iPad DFU Mode Instructions for iPads with Home Button

If you need to place an iPad into DFU mode, you can do so with the instructions detailed on this page. These instructions will work to put any iPad model with a Home button into DFU mode.

DFU stands for Device Firmware Update, entering DFU Mode is how you adjust the firmware on your iPad or other iOS device. This can be a helpful trick for troubleshooting some complex issues when you need to perform a DFU restore on iPad, or if you want to downgrade or update the iPad firmware with IPSW firmware files.

Getting into DFU mode on an iPad is the same for all iPad models with a pressable Home button, including iPad, iPad Air, iPad Mini, and older iPad Pro, though it is different on Face ID equipped iPad Pro models. The DFU mode process for iPad is close to the same process as entering into iPhone DFU mode (or iPod touch for that matter) on devices that have a clickable Home button, but it’s different from later models that don’t have the Home button at all. Overall it’s pretty easy, just follow the instructions below to learn how to enter into DFU mode on iPad.

How to Enter iPad DFU Mode

Entering and using DFU mode with iPad requires a computer with iTunes, a USB cable, and any iPad with a HOME button. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Plug the iPad into your computer (Mac or PC)
2. Launch iTunes on the computer
3. Hold down the Power button and the Home button at the same time
4. Keep holding both of these buttons for 10 seconds
5. After 10 seconds pass, release the Power button but continue to hold the Home button for another 3-5 seconds
6. iTunes will notify you that it has detected a device in recovery mode, you are now free to restore or you can ignore this message if you plan on jailbreaking

IMPORTANT: When in DFU mode, your iPad screen will stay completely black. If you see an Apple logo or otherwise you did not enter DFU mode, so you would need to start over again. If you see an Apple logo or iTunes logo, you probably entered into Recovery Mode instead, which can sometimes work for restoring. The key thing to remember with DFU mode is the screen stays black, but iTunes alerts you to the device connected and ready for a restore.

Note that for jailbreakers, once in DFU mode your jailbreak or firmware modifying app should take over, so follow those instructions from here on.

The reason most people need to get their iPad into DFU mode is to either perform a jailbreak, or to adjust the iPad firmware IPSW either through an upgrade or downgrade. If you want the latest versions of iPad firmware files you can go here to find the latest iOS versions IPSW firmware files to download.

Exiting DFU mode happens automatically if you restore the device with iTunes, or you can just force reboot iPad to exit DFU as well.

If you have any questions, comments, or experiences with DFU mode on iPad, do share them below!