Why is System Data taking up so much space on my iPad?

Start with Settings, General, iPad Storage and give the storage breakdown a little time to load. System Data can include caches, logs, and other temporary files, so its size can change. Check whether it is actually System Data growing or whether apps and downloaded media are taking up most of the space.

If you ask for more help, include the iPad model, iPadOS version, total capacity, free space, and the sizes shown for iPadOS and System Data. Those numbers make it much easier to tell whether the breakdown looks unusual.

A hard reset can mean a forced restart, which does not erase the iPad. If that's what you did, it may clear some temporary state but isn't the same as wiping the device. Try a normal restart too, then check the storage figures again after they settle.

On a 64 GB iPad, the operating system takes up a noticeable chunk before you add anything. That doesn't automatically explain a huge System Data reading, but it does mean downloaded videos, large apps, and offline files can push the device toward full pretty quickly.

If System Data stays unusually large and freeing other storage doesn't help, a backup followed by erasing and restoring the iPad is an option. Make sure the backup is complete and usable first, because erasing removes the data on the device. It may reduce accumulated data, but there's no guarantee the size won't grow again.