Apple Launches Repair Program for Blank Screen Issue Affecting Third-Generation iPad Air

Friday March 6, 2020 6:13 pm PST by Juli Clover

Apple today launched a repair program for third-generation iPad Air models that are affected by a bug that can cause the screen to go suddenly and permanently blank.

ipadairgold

Apple has determined that, under certain circumstances, the screen on a limited number of iPad Air (3rd generation) devices may go blank permanently. A brief flicker or flash may appear before the screen goes blank.

Apple says that affected devices were manufactured between March 2019 and October 2019, and that any iPad experiencing this issue will be repaired by Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider free of charge.

Customers who have an iPad Air with a screen that's gone blank should find an Apple Authorized Service Provider, make an appointment at an Apple retail location, or contact Apple support to arrange a mail-in service through the Apple Repair Center.

The new repair program covers affected third-generation ‌iPad Air‌ models for two years after the first retail sale of the unit.

Related Roundup: iPad Air

Buyer's Guide: iPad Air (Buy Now)

Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

Next Year's iPad Air to Feature a Much Better Display

Thursday April 16, 2026 8:41 am PDT by Tim Hardwick

If you're in the market for a new iPad Air, now is a good time to buy – Apple last month refreshed the line with an M4 chip upgrade. But if you can hold out another year, it'll be worth the wait. Here's why. Apple is reportedly going to transition more of its iPad models to OLED displays, and the iPad Air is in those plans. The first model to get the display upgrade is rumored to be the...

iOS 26.5 Features: Everything New in iOS 26.5

Monday May 11, 2026 5:09 pm PDT by Juli Clover

Apple released iOS 26.5 after a few months of beta testing, and while it doesn't have the Siri features we were hoping for since those are being held until iOS 27, there are a handful of useful changes worth knowing about. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. End-to-End Encryption for RCS Support for end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages between iPhone and...

• 66 comments

11 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 18 Pro

Monday May 11, 2026 9:01 am PDT by Tim Hardwick

We're only four months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a sea change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year, adopting a...

• 40 comments

Top Rated Comments

scupking

81 months ago

Yet Apple wouldn't do this with the white spot issue on the pro 10.5 and a lot more people had issues with that.

Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)

magicschoolbus

81 months ago

Would be nice to get my 10.5 covered under warranty for the cancerous bright spots all over my display.

Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

TheShadowKnows!

81 months ago

"Apple has determined that, under certain circumstances, the screen on a limited number of iPad Air (3rd generation) devices may go blank permanently. A brief flicker or flash may appear before the screen goes blank."

Ahhh... there it is.
"a small number" ,"a limited number", "a tiny, tiny, tiny, (almost microscopic) number" of [insert model] ... /s

Just a personal thought:
Clarity, unambiguity are seldom, if ever, a part of Apple's corporate dialect.
So stupid because, at the end, clarity and truthfulness only purifies and increases customer trust.

Some fast notes (I was curious):
[LIST=1]
* The iPaid Air 3 (3rd. generation) was sold starting mid-March 2019.
* This potential flaw involves, most likely than not, all iPad 3's bought in 2019 (manufactured up to, and including, October 2019)
* Apple sells, conservatively, on average, about 10M iPads per-quarter.
* Even if 1:3 Pads bought in 2019 are iPad 3's -- a conservative estimate -- this covers about 10M units.
* And, the graphics core of iPads 3 is an Apple 4-core graphics processor -- all in-house. This is Why? they know.

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

spinedoc77

81 months ago

Just went through with this on my mom's shiny new ipad air. Did a full reset/restore through itunes and I knew it was bad because the text voiceover worked but screen was dead. Apple replaced it no questions asked, hopefully the new one won't have the issue down the line.

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)