What Does iPad Unavailable Message Mean on an iPad

What does iPad Unavailable message mean? Let me tell you the meaning and what’s happening at the moment when your iPad says unavailable on the screen.

What Does iPad Unavailable Message Mean?

iPad Unavailable message means you cannot use your iPhone at that moment. Meanwhile, you can’t access all your data and content on your iPhone. And the only way to unlock the “iPad Unavailable” is to reset and wipe all content and settings on it. All solutions to solve the problem must reset the iPad, including Apple ways and third-party software ways. As to iPad data recovery, people can restore it from the previous backups. Interchangeably, you may see the “Security lockout” message on an iPad.

It’s too late to back up a locked-out iPad saying “iPad Unavailable” or “Security Lockout”.  If you’ve learned a hard lesson, I mention this as a strong word of warning: Always back up your iPad or iPhone.

Luckily, when you can remember your passcode, the problem will be resolved by entering the correct passcode when the “try again” time is up. The iPad will become normal, getting rid of the locked screen immediately.

When your iPad is unavailable/security lockout after a reset, recovery mode, restore or update, don’t be anxious. You are not alone here. It’s also caused by password security measures on iOS devices. you can also follow our tutorial to solve it.

Maybe it’s not fresh for you to see the “iPad is disabled connect to iTunes” screen. iPad unavailable message or screen is the updated version of iPad disabled message or screen in iOS 15.2 or later.

The more wrong passcode attempts you enter in a row, The longer time you’ll need to wait before your next try.

Check these messages of Apple’s escalating security measures. iOS 15.2 to before iOS 16.

• 5 incorrect passcode entries in a row, iPad Unavailable/Security Lockout, try again in 1 minute.
• 7 incorrect passcode entries in a row, iPad Unavailable/Security Lockout, try again in 5 minutes.
• 8 incorrect passcode entries in a row, iPad Unavailable/Security Lockout, try again in 15 minutes.
• 9 incorrect passcode entries in a row, iPad Unavailable/Security Lockout, try again in one hour.
• 10 incorrect passcode entries in a row, iPad Unavailable/Security Lockout.

Apple’s escalating security measures. iOS 16 or later.

• 4 failed passcode attempts in a row, iPad Unavailable, try again in 1 minute.
• 5 failed passcode attempts in a row, iPad Unavailable, try again in 5 minutes.
• 6 failed passcode attempts in a row, iPad Unavailable/Security Lockout, try again in 15 minutes.
• 7 failed passcode attempts in a row, iPad Unavailable/Security Lockout, try again in 1 hour.
• 8 failed passcode attempts in a row, iPad Unavailable/Security Lockout, try again in 3 hours.
• 9 failed passcode attempts in a row, iPad Unavailable/Security Lockout, try again in 8 hours.
• 10 failed passcode attempts in a row, iPad Unavailable/Security Lockout.

The specific meanings of these iPad Unavailable messages:

How long before another passcode try? The try again in X minutes is actually a countdown timer. It means you’ll need to wait for the number X minutes, and the screen will show you the live countdown time. That’s why you will see the numbers between 1 to 60.

• 1 minute; you need to wait for 1 minute before inputting another passcode.
• 5 minutes; you need to wait for 5 minutes before seeing the entering passcode screen again.
• 15 minutes; you need to wait for 15 minutes before inputting another passcode.
• 1 hour; you need to wait for 1 minute before inputting another passcode.
• No timer; you are completely locked out.

There are a total of 10 times for you to unlock your iPhone with the correct passcode. Once you grasp any one of it to input the correct pin code. The black lock screen will disappear.

As there are other versions of iPadOS 15.2, you may also see the Security Lockout Messages on iPad, such as the following sayings on screen. Both are the same type of problems caused by failed passcode attempts with the same solutions. But it’s with different sayings.

And the “try again in X minutes” time will decrease later as time goes by. Thus, you’ll find the messages such as”iPad Unavailable/Security Lockout, try again in 4 minutes”, “iPad Unavailable/Security Lockout try again in 13 minutes”, “iPad Unavailable/Security Lockout try again in 58 minutes”, “iPad Unavailable/Security Lockout try again in 38 minutes minutes” etc. Try again in X minutes, X is from 1 to 60.  When the time is up, you can try another passcode attempt(You can’t speed up the time).

This security measure aims to avoid brute-force cracking of the iPhone passcode. While it also stops many people who forgot their passcodes from using their personal iPhones. Take it easy when you remember your iPhone passcode, it’s just an alert to remind you to enter your passcode carefully.

Luckily, you won’t be so sad if you forgot the Passcode. you can refer to the solutions to fix “iPad Unavailable” or “Security Lockout”.

How to Unlock the iPad when It’s Unavailable Security Lockout.

Option 1. Erase iPad Unavailable screen with the Erase iPad button.

To use the Erase iPad option, you should have the following prerequisites.

• Your iPad is running on iPadOS 15.2 or later.
• Find My iPad is previously turned on before the security lockout.
• iPad is connected to the Wi-Fi network or other network before the lockout.
• You know your Apple ID that is in use on the iPad.

Steps to reset the iPad using Erase iPad option.

Enter 7 or more failed passcode attempts on the iPad to activate the Erase iPad option.

Tap Erase iPad. Tap Erase iPad again. Enter your Apple ID password. Wait for a while and your iPad should be erased.

During the setup process, you can set it up as new or restore it from the computer backups or iCloud backups.

Option 2. Use the SD iOS passcode Unlocker to Unlock it.

The third-party software SD iPhone Unlocker is proven to be capable of unlocking the security lockout iPad.

Free download and install it on your computer.

Step 1. Launch the app on your computer and Navigate to Wipe Passcode.

Step 2. Put your iPad in Recovery mode while connecting to the computer.

For iPad that has a Home button.

If your iPad has a home button, please press and hold the top button until the power off slider appears. Then drag the slider to turn off your iPad. Wait for a while to make sure it’s turned off completely.

Press and hold the home button. Keep holding the home button while connecting it to your computer until you see the recovery mode screen. Then let go.

For iPad that doesn’t have a home button.

If your iPad doesn’t have a home button, please press the volume up button and the top button at the same time until the power off slider appears. Then drag the slider to turn off your iPad. Wait for a while to make sure it’s turned off completely.

Press and hold the top button. Keep holding the top button while connecting it to your computer until you see the recovery mode screen on your iPad. Then release the button.

Step 3. Confirm iPad information and download firmware.

When the iPad enters the recovery mode successfully, you should see the app let you confirm the device information. Confirm it to start downloading firmware.

Pay attention that if your iPad exits the recovery mode before the download ends after 15 minutes, let the download finish first and then put the iPad in recovery mode again.

Step 4. Unlock and Wait. Enter ‘0000’ when you see the ‘Wipe Passcode confirmation screen’. And Click Unlock.

Wait for a while, your iPad should be reset in two minutes or so.

When the iPad screen opens with the Hello message on a multi-language screen, unplug it from the computer and set it up.

Option 3. Erase it on iCloud.com.

When you have the Find my iPad on before it’s disabled, you can adopt the method to erase it.

Paste the iCloud Find My address on your browser on a computer or smartphone: https://www.icloud.com/find.

Login in with your Apple ID credentials.

Click All Devices. Locate the disabled iPad on the map. Hit Erase iPad, hit Erase iPad, and enter your Apple ID password.

The previous version of Apple iPad Unavailable — iPad is Disabled.

iPad Unavailable Vs. iPad is Disabled. 

“iPad is Disabled” is the preexistence of “iPad Unavailable”.

iPad Unavailable has a variant saying, that is iPad “Security Lockout”. However, iPad is disabled saying has only one form of message.

Your unavailable iPad also means it’s disabled. You are locked out of the screen because of Apple’s security measures.

Maybe you’ve seen the “iPad is Disabled” message before on your device, when your iPad is upgraded to iPadOS 15.2 or later, it turns to “iPad Unavailable” or “Security Lockout” interchangeably.

The two sayings come with the later version and the early version of iPadOS updated software for a security lockout screen. iPad Unavailable has appeared since iPadOS 15.2 was released. It replaces the “iPad is disabled” message on the iPadOS 15.2 or later iPadOS versions, such as iPadOS 16 or later.

The iPadOS 16/17 version of the Message — iPad Unavailable/Security Lockout.

The message on iPadOS 16 or later still uses the iPad Unavailable or security lockout sayings on a lockout screen.

Wrap it Up:

iPad Unavailable means iPad has locked out of you with a timer for incorrect passcode entries. If there is a timer, you should wait for the timer over and then try entering the passcode again. When there’s no timer, it’s permanently locked out. For all the iPad unavailable solutions, choose from the above ways. You can try the third-party software if you can’t restore it on the device.

• iPad Security Lockout
• Security Lockout on iPhone or iPad – 11 Things You Need to Know.
• How to Put an Unavailable iPad into Recovery Mode
• What Does ‘Sign Out is Not Available Due to Restrictions’ Mean.
• What Does iPhone Unavailable Mean.