To put an iPad in DFU mode, connect it to a computer and use the button sequence for an iPad with or without a Home button. The iPad’s screen stays black while the computer recognizes a device that needs restoration.
DFU means Device Firmware Update. It is a deeper recovery state, separate from the recovery mode that displays a computer-and-cable image. A black screen alone does not confirm DFU: the computer must recognize the iPad too.
Before you start
Restoring in DFU mode erases the iPad’s data. Back up a working iPad first. If the iPad no longer starts and you have no backup, do not select Restore unless you are prepared to lose the data. Entering the mode and starting a restore are separate actions.
For a frozen screen or startup problem, try a force restart and Apple’s recovery-mode procedure first. Recovery mode can offer Update; a DFU restore is not a method for recovering your unsaved files. Use our iPad hard-reset guide to distinguish a restart from an erasing reset.
- Have a Mac or Windows PC, an internet connection for the software download, and a working USB data cable that fits your iPad.
- On macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, open Finder. On Windows, use the current Apple Devices app; iTunes is the alternative in setups that still use it. On macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier, use iTunes.
- Connect the iPad and look for it in the app’s sidebar. Apple explains where a connected iPad appears.
Enter DFU mode
The timed sequences below follow iFixit’s DFU instructions. Choose by the presence of a Home button on the front, not by whether the iPad has Touch ID: some models have Touch ID in the top button.
iPad with a Home button
- Keep the iPad connected. Hold Home and the top/power button together.
- After about 8 seconds, release the top button and keep holding Home.
- Release Home when the computer detects the iPad. The screen should stay black.
iPad without a Home button
- Keep it connected. Quickly press and release the volume button closest to the top button, then the one farthest from it.
- Hold the top button until the screen turns black. Then hold the top button and the farther volume button together.
- After about 5 seconds, release the top button but keep holding the farther volume button.
- Release the volume button when the computer detects the iPad. The screen should remain black.
Use those physical button positions even if volume controls change when you rotate the iPad. Apple’s button guide explains dynamic volume controls.
Check the result before choosing Restore
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| Black iPad screen plus computer detection and a restore option | Consistent with DFU; the computer’s message may still say “recovery mode.” |
| Computer-and-cable image on the iPad | Recovery mode, a different state |
| Apple logo or normal startup | The DFU attempt did not complete |
| Black screen and no computer detection | DFU is not confirmed; check the connection and power |
iFixit’s black-screen troubleshooting guide notes that DFU offers restoration rather than the normal Update option. If you intend to restore, read the data-loss warning above, select the detected iPad and Restore, and follow the computer’s prompts. After completion, set up the iPad again.
Exit DFU or troubleshoot a failed attempt
If you only wanted to enter the mode, exit with a force restart before starting a restore:
- With Home: hold Home and the top button until the Apple logo appears.
- Without Home: quickly press and release the nearer volume button, then the farther one; hold the top button until the Apple logo appears.
These are Apple’s force-restart controls. If the device is unresponsive, charge it and check the cable and USB connection before retrying. If a restore reports an error, keep the exact error message for support. A software restore cannot guarantee a fix for hardware damage or broken buttons; use Apple service if recovery still fails.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.