How to turn off an iPad

Woman using an iPad Pro — (Image credit: Shutterstock / Prathankarnpap)

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Tools & requirements
Step-by-step guide

Sometimes it’s best to fully power off your iPad, whether it’s for a long period of storage, to save energy, or simply just to take a break.

However, pressing the iPad’s power button doesn’t actually switch the tablet all the way off, so apps can still run in the background and new information can still be received over the internet. Annoying, right?

Luckily, switching your iPad off is pretty easy – keep reading for a guide on how to switch off every model of iPad.

Tools & requirements

Your iPad – that's it.

Quick steps for how to turn off an iPad

If you have an iPad with a home button, press and hold the power button
If you have an iPad with no home button, press and hold the power button and either volume button at the same time
When the power off slider appears, drag it from left to right

Step-by-step guide on how to turn off an iPad

1. Hold down the power button

A diagram showing the buttons needed to power off an ipad

Firstly, find the iPad’s power button – that’s the slim button at the top edge of the frame when the iPad is held vertically.

If you have an iPad with a home button, hold down the power button until a power off slider appears.

If your iPad has no home button, hold down the power button and either volume button until the power off slider appears.

2. Drag the power off slider

A screenshot of an iPad with the power-off slider visible

Once the power off slider appears, simply drag the white circular icon from left to right. The screen will switch off, indicating the iPad is powering down.

You can turn your iPad on again by holding down the power button until the white Apple logo appears.

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Jamie is freelance journalist who has written for TechRadar and MusicRadar as well as various specialist news outlets and music blogs. A lifelong tech-obsessive, Jamie began his writing career as a music blogger before studying journalism at Goldsmiths College, and worked at TechRadar between 2024 and 2026. He thinks the iPhone 5S is the greatest phone of all time, but is currently an Android user.