iPad Air 5: How to Hard Reset or Shut Down - MacRumors
Skip to Content

iPad Air 5: How to Hard Reset or Shut Down

by

Like the iPad Air 4, Apple's fifth-generation ‌iPad Air‌ (2022) features an edge-to-edge display with no Home button included and Touch ID built into the Power button instead. The lack of a Home button means some gestures and features are different to older iPads, such as the restart, shut down, and force restart methods.
ipad air m1 2

On ‌iPad Air‌, a shut down and a restart are the same gesture, while a force restart, used if a regular restart won't work, is a bit different compared to iPads with a Home button.

To Shut Down/Restart Your iPad Air 4 or 5

  1. Press and hold down on the top power button and either the volume up or volume down button until a slider appears.
  2. Slide a finger along the on-screen slider to turn off the iPad.
  3. Once it's turned off, press and hold on the top power button again until the Apple logo appears.

On iPads with a Home button, you can restart by holding down the Home button and the Side button on the device at the same time, but on the ‌iPad Air‌, you need to do a full shutdown and then power the tablet back up in a separate step.

You can also turn off your ‌iPad Air‌ by opening up the Settings app, choosing General, and selecting Shut Down.

To Force Restart Your iPad Air 4 or 5

  1. Press and quickly release the volume up button.
  2. Press and quickly release the volume down button.
  3. Press and hold the top Power button until a restart is initiated.

All of the gestures used in the ‌iPad Air‌ 5 are the same as the gestures used in the iPad mini 6, ‌iPad Air‌ 4, and iPad Pro, and you can also follow these same steps to shut down or restart an iPhone without a Home button, just with one small tweak: You'll need to hold the Side button on the right because there is no top power button.

Related Roundup: iPad Air
Buyer's Guide: iPad Air (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

m3 ipad air mint

Apple Adds 36-Month Carrier Financing for Cellular iPads

Wednesday July 15, 2026 7:41 am PDT by
Apple has introduced 36-month financing for cellular iPad purchases through AT&T and Verizon, adding to the 12-month option previously available via Apple Card. The new financing, first reported by 9to5Mac, replaces Apple Card Monthly Installments as the sole route to spreading out a cellular iPad purchase. That plan paid off the balance interest-free over 12 months; the new carrier options...
M3 iPad Air

iPad Air Could Finally Be Redesigned Next Year

Friday July 31, 2026 6:00 pm PDT by
The iPad Air has looked the same since 2020, making it the longest-running design in Apple's tablet lineup. There is a reasonable case that 2027 could be when that comes to an end. Apple last gave the iPad Air a new enclosure in 2020, when the fourth-generation model introduced flat sides, an all-screen front, and Touch ID in the top button. The subsequent M1, M2, M3, and M4 updates were all ...
iPhone 18 Pro Deep Red Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Next Month With These 12 New Features

Thursday August 6, 2026 7:03 am PDT by
It is now August, and that means the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are just a month away. The devices are expected to look similar to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, but there will still be many year-over-year changes, with rumored features including a smaller Dynamic Island, 5G via satellite, and more. Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a...