一般来说， iPad(iPads)是非常可靠的设备。它们不会出什么问题，但是你经常会被一个似乎没有简单解决方案的问题弄得措手不及。
一个臭名昭著的 iPad 后遗症是“iPad Disabled . 连接(Connect)到 iTunes”错误消息。没有明显的方法可以解决这个问题，特别是因为苹果最近将 iPad 吹捧为独立计算机(Apple touts the iPad as a standalone computer these days)。这意味着很多用户甚至没有另一台装有 iTunes 的电脑。
在我们研究如何解决 iPad 无法连接到 iTunes 之前，有必要先花一点时间讨论一下为什么会发生这种情况。
是什么导致此错误？(What Causes This Error?)
禁用 iPad 的最常见原因是重复输入不正确的密码。通常，这只会导致从 15 分钟开始的定时锁定锁定。让这段时间过去，您可以像往常一样输入正确的密码。然而，继续错误的尝试，很快你就会面对可怕的消息。
在我们的案例中，它发生在忘记断开蓝牙(Bluetooth)键盘然后将其放入包中之后，其中走路的动作触发了重复的错误密码。您可能还会发现有人（可能是年幼的孩子）试图解锁您的 iPad，但一旦它自行失效，只需将其放回他们发现它的地方。
坏消息(The Bad News)
一旦你的 iPad 像这样被禁用，你几乎无法保存机器上当前的信息。您能做的最好的事情就是抹掉 iPad，然后恢复某种形式的备份。不幸的是，当此消息出现在您的 iPad 屏幕上时，进行备份为时已晚，除非您过去已将 iPad 与受信任计算机的 iTunes 副本同步。
好消息是您可能拥有某种形式的自动备份(automated backup)，即使您没有明确设置它。如果您登录了 iCloud 服务并且最近让您的 iPad 处于充电状态并连接到WiFi，那么它很可能会备份您的 iPad 内容。
因此，让我们看看如何让您的 iPad 恢复原状，首先按照错误消息附带的说明进行操作。
将它连接到 iTunes(Connect It To iTunes)
该错误可能会告诉您将 iPad 连接到 iTunes 以解决问题，但它没有告诉您的是，这有几个条件。
首先(First)，您需要一台装有您之前同步过的 iTunes 的计算机，它应该已经创建了备份。请记住，如果您启用了 iCloud 备份，那么这条路线毫无意义。最好简单地重置 iPad 并恢复 iCloud 备份。这是因为iCloud 备份(iCloud backup)和本地 iTunes 备份是互斥的。
如果您之前已在相关计算机上与 iTunes 同步，则仍有可能从锁定的平板电脑进行备份。通过USB(USB)将其连接到计算机，然后像往常一样在 iTunes 中进行备份过程。
如果成功，只需点击“恢复(Restore)iPad”按钮即可。
那应该恢复并解锁平板电脑。
使用 iTunes 的 DFU 模式(DFU Mode With iTunes)
如果您以前从未在 iPad 上使用过 iTunes，那么您仍然可以使用该软件来解锁和擦除 iPad。这样您就可以在之后恢复 iCloud 备份。
这称为“DFU”或设备固件更新(Device Firmware Update )模式。这是让您的 iPad 恢复到开箱即用状态的最可靠方法。让 iPad 进入DFU模式非常棘手，因为它需要良好的时机和一组精确的按键操作。
还有两组步骤，具体取决于您的 iPad 型号是否有“主页”按钮。较新的iPad Pro型号（2018 年及更高版本）是没有主(Home)屏幕按钮并使用面容 ID(Face ID)解锁的 iOS 设备的一个示例。
让我们从让带有(with)主页按钮的 iPad 进入 DFU 模式的步骤开始：
- 如果尚未打开 iTunes，请打开
- 关掉你的 iPad
- 使用经过MFi认证的线缆，将 iPad 连接到Mac或Windows PC
- 在 iPad 关闭的情况下，按住电源按钮约三秒钟
- 在不松开电源按钮的情况下，再按住Home按钮 10 秒钟
- 松开电源按钮，但继续按住Home按钮五秒钟
如果操作正确，则 iPad 屏幕应保持空白，iTunes 本身应向您显示检测到处于DFU模式的 iPad，提示您开始恢复。
现在让我们继续讨论缺少(lack)主页按钮的 iPad，例如 2018 iPad Pro：
- 如果尚未打开 iTunes，请打开
- 关掉你的 iPad
- 使用经过MFi认证的线缆，将 iPad 连接到Mac或Windows PC
- 在 iPad 关闭的情况下，按住顶部按钮三秒钟
- 在不松开顶部按钮的情况下，按住降低音量按钮约 10 秒钟
- 松开顶部按钮，但继续按住降低音量按钮五秒钟。
屏幕应保持空白，iTunes 将提示您检测到 iPad 处于恢复模式，并提供恢复选项。
远程擦除你的 iPad(Remotely Erase Your iPad)
如果您的 iPad 仍然有互联网连接并且您之前设置了“查找我的(Find My)iPad”，您可以启动 iPad 的远程擦除和重置。只需前往“查找我”(Find My)网站并使用您的Apple ID登录即可。找到您的 iPad，然后选择抹掉它的选项。
完成此操作后，您应该能够在再次登录设备后恢复 iCloud 备份。
没有iTunes可以重置iPad吗？(Can An iPad Be Reset Without iTunes?)
在撰写本文时，答案是否定的。如果除了 iPad 之外您没有计算机，那么您唯一的选择是使用其他人的计算机进行DFU恢复。我们预计Apple将在未来某个时候消除对联机恢复的需求，但除非您可以使用基于云的擦除功能，否则您需要将平板电脑连接到计算机。
如果您没有任何人可以使用您的计算机，那么下一步是您最好的选择。
前往苹果商店(Head To An Apple Store)
如果一切都失败了，将 iPad 连接到 iTunes 的最佳选择是将禁用的 iPad 带到Apple Store。您可能需要提供证据证明它实际上是您的(your )iPad，但如果没有其他方法，这里的工作人员将能够帮助您重置 iPad。
将其视为最后的手段，但很高兴知道除了您自己可以做的事情之外还有一些追索权。毕竟，这条消息并不意味着 iPad 以任何方式损坏。
请注意， Apple(Apple)自己的员工无法将信息保存在 iPad 本身上。加密系统的全部意义在于防止您的信息落入坏人之手。这包括苹果(Apple)本身，否则，我们不能相信他们的产品！
It’s Going to Be OK!
虽然丢失本地存储在 iPad 上的所有信息可能会带来很大的不便，但大多数人会很好地恢复最近的备份。即使您没有合适的备份或包含您需要的所有信息的备份，您也不是完全没有选择的余地。
如果您使用DropBox或Google Drive等服务，您可能会发现您的照片和其他文档是在本地 iCloud 服务之外自动备份的。许多 iOS 应用程序也有自己独立的基于云的备份系统。因此，对于单个应用程序，可能有一种方法可以取回它们的特定数据。
当然，预防胜于治疗。因此，如果 iPad 再次被禁用，请确保定期对 iPad 进行抢先备份。
还值得一提的是，在撰写本文时，有强烈迹象表明苹果(Apple)将摆脱 iTunes。这意味着此错误消息将来可能也会像渡渡鸟一样。由于Apple希望将其 iPad 视为笔记本电脑的替代品，因此“连接(Connect)到 iTunes”消息是一种退化的回归，肯定会在某个时候被删除。
Fix “iPad Disabled. Connect to iTunes” Message
iPads are pretty reliable devices in general. Not much can go wrong with them, but every so often you can be blindsided by a problem that seems to have no easy solution.
One notorious iPad pain-in-the-behind is the “iPad Disabled. Connect to iTunes” error message. There’s no obvious way to fix this issue, especially since Apple touts the iPad as a standalone computer these days. This means plenty of users don’t even have another computer with iTunes.
Before we look at how you can fix when the iPad won’t connect to iTunes, it’s worth taking a minute to discuss why this happens in the first place.
What Causes This Error?
The most common reason for an iPad to be disabled is repeated entries of an incorrect passcode. Usually, this simply results in a timed lock lockout, starting at 15 minutes. Let that time elapse, and you can enter the correct passcode as usual. However, keep up the incorrect attempts and soon enough you’ll be facing the dreaded message.
In our case, it’s happened after forgetting to disconnect a Bluetooth keyboard and then putting it into a bag, where the motion of walking triggered repeated incorrect passcodes. You may also find that someone (a young child perhaps) tried to unlock your iPad, but simply put it back where they found it once it disabled itself.
The Bad News
Once your iPad is disabled like this, you have almost no way of saving the information that’s currently on the machine. The best you can do is to erase the iPad and then restore some form of backup. Unfortunately, by the time this message appears on your iPad screen, it is too late to make a backup unless you have synced the iPad with a trusted computer’s copy of iTunes in the past.
The good news is that you probably have some form of automated backup, even if you didn’t explicitly set it up. If you were logged into the iCloud service and have left your iPad on charge and connected to the WiFi recently, chances are it made a backup of your iPad contents.
So let’s look at how to get your iPad back to the way it was, starting off with following the instructions that come with the error message.
Connect It To iTunes
The error may tell you to connect your iPad to iTunes to fix the issue, but what it doesn’t tell you is that this comes with a few conditions.
First of all, you need a computer with iTunes that’s you’ve synced with before, which should have created a backup. Keep in mind that if you had iCloud backup enabled, then this route is pointless. It’s better to simply reset the iPad and restore the iCloud backup. That’s because iCloud backup and local iTunes backups are mutually exclusive.
If you have synced with iTunes on the computer in question before, it might still be possible to make a backup from the locked tablet. Connect it to the computer via USB and then proceed with the backup process as usual in iTunes.
If successful, simply follow this up with the “Restore iPad” button.
That should restore and unlock the tablet.
DFU Mode With iTunes
If you have never used iTunes with your iPad before, then you can still use the software to unlock and erase the iPad. So that you can restore an iCloud backup afterward.
This is known as “DFU” or Device Firmware Update mode. It’s the most reliable way to return your iPad to the pristine condition it was in out of the box. Getting an iPad into DFU mode is pretty tricky since it requires good timing and a precise set of button presses.
There are also two sets of steps, depending on whether your iPad model has a “Home” button or not. Newer iPad Pro models (2018 and up) are one example of the iOS devices that don’t have a Home button and use Face ID to unlock.
Let’s start off with the steps to get an iPad with a home button into DFU mode:
- Open iTunes if it isn’t already
- Turn off your iPad
- Using an MFi certified cable, connect your iPad to a Mac or Windows PC
- With the iPad off, hold the power button for about three seconds
- Without letting go of the power button, press and hold the Home button for an additional 10 seconds
- Let go of the power button, but keep holding the Home button for another five seconds
If you did it correctly, then the iPad screen should remain blank and iTunes itself should give you a message that it’s detected an iPad in DFU mode, prompting you to initiate the restoration.
Now let’s move on to the iPads that lack the home button, such as the 2018 iPad Pros:
- Open iTunes if it isn’t already
- Turn off your iPad
- Using an MFi certified cable, connect your iPad to a Mac or Windows PC
- With the iPad off, hold the top button for three seconds
- Without letting go of the top button, press and hold the volume down button for about 10 seconds
- Let go of the top button, but keep holding the volume down button for five more seconds.
The screen should remain blank and iTunes will give you a prompt that it has detected an iPad in recovery mode, with the option to restore it.
Remotely Erase Your iPad
If your iPad still has an internet connection and you’ve previously set up “Find My iPad”, you can initiate a remote erasure and reset of the iPad. Just go to the Find My site and log in using your Apple ID. Locate your iPad and then choose the option to erase it.
After you’ve done that, you should be able to restore an iCloud backup once you’ve signed into the device again.
Can An iPad Be Reset Without iTunes?
The answer, at the time of writing, is no. If you don’t own a computer in addition to your iPad then your only option is to use someone else’s machine to do a DFU restore. We expect that Apple will remove the need for a tethered restore at some point in the future, but unless you can use the cloud-based erasure feature, you need to hook your tablet up to a computer.
If you don’t have anyone whose computer you can use, then the next step is your best bet.
Head To An Apple Store
If all else fails, your best bet to connect your iPad to iTunes is to take your disabled iPad to an Apple Store. You may need to provide evidence that it is in fact your iPad, but if nothing else works the staff here will be able to help you reset the iPad.
Consider it a last resort, but it’s good to know there’s some recourse beyond what you can do yourself. After all, this message does not mean the iPad is broken in any way.
Just be warned that the folks at Apple themselves are powerless to save the information on the iPad itself. The entire point of the encryption system is to keep your information out of the wrong hands. That includes Apple itself, otherwise, we couldn’t trust their products!
It’s Going to Be OK!
While it can be a pretty big inconvenience to lose all the information locally stored on your iPad, most people will be just fine restoring a recent backup. Even if you don’t have a suitable backup or one with all the information you needed, you aren’t completely out of options.
If you use services such as DropBox or Google Drive, you might find that your photos and other documents were automatically backed up outside of the native iCloud service. Many iOS apps also have their own independent cloud-based backup systems. So for individual applications, there may be a way to get their specific data back.
Of course, prevention is better than a cure. So make sure you make regular pre-emptive backups of your iPad if it ever becomes disabled again.
It’s also worth mentioning that, at the time of writing, there are strong indications that Apple is going to get rid of iTunes. This means this error message is probably also going the way of the dodo in the future. Since Apple wants its iPads to be seen as laptop replacements, the “Connect to iTunes” message is a vestigial throwback that will certainly be removed at some point.
