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iPad iPad Pro 2021 went dead after less than 2 years

J

Joe Dohn

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 6, 2020
840
748
Hi, everyone,

my M1 2021 iPad Pro went dead after a little less than 2 years. I left it on the monitor's USB-C charging cable during the night, and when I picked it up to try to turn it on, it refused to.

It went through normal usage – well-protected, no drops, no major scratches. I've used it only for videoconferencing and drawing.

I tried to make it charge with my other cable that has a multimeter, but when I connected the cable, first it showed an electrical current, around 12W. Then it kept decreasing to 7. Eventually, the current fell to zero, and the cable is not charging. I know the cable is working though, because when I plug it into the iPad entry, it will show two zeros, indicating a reset; then, there's no numbers at all.

What do you think this is more likely to be: a bad battery, or the logic board? Can you please share your thoughts?
 
iStorm said:
Have you tried force restarting the iPad to rule out it being locked up or somehow stuck in DFU mode?

Force restart iPad

If iPad isn’t responding, try forcing it to restart.
support.apple.com

What happens when you plug it into a computer? Does the computer detect it?
Click to expand...

There is no response. I tried force restarting, but there is no Apple logo.
There is no detection on the computer either.
 
Joe Dohn said:
There is no response. I tried force restarting, but there is no Apple logo.
There is no detection on the computer either.
Click to expand...
Take it to Apple, they can diagnose it….and in the event it just died will offer you a solution. And if you are really lucky they can offer goodwill.
 
Nautilus007 said:
Take it to Apple, they can diagnose it….and in the event it just died will offer you a solution. And if you are really lucky they can offer goodwill.
Click to expand...

I think I can be more lucky if I contact them on their website. There's a single Apple-authorized company where I live, but it's not the same as dealing with them directly (they're more like a "premium third-party service company" or something).

Nonetheless, I will check with this company to see if it's the battery or logic board.
 
I’m guessing no AppleCare+? You’ll want to have it examined by an AASP, but it’s likely they’ll need to send it in for an estimate. The out-of-warranty repair rate ranges from $549 to $799 in USA (you didn’t mention the size but repair rates are here). Personally I wouldn’t pay that; I’d put that cost toward a new one and be sure to get AC+ on it.

It’s very likely not a battery issue, “normally” it’d still power up when plugged in. But, somebody’s got to hit the lottery so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
FreakinEurekan said:
I’m guessing no AppleCare+? You’ll want to have it examined by an AASP, but it’s likely they’ll need to send it in for an estimate. The out-of-warranty repair rate ranges from $549 to $799 in USA (you didn’t mention the size but repair rates are here). Personally I wouldn’t pay that; I’d put that cost toward a new one and be sure to get AC+ on it.

It’s very likely not a battery issue, “normally” it’d still power up when plugged in. But, somebody’s got to hit the lottery so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Click to expand...

No AppleCare+.
Honestly, if the damage is in the logic board and the damage is not repairable (worst case scenario), I will probably ditch the iPad altogether and get a specialized drawing tablet (possibly Cintiq) and a handheld PC combo.

I do like drawing with the iPad, but, the problem is that I bought expecting it to be a laptop replacement. But the versatility is just not there (can't handle large files well; can't handle Word and Excel macros), so it ended up just as a drawing tablet.

However, even as a drawing tablet it has downsides. With this crash, I learned there is no easy way to restore files from my Procreate backup into Windows, only into an app device. And now that the tablet won't turn on, it means my Apple Pencil will be forced into discharge, since the only way to charge it is with the iPad itself. If I wanted to sell it, it'd be a ticking time bomb until the battery goes bad.
 
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You said that you left it on the monitor's USB-C charging cable and that you've tried a different cable. I may be misunderstanding this, but have you tried using the official charger?

I remember many years ago that someone I knew purchased a new iPhone which wouldn't boot up. Plugging it into a computer made no difference, but using the official charger worked. It did take a few minutes, though.
 
AJB1971 said:
You said that you left it on the monitor's USB-C charging cable and that you've tried a different cable. I may be misunderstanding this, but have you tried using the official charger?
Click to expand...

Yes, I have. I do have the official iPad charger. I was charging with an alternate cable, but it's a certified cable (mFi). Just to be sure, I did also use the official iPad cable, but no luck.
 
Just to confirm/clarify, when you mentioned using another cable to verify that it wasn't just the original one did you still use the monitor as the power source? or have you tried connecting it to the wall
 
cthompson94 said:
Just to confirm/clarify, when you mentioned using another cable to verify that it wasn't just the original one did you still use the monitor as the power source? or have you tried connecting it to the wall
Click to expand...

Both.

Let me just ammend what I said: I have the monitor cable; the mFI charging cable, and the official cable that came with the iPad box. I was always using the official charger when connecting it to the wall.
 
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Joe Dohn said:
Both.

Let me just ammend what I said: I have the monitor cable; the mFI charging cable, and the official cable that came with the iPad box. I was always using the official charger when connecting it to the wall.
Click to expand...
Okay that makes sense I just didn't know if maybe the passthrough from the monitor wasn't working. To possibly rule out a display issue you can try to use find my and see if it can give you a up to date location rather than the last time you saw it on/working.
 
cthompson94 said:
Okay that makes sense I just didn't know if maybe the passthrough from the monitor wasn't working. To possibly rule out a display issue you can try to use find my and see if it can give you a up to date location rather than the last time you saw it on/working.
Click to expand...

The "Find my..." feature is not reliable, apparently. It last reported my iPad working as the day before yesterday 6:30 PM, but I worked on it well until 10:28 PM. I know the exact timestamp because I exported a drawing from Procreate into my iPhone.
 
have you tried to pit the iPad in recovery mode? Volume Up, then Volume Down, then hold the power button down for 10 seconds. Might try a few times.
 
Joe Dohn said:
Hi, everyone,

my M1 2021 iPad Pro went dead after a little less than 2 years. I left it on the monitor's USB-C charging cable during the night, and when I picked it up to try to turn it on, it refused to.

It went through normal usage – well-protected, no drops, no major scratches. I've used it only for videoconferencing and drawing.

I tried to make it charge with my other cable that has a multimeter, but when I connected the cable, first it showed an electrical current, around 12W. Then it kept decreasing to 7. Eventually, the current fell to zero, and the cable is not charging. I know the cable is working though, because when I plug it into the iPad entry, it will show two zeros, indicating a reset; then, there's no numbers at all.

What do you think this is more likely to be: a bad battery, or the logic board? Can you please share your thoughts?
Click to expand...
Most people don't know this, but many credit cards (like my Citi card) automatically grant you an additional TWO YEAR warranty over and above (ie starts after the base one runs out) the manufacturer's warranty. Check with your card benefits and see if yours does too. If it does you can get a new one.
 
Have a look at the following video-

According to the comments section, some people have had success using the steps mentioned. It's up to you whether you try them.
 
AJB1971 said:
Have a look at the following video-

According to the comments section, some people have had success using the steps mentioned. It's up to you whether you try them.
Click to expand...

No, no luck (also, I didn't try smacking the iPad for obvious reasons).
I reversed the cable with the multimeter, so it read the energy output of the adapter instead. It shows that the cable itself is not broken, because it will give a 4 W reading and then a constant reading of 8-9W. When reversing the cable, there's no power draw from / into the iPad.
 
Joe Dohn said:
No AppleCare+.
Honestly, if the damage is in the logic board and the damage is not repairable (worst case scenario)
Click to expand...
The issue will be one of two things - "Battery" or "Something Else." Logic board, display, whatever are all relegated to "Other" on iPads, the service center won't report (or care) exactly WHAT is wrong, just that it's not the battery.

Regardless of what the issue is, the iPad is swapped - not repaired. The only difference is if it's purely a "Battery" issue the cost is much less (US$99; varies elsewhere). If the issue is "Something else" then it's the $549-$799 depending on exactly which iPad Pro you have.

And as mentioned - the fact that it won't power on at all, even on charger, certainly points to "Something else."
 
Joe Dohn said:
I do like drawing with the iPad, but, the problem is that I bought expecting it to be a laptop replacement. But the versatility is just not there (can't handle large files well; can't handle Word and Excel macros), so it ended up just as a drawing tablet.

However, even as a drawing tablet it has downsides. With this crash, I learned there is no easy way to restore files from my Procreate backup into Windows, only into an app device. And now that the tablet won't turn on, it means my Apple Pencil will be forced into discharge, since the only way to charge it is with the iPad itself. If I wanted to sell it, it'd be a ticking time bomb until the battery goes bad.
Click to expand...

I purchased an iPad Pro in 2020 with similar expectations of it being a laptop replacement. More recently, I purchased a Wacom Intuos to use alongside my iMac.

With the Intuos, my iMac has become my go-to device for creating artwork and projects. As a result, my iPad Pro has been somewhat sidelined, now serving as a secondary screen and an occasional tool for on-the-go artwork. While I still find it useful in those aspects, it doesn't fully cover all my computing requirements, which is frustrating.

I likely wouldn’t purchase another iPad Pro when my current one reaches the end of its lifecycle. I believe that, for this moment in time, a MacBook paired with an external monitor or an iMac would offer a more comprehensive solution for my professional needs.
 
BhaveshUK said:
I purchased an iPad Pro in 2020 with similar expectations of it being a laptop replacement. More recently, I purchased a Wacom Intuos to use alongside my iMac.

With the Intuos, my iMac has become my go-to device for creating artwork and projects. As a result, my iPad Pro has been somewhat sidelined, now serving as a secondary screen and an occasional tool for on-the-go artwork. While I still find it useful in those aspects, it doesn't fully cover all my computing requirements, which is frustrating.

I likely wouldn’t purchase another iPad Pro when my current one reaches the end of its lifecycle. I believe that, for this moment in time, a MacBook paired with an external monitor or an iMac would offer a more comprehensive solution for my professional needs.
Click to expand...

This saddens me so much. The iPad just nails that pencil sketch feel, and the hardware under the hood is a beast. But it's a bummer that it isn't as flexible as it could be. It feels like Apple's tight reins are keeping it from reaching its full potential – because it is definitely capable hardware-wise.

Another snag is how Apple handles upgrades and repairs. It can take a hit on the resale value, which isn't ideal. As a Brazilian, I feel this pinch even more. We've got a whopping 100% tax on electronics here, so any price you see, just double it, this makes it hard to justify shelling out $2,000 USD on something that might feel disposable after a year or two (with the official possibility of shelling out $1,000 more if you want an official Apple repair).

Speaking of which, you mentioned you have an Intuos. Can you make realistic pencil sketches with it with a high-resolution pencil brush? I looked it up on YouTube, but couldn't find anything as realistic as what can be drawn with an iPad, so that is why I'm asking.
 
Joe Dohn said:
Speaking of which, you mentioned you have an Intuos. Can you make realistic pencil sketches with it with a high-resolution pencil brush? I looked it up on YouTube, but couldn't find anything as realistic as what can be drawn with an iPad, so that is why I'm asking.
Click to expand...
artist have used (and continue) Intuos and Cintiqs for decades in Photoshop, Illustrator Painter, et cetera. for movie poster design, pantings, sketches, game art, the list goes on and on. Take a look into the oeuvre of any famous digital artist before 2015, you probably find a few (🤣😂) things which fall in your category of “realistic pencil sketches”. 😁
 
Slartibart said:
artist have used (and continue) Intuos and Cintiqs for decades in Photoshop, Illustrator Painter, et cetera. for movie poster design, pantings, sketches, game art, the list goes on and on. Take a look into the oeuvre of any famous digital artist before 2015, you probably find a few (🤣😂) things which fall in your category of “realistic pencil sketches”. 😁
Click to expand...

Let me clarify, because my wording is a bit ambiguous.

By "realistic", I don't mean "depicting the subject in a photorealistic way". You can indeed achieve this on a computer with the airbrush tool, if you're skilled enough.

Instead, I mean "drawn in a way that looks exactly like (or very close to) a pencil sketch in a sheet of paper".

* Like this:

* Or this (which is more charcoal-like):

In most digital pencil sketches I see on the Internet, either the pencil texture is either too blurry or too oversharpened, which makes it look fake; Procreate can make digital pencil brushes feel almost like real pencils very easily, if you know how a pencil behaves. Sure, you can, in theory, achieve these effects on Photoshop too, but in my experience, it's a nightmare with the wrong hardware.
 
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Update, everyone: I took the iPad to a service provider and it suddenly worked again. After it absolutely NOT responding at home, even after being 24+ hours charging, this guy simply pressed the power button... and it did turn on. The battery is at 97% capacity, no issue with the logic board at all.

I decided not to leave it there for diagnosis, then put it here at home charging, and the multimeter cable is charging like absolutely nothing happened.

Go figure.
 
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@Joe Dohn I'm having exactly this issue right now, except my ipad has not miraculously awakened as yours finally did. Am curious -- did you ever figure out what was wrong? Does it still work? I'm still hoping that mine is revived but the Genius Bar thinks its a dead mainboard. Sucks, I did not get AC+ b/c I am super gentle with devices. Can't see why I'd risk an iPad purchase again, but I very much want to revive this guy!
 
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