5 Solutions to Fix iPad Unavailable Press to Unlock

"My iPad shows a message not only saying 'iPad Unavailable', but also 'Press Home to Unlock'. However, when I press Home nothing happens. How can I unlock my iPad? Can anyone help me?" - Skrrt350 from Reddit

Cannot unlock your iPad because of the "iPad Unavailable Press home to unlock" message? Many users have encountered this annoying screen after entering wrong passcodes many times like Skrrt350 above. If you can't remember the correct passcode and keep making wrong passcode attempts, your iPad will probably be disabled forever.

But don't be worry. There are 5 possible solutions for you to unlock your unavailable iPad. Keep reading this post and learn how to make it.

Part 1: Why My iPad Shows iPad Unavailable Press Home to Unlock?

If your iPad shows the "iPad Unavailable Press home to unlock" message, it usually means the device has been disabled. Here are some common reasons why this issue might happen:

Incorrect passcode attempts: Entering the wrong passcode multiple times triggers the device to lock you out as a security measure.

Security lockout: This is a feature designed to prevent unauthorized access to your device.

Device reset protection: If the device was reset or restored without erasing all content and settings, it might show this message.

Software glitch: Occasionally, software bugs or glitches can cause the device to display this message incorrectly.

"Press home to unlock" message is just an alert which lets you press home button and enter the passcode. This doesn't actually work to unlock your iPad. You can wait and enter the correct passcode. Or, restore your iPad to regain access immediately.

Part 2: How to Fix iPad Unavailable Press Home to Unlock?

There are several ways to fix iPad Unavailable Press home to unlock issue. The following are 5 proven ones. First of all, a short video is provided here.

Fix 1. Wait and Retry

If your iPad is unavailable and you see a countdown timer on the screen, the first solution you can try is to wait for it to expire and then try entering your passcode again. This is simple and effective when you remember the passcode and the waiting time is not long. If your forgot iPad passcode or the screen displays Security Lockout, please keep reading and try the following useful tips.

Fix 2. Use TunesKit iPad Unlocker

Another way to fix the iPad Unavailable Press home to unlock problem is to take assistance from a professional iOS unlocking tool. Here, I would like to recommend TunesKit iPad Unlocker to you.

TunesKit iPad Unlocker is a comprehensive iOS unlocking tool that can help users unlock lock screen, unlock Apple ID, bypass Screen Time restrictions, and remove MDM restrictions. While encountering problems like iPad Unavailable Press home to unlock, iPad is disabled, or forgot iPad passcode, you can use TunesKit iPad Unlocker to unlock your iPad with several simple clicks.

Now, let's see how to fix iPad Unavailable Press home to unlock by using TunesKit iPad Unlocker.

Step 1Connect iPad to Computer

Download and install TunesKit iPad Unlocker on your computer. Then, connect your iPad to the computer. Launch TunesKit iPad Unlocker and the program will start to detect your iPad. Click on the Unlock iOS Screen and hit on the Start button when your iPad is detected.

Step 2Put iPad into Recovery Mode

Then, you will need to put your iPad into Recovery mode. If you don't know how to put your iPad into Recovery mode, you can follow the onscreen instructions to make it. When your iPad is in Recovery mode, click on the Next button.

Step 3Download Firmware Package

Here you will see your device information. Please check the information and ensure that all the information is correct. Click on the Download button to download the firmware package to unlock your iPad.

Step 4Fix iPad Unavailale Press Home to Unlock

After downloading the firmware package, TunesKit iPad Unlocker will start to fix the iPad Unavailable Press Home button to unlock problem. All your data and content will be erased after fixing the program.

Fix 3. Erase iPad with Apple ID

If your iPad is unavailable or security locked, you can use your Mac or PC to reset it. To fix iPad unavailable press home to unlock without computer, you can take advantage of its Forgot Passcode or Erase iPad feature. This feature only available on iPadOS 15.2 or later. Please make sure your iPad is connected to a cellular or Wi-Fi network, and you remember your Apple ID and password. Then follow the guide below to erase your iPad.

Step 1. If your iPad is running iPadOS 17 or later, tap the Forgot Passcode? option. If your iPad is running iPadOS 15.2 and iPadOS 16, tap Erase iPad option.
Step 2. On the Security Lockout screen, tap Start iPad Reset to confirm.
Step 3. Enter your Apple ID password to sign out of the account on your iPad.
Step 4. Tap Erase iPad to permanently delete all of your data and settings. Then you can restart the device and set up your iPad again.

Fix 4. Fix iPad Unavailable Press Home to Unlock via iTunes

If you can't see the Erase option on your iPad, you can also use iTunes or Finder to restore iPad and fix the iPad Unavailable Press home to unlock problem. You should backup your iPad before restoring it via iTunes, as it will erase all the data and content from the iPad. Next, follow the steps below to restore your iPad via iTunes or Finder.

Step 1. Open iTunes on your PC or Finder on your Mac. Then, connect your iPad to the computer. If your iPad is detected, you will see a little device icon on the top toolbar.
Step 2. Click on the little device icon and hit on the Summary option.
Step 3. Click on the Restore iPad... option to restore your iPad and fix the iPad Unavailable Press home to unlock problem.

Fix 5. Fix iPad Unavailable Press Home to Unlock via iCloud

You can also use Find My iPad to fix the iPad unavailable problem if the Find My iPad feature is enabled on your iPad. You can use this feature to fix your iPad on a computer or another iOS device. The following is the how-to.

Step 1. Open a browser on your computer or other iOS device, and go to the icloud.com website.
Step 2. Log into your Apple ID and select the Find My feature.
Step 3. Select your iOS device and hit on the All Devices option.
Step 4. Click on your unavailable iPad and click on the Erase iPad option.

Part 3: FAQs Related to iPad Unavailable Press Home to Unlock

Here are some more questions about iPad Unavailable Press home to unlock issue. You can check the quick answers.

Q1. What does Press home to unlock mean?

A: The feature is designed on an iPad with a Home button, and it works as a default behavior before entering the passscode. In other words, the message "Press home to unlock" is just a hint, which tells you that you should press the home button, and then enter the passcode to unlock your iPad.

Q2. What to do if Press home to unlock not working on iPad?

A: If Press home to unlock doesn't work, you can try to force restart iPad, update the iPadOS to the latest version, or factory reset your iPad to fix the issue.

Q3. How to prevent iPad Unavailable Press home to unlock issue happen again?

A: To avoid this kind of issue, please ensure you remember your passcode. Try to write it down on your notebook. Or, you can consider enabling biometric authentication (like Face ID or Touch ID), and use it next time when you forgot iPad passcode. Finally, avoid letting unauthorized users handle your device.

Q4. How to disable "Press home to unlock" on iPad?

A: To turn off "Press home to unlock" feature, you can follow these simple directions below:

Step 1. Launch the Settings app on your iPad.
Step 2. Go to General > Accessibility > Home Button.
Step 3. Turn on the Rest Finger to Open toggle.

Part 4: Conclusion

There are 5 solutions on how to fix iPad Unavailable Press home to unlock problem. If you can't remember the passcode on your iPad touch, you can download and try using TunesKit iPad Unlocker to unlock your iPad without entering the passcode. This is a professional yet easy-to-use iOS unlocking tool, and it will help you get access to your device by yourself. If you have other questions, please feel free to leave us a comment below.