Blank Screen on the iPad or iPhone

If the screen appears blank, the iPad or iPhone will appear to be broken. It may well be, but don't despair yet: The problem may be simply that the battery doesn't have enough charge to turn the device on.

To find out if the battery is the problem, give the iPad or iPhone the Frankenstein treatment: Connect the device to the USB Power Adapter and give it ten minutes or so to see if electricity sparks life. Then try turning the iPad or iPhone on. At this point, you'll find out whether power was the problem:

• The red battery icon appears Give the iPad or iPhone more time to charge, then try turning it on again.
• The iPad or iPhone starts All is well, but keep on charging it.
  NOTE: You can connect an iPhone to a USB socket instead of to the USB Power Adapter-as long as you're sure the USB socket gives enough power to charge the iPhone. The iPad won't charge from many USB sockets, so it's best to use the USB Power Adapter. When the iPad has enough power to run the screen, it shows the "Not Charging" readout when connected to a USB socket that can't deliver enough current-but if the iPad is comatose, the screen will stay off, and you won't see this readout.
• The screen stays blank The iPad or iPhone may be dead after all. Give it another ten minutes just in case.

Check the Obvious When Troubleshooting Power Connections

If the iPad or iPhone doesn't respond to the USB Power Adapter, double-check that the Adapter is delivering power. Usually the easiest way to do this is to plug in your trusty iPhone (where "trusty" means "the one that's still working") and make sure it gives a bleep of digital satisfaction (or a silent shudder if you've turned off sound).

If your iPhone doesn't get power either, one or more of three things is usually wrong:

1. The socket is switched off If you're in a country that uses switchable sockets, first make sure the socket's switch is on. If your country's sockets aren't switchable, use a socket you know is working (or plug in a lamp to quickly check the socket).
2. The USB connection to the Adapter isn't made Check that the USB cable is firmly seated in the socket on the Adapter.
3. The Dock Connector connection isn't made Verify that the other end of the USB cable is properly connected to the Dock Connector on the iPad or iPhone.

If your trusty iPhone gets power from the USB Power Adapter but the device you're troubleshooting doesn't, the device's Dock Connector has probably taken a hit. Users find it easy to wreck these by failing to pinch the retaining clips when unplugging the older version of the connector cable-or by dropping the device or giving it an impromptu bath. If the Dock Connector is damaged, you're looking at a professional repair job.