I'm having a frustrating issue with an iPad Pro 3rd Gen (11.9") that's locked out. I have access to the iCloud account, so I can wipe the device once I get it connected, but no matter what I try, my PC just won't recognize it. I can charge it with certain USB-C cables from a power brick, but I can't get any configuration to work so I can communicate with the iPad to wipe it. The device is in a permanent "disabled" state.
Here's a list of all the troubleshooting steps I've already tried:
- Hard reboot
- Recovery mode
- DFU mode
- Replacing the USB-C port with an aftermarket one
- Replacing the USB-C port again with a genuine OEM port
- Using 10+ different USB-C cables, including USB-C to A and USB-C to C
- Trying multiple USB ports on my Windows PC
- Trying multiple USB ports on another Windows PC
If anyone has any ideas or special tricks I might be missing, I would really appreciate your help!
2 Answers
Have you tried using the Apple Devices app? Sometimes it works better than iTunes for recognizing devices. Just a thought!
Did this issue happen after any type of damage or water exposure? Also, does the iPad give any visual feedback, like displaying the Apple logo or an error message during resets? If you can access a Mac, connecting it to Apple Configurator 2 might provide more options to troubleshoot.
The only damage I know of is to the charging port from regular use. The screen shows the Apple logo when rebooting, and then it says "iPad unavailable" with a support URL. I wish I could try it on a Mac, but I don't have access to one.
Thanks for the suggestion! I actually tried the Apple Devices app too, but it didn't recognize the iPad in any mode—normal, recovery, or DFU.