Connect to iTunes." When you connect the iPad to iTunes, it says it's locked with a passcode. Really? Who would've thought. :)

I even went to her place to connect the iPad to her computer because I naively thought the iTunes there will definitely say I should enter the passcode. Well it didn't. She of course doesn't want to lose all the data, because she obviously didn't back up this iPad in a very long time.

I'm playing with the idea of opening the iPad and disconnecting the battery. Do you guys have any experience with that? When I reconnect the battery and turn the iPad on, will it offer me a chance to enter the passcode?

All constructive opinions and questions welcome! :)

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

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10 Comments

my password is not working I think when I was changing it ,it tyoe something us so please help

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connect to itune and not show any option after that

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There was a notification on my ipad2 (General) an update, I opened it and the process begun, this was like my third time updating since I bought my ipad in 2013, it went off and on again and the the graphic symbol of a cable pointing to a blue sign of iTunes popped up! (Meaning I needed to connect to the iTunes) I tried it and it wanted me to restore, meaning loosing all data, I was in Chicago this time and I took it to the apple store where they failed to even restore my ipad, I had to buy another ipad. Am now back in Africa my home but this brick beside me pains me a lot, despite that I will loose all data, all I need is to have my ipad back in working condition and stop telling me to connect to iTunes!! Please help!

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Thank YOU, It worked brilliantly and unfroze my iPad Mini 2! This solution saved me from spending 4 hours in the local "Buy More" waiting for their "Techs" to figure it out.

My issue began as soon as I clicked on the Voiceover tab in the settings menu. Do NOT EVER slide the Voiceover option to on unless you are sure you absolutely need it. The iPad would not allow me to do ANYTHING at all. iTunes would not let me access it with the simple sleep/wake + Home button solution because it was password locked. DOH!

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could someone help me because i brought my ipad to school my computer teacher said that she can fix my ipad that my wasnt disabled by my classmate a password and its disabled because that the chance ....

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Hello Jan,

First off, DO NOT OPEN THE IPAD!

This is a very risky and unnecessary option. Simply turn the iPad off, hold the home button, and plug it into the computer. Continue holding the home button until the iTunes logo comes up. This is recovery mode; you can now restore the iPad without a passcode.

If recovery mode doesn't work:

Plug in your iPad to the computer and turn it off.

Hold the home button for three seconds.

Then, without releasing your lock button, hold the home button down as well for ten seconds.

Then, without releasing your home button, continue pressing just it for 15 seconds.

This is called DFU mode. Any questions, just let me know!

Hope this helps!

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33 Comments:

As I said. She doesn't want to lose any saved data. So DFU restore is a no go. I'm interested in that particular issue, will I be able to enter the passcode if I disconnect the battery?

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I am Nell, my iPad is disabled. I tried your recommendations and the iTunes logo comes up but it won't open? Any ideas?

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Nell--that is recovery mode, from here it is possible to attempt to overwrite your data and perform a restore to reset the iPad. If successful you will be able to use the iPad, but your data will be gone.

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Can i know why when i restore,shut down the ipad and plug the cable,and a few minutes later will turn it on itself? Is there anything wrong?

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i have itunes icon now what do i do

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Turn the iPad off completely. Connect to the USB on the computer while holding down the home and power buttons. That will send it into restore mode. From there, iTunes will pop up on your computer. Click on restore and update. Confirm the update and restore. It will turn the iPad off and on as it extracts the software and resets the iPad. This should send it back to factory settings unless it is locked with an Apple ID. If so, enter your information on the computer when it prompts, and you should be all good!

Update

Turn off the ipad. Plug in your cable. Turn on your iPad and hold down the home button at the same time. If that doesn't work ,then pull up iTunes on your desktop and then try the process all over again. The power has to be off, though, on the iPad.

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4 Comments:

i connected my ipad to thee computer but the itunes screen doesn't pop-up. Is it because i don't have an itunes account?

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i dont know how much time it takes to update and restore

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after I tried to update IOS version on my son's iPad 2 16 G, in the middle of installation the iPad is stuck and say connect to iTunes, because there is no enough memory space to install new version, I didn't check to delete some apps, I tried connecting to different laptops using iTunes, it didn't work, I tried recovery mode, and DFT mode as well, none of them works, does my son's iPad is garbage, now I have no access to the I pad to be able to delete some apps.

there is no iColud, passcode, or any accounts on it, so it is not disabled because of passcodes or apple accounts

please anyone can help, is there an option in iTunes to fix that and I do not know?

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Some of these comments are hilarious. Doesn't want to lose data but people suggesting a restore? 😂😂😂😂

Shows how many people don't read the questions.

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No. It will definitely just boot to the same iPad is disabled screen.

There is no way to solve this without restore--none that I know of at least.

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2 Comments:

MFC dongle will do that..Jessy you're great!

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For non-jail broken iOS 8.0+?

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Try updating your ios in restore mode. It should get you out of the disable mode and allow you to enter your passcode. Or, if you have iCloud set up on your iPad, go to iCloud and send a passcode reset to it, which should disable the passcode and you can set up a new one.

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Can you explain this further...I have Icloud and signed in, but dont see an option to do what you suggested, which to send passcode reset to the device.

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same here, where do I sent the passcode reset??????

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after I tried to update IOS version on my son's iPad 2 16 G, in the middle of installation the iPad is stuck and say connect to iTunes, because there is no enough memory space to install new version, I didn't check to delete some apps, I tried connecting to different laptops using iTunes, it didn't work, I tried recovery mode, and DFU mode as well, none of them works, does my son's iPad is garbage, now I have no access to the I pad to be able to delete some apps.

there is no iColud, passcode, or any accounts on it, so it is not disabled because of passcodes or apple accounts

please anyone can help, is there an option in iTunes to fix that and I do not know?

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My iPad quit working and is crack what do I do

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Don't waste your time searching for tricks that don't exist. If you've got no back up, just use the recovery mode to restore the iPad and be prepared that all data will be gone except the ones backed up to your icloud account eg bookmarks, notes etc

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Halo I m Larry my iPhone 8 I forgot the iCloud account and password how do I restore it

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have you wiped your device?

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I found this today, haven't tried it yet, good luck everybody

1. Configurator is useless in reactivating a locked iPad. You will only be able to completely reformat the iPad using Configurator. If that’s ok with you, go for it – otherwise don’t waste your time trying to figure it out.

2. Open iTunes with the iPad disconnected.

3. Connect the iPad to the computer and wait for it to show up in the devices section in iTunes.

4. Click on the iPad name when it appears and you will be given the option to restore a backup or setup as a new iPad (since it is locked).

5. Click ‘Setup as new iPad’ and then click restore.

6. The iPad will start backing up before it does the full restore and sync. CANCEL THE BACKUP IMMEDIATELY. You do this by clicking the small x in the status window in iTunes.

7. When the backup cancels, it immediately starts syncing – cancel this as well using the same small x in the iTunes status window.

8. The first stage in the restore process unlocks the iPad, you are basically just cancelling out the restore process as soon as it reactivates the iPad.

If done correctly, you will experience no data loss and the result will be a reactivated iPad. I have now tried this with about 5 iPads that were locked identically by students and each time it worked like a charm.

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5 Comments:

It has only update and restore ipad

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but will this loose all my photos that have not been backed up or saved??

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The same thing is happening to me now. My son forgot the password and I don't want to loose any pictures in it. We already tried 9 times to put the passoword and we are afraid to lock it completely. Can someone help me please! The problem is that I never saved anything to iCloud.

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are you sure it worked cause i have tried everything

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What about if it doesn't get you to the restore mode its on the IPad disabled mode won't allow me to do anything to it?

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Hello Jan Ferme,

option 01

You can check in icloud whether all data in there [http://Here |https://www.icloud.com/] is the link. if data available in iTunes you can get all data back after restore.

Option 02

Use [http://this|http://www.easeus.com/iphone-recovery/tr...] recovery tool and you can recover lost data back.

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The only time I have had the "this whatever is disabled" is because the "after 10 failed pass codes erase date" was on, in that case all is lost already... So... But after you get it going again I would turn on iCloud backup that way it will back its self up when plugged in and not in use... (Like at night)

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My iPad is disabled and is saying try again 9.590.474 minutes

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1. Connect to iTunes

2. Hold down power button and home button at the same time until screen turns off, then

count 1 to 5

3. Release power button and wait for the computer screen to pop up the message asking to

restore

4. Release home button, then restore the phone

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Don't have a computer

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Turn off iPad, Connect USB cable to computer; leave the other end alone,Press and hold the Home button down and connect the docking end of cable to iPad,Continue holding the Home button until you see the "Connect To iTune" screen,Release the Home button,Open iTune,You should see "iTunes has detected an iPad in recovery mode",Use iTune to restore iPad. Also Visit our AngularJS Website.

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I just fixed mine this morning after 2 days of working on it. You need to disconnect the battery first. Look it up on YouTube because you need to interrupt the connection with a straw or guitar pic. Reconnect battery. On Computer open iTunes, plug your cord in the computer. Then plug in the iPad. When you see the apple, hold the home button and don't let go until up you see the iTunes logo on iPad. Click restore on iTunes

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1. Turn off iPad

2. Connect USB cable to computer; leave the other end alone

3. Press and hold the Home button down and connect the docking end of cable to iPad

4. Continue holding the Home button until you see the "Connect To iTune" screen

5. Release the Home button

6. Open iTune

7. You should see "iTunes has detected an iPad in recovery mode"

8. Use iTune to restore iPad

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2 Comments:

My son doesn’t know his password so is it going to ask for password we don’t even have anything on the %#*@ iPad to save I spent 900 plus and we have only used for a month in last 16 months I just want it to work please help me

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ths worked great the easiest onw i found to use i tried quite a few

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For those who need to restore their iPads because it has been disabled and don't mind losing all their data, you will need to do the following:

1) Download the latest iOS IPSW Firmware File specifically for your iPad from a website you trust. (I've used this page: http://www.redmondpie.com/download-ios-9...)

2) Put your iPad in DFU mode.

3) Open up iTunes on Computer

4) Connect iPad to Computer

5) iTunes will say iPad is in DFU Mode, you will need to restore.....

6) Hold Alt/Option key (for Mac) while clicking on "Restore" button on iTunes.

7) Browse for the IPSW Firmware File you downloaded earlier and select that file.

8) Follow the rest of the instructions from iTunes to Restore your iPad.

Hope this helps! I've done this several times for friends and family. The Firmware download thru iTunes never seems to work. I've had successes using the downloaded firmware from Redmondpie.com.

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With the developement of iCloud, I don’t recommend DFU or Recovery mode to force factoryr reset iPad, because of Find My iPad feather, force factory reset will make iPad locked by activation, we need Apple ID and password to bypass activaton lock.

We can fix disabled iPad for free with the iCloud when we have Apple ID and password, the Erase feather on iCloud can fix disabled iPad, but without Apple ID either, turn to the tool to fix disabled iPad, but will erase all data on iPad after the process, so, think about it.

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Jan Ferme will be eternally grateful.
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