Why My iPad Keeps Crashing / Freezing?

Last Updated on May 10, 2023 by Saad and Ernests Embutnieks

The iPad has been a beloved tablet among consumers for many years. It has a reputation for durability and longevity, which means even older models continue to perform well and receive the latest software updates.

However, you might have encountered issues with your iPad, such as crashes and freezing, leaving you puzzled and frustrated. Don’t worry! In this guide, we’ll explain the reasons behind these problems and provide you with practical solutions to fix them.

Related: How Long Do iPads Last?

How To Fix iPad Crashing / Freezing

Let’s start with the fixes and let’s continue with the causes and go deeper into each problem.

Crashing / Freezing Reason	Possible Fix
CPU / Memory Overload	Restarting iPad and Upgrading if Needed
Glitchy Application	None
Battery Life / Health	Charing iPad Properly, turning off Low Power Mode and Replacing your iPad’s Battery
Lack Of Storage Space	Removing Unwanted Applications or Upgrading to an iPad with More Storage Space
Outdated Software	Update your iPad
Device Age	Upgrade your iPad

Why Is Your iPad Crashing / Freezing?

Here are all the reasons why your iPad may crash or freeze in the first place:

CPU / Memory Overload

Even Apple’s software tends to suffer from memory / CPU overload sometimes. This is most probable if the application you are using is intensive in nature. For instance, if you are playing a game and suddenly see your iPad crash or freeze, there’s a high chance that your iPad has just gone through a memory hiccup.

Contrary to popular belief, this is not a cause for concern and may not even be related to your device’s age. Software is malleable, and it isn’t always perfect. So, if your device randomly crashes ever so often, you can brush that off as a coincidence.

Glitchy Application

We often start blaming our devices before taking a deep dive into the application itself. Oftentimes, applications end up causing your iPad to freeze or glitch out. There’s quite an easy way to identify this. If the application in question glitches at a certain moment, say when you tap on a certain button – then the application is to blame.

On the other hand, if the crashing is random and seems to not be related to what you are actually doing, then a glitchy application might not be to blame.

Battery Life / Health

Let’s get one thing out of the way; you cannot see your battery health on an iPad, unlike an iPhone. So, there’s no way for you to find out if your battery is to blame precisely. But, if you are suffering from battery drain, the backside of your iPad heating up to an excessive extent, or are going through insanely slow charging, your battery isn’t operating properly.

Related: iPad Battery Started To Drain Suddenly (How To Fix It)

A quick way to check if your battery is to blame is to use your iPad while charging. If you see your device crashing more / less or exhibiting abnormal behavior, then that means your battery isn’t charging or discharging properly. 

I know, that’s a lot of variables. But, sadly, Apple hasn’t incorporated any way for us to truly be sure if our battery is to blame.

Lack Of Storage Space

If your iPad is filled to the brim with music, applications, and videos, applications will often start crashing as soon as they require a bit more storage on your device. You’ll also run into freezes as your device’s memory won’t be able to keep up with storing information.

Related: How Much Storage Do You Need For iPad?

Outdated Software

If you are running a 2-year-old version of iOS / iPadOS, its a given that applications will start crashing and freezing. This is because, typically, applications are meant to work for the latest version of iOS. Going any further back can lead to issues that include crashing and freezing on your iPad. 

Device Age

All good things come to an end. And, the 5-year-old iPad that you bought off a thrift store might just be nearing the end of its life. Let’s face it if your device is slowing down, crashing, and freezing, and you bought it more than a few years might just need to retire.

Charge Your iPad

Your battery is one of the prime culprits as to why your iPad may be underperforming. To get rid of that variable quickly., all you need to do is charge your iPad(which takes around 2 hours) and ensure that you are using a charger of the right wattage and are using an Apple-certified charger and cable.

After you’ve plugged your iPad on, also turn off Low Power Mode; here’s how:

• Open the Settings application on your iPad
• After doing so, select Battery
• Once there, tap on the Low Power Mode button to turn it off

Bonus Tip: You can also turn off Low Power Mode by opening up your Control Center and tapping on the Battery icon.

Restart Your iPad

The pivotal solution to every crash or glitch is to turn it off and on again. Surprisingly, the iPad is no different. So, if you’ve just started going through crashes and freezes on your iPad, a quick reboot may be all you need. 

Here’s how you can restart your iPad:

• Press and hold the Lock Button and the Volume Up button
• Now, drag the slider to shut your iPad down and then press the Lock button again to power it on again.

If your iPad is frozen / crashing, then you won’t be able to reset your iPad normally. You’ll have to resort to a Force Restart instead. Here’s how:

• If you have an iPad with a home button, hold the top button and home button at the same time and keep holding it till the Apple logo appears.
• If you have an iPad without a home button, hold the volume up button, then hold the volume button and then hold the top button until the Apple logo appears. 

Clean Up Some Space

If your iPad has low storage space, you won’t be able to use it properly because almost every application requires you to temporarily store data, even if it is in a very small quantity. As we’ve mentioned prior, this can cause your iPad to freeze and crash.

Therefore, removing unwanted applications, movies and music is a quick way to rid yourself of this error. Here’s how:

• Open the Settings application on your iPad
• Head down to General
• After doing so, select iPad Storage
• Now, select the applications you wish to uninstall and free up some storage!

Bonus Tip: You can always move your photos to either iCloud or Google Photos to free up some vital local storage.

Update Your iPad

Your iPad requires constant updates. Otherwise, having your applications crash and freeze won’t be an uncommon sight. Therefore, keeping your iPad up to date is of pivotal importance, especially if you are encountering freezes and crashes on your iPad:

• Open the Settings application on your iPad
• Now, tap on Software Update
• Your iPad will now check for updates
• After the update is done downloading, tap on Install Now

Reset Your iPad

Resetting your iPad ensures that your iPad is back to its normal pace and there’s no setting or nefarious application conflicting with your device. Before you go about resetting your device, remember to take a backup through iCloud, so you don’t lose any data.

Generally, I’d recommend not restoring completely from a backup image as you might be inviting the nefarious applications that slowed your iPad down in the first place back to your playing field.

• Open the Settings application on your iPad
• Now, head to General 
• Scroll down to Transfer or Reset iPad
• Once there, tap on Erase All Content & Settings

Consult A Technician

If worst comes to worst, you might need to resort to an Apple-certified technician or make an appointment with the Genius Bar. For instance, if your battery’s all messed up and all of the fixes above haven’t worked, then a replacement will be the only way for you to get your iPad back up and running.

Generally, though, as a piece of advice, a battery change is the only fix your iPad may need if freezing down or crashing is its only problem. No random motherboard or circuit board failure can lead to your iPad crashing and freezing.

Its Time For An Upgrade

If all else has failed, then, my friend, your iPad may just have run through its paces, and it may be time for an upgrade. This is especially true if you’ve gone through a battery replacement and reset and still can’t seem to have your iPad run normally. 

This is because your iPad operates at the same level as it did when it was new after a battery change and a reset. If, it can’t handle an application or keeps freezing when its new, then, it never had the capability to do so in the first place.