iPad Air 6 Issues, Fixes & Performance

iPad Air 6 deliveries are hitting doorsteps around the world which means we’re starting to hear about some of the issues owners of Apple’s new sixth-gen iPad Air are having in the early going.

Most of iPad Air 6 problems we’ve come across thus far are related to the tablet’s iPadOS 17 software. The device runs iPadOS 17.5 out of the box.

We haven’t seen any widespread complaints about the devices yet, but we may see issues popup in the weeks ahead as users put more mileage on their tablets.

With that in mind we want to take you through the current list of iPad Air 6 issues, potential fixes for common problems, places to find feedback about the iPad Air 6’s performance, and a look at what’s in Apple’s iPadOS 17 software pipeline.

iPad Air 6 Problems

Activation issues are extremely common issues with new iPad models.

If you’re having issues activating your new iPad Air, check Apple’s System Status page. If you don’t see a green symbol next to iOS Device Activation, you’ll want to wait until it’s green. Once it’s green, try activating your device again.

If the symbol is green and the activation process still isn’t working, make sure you have the eSIM setup correctly.

As for the issues we’ve seen on social media sites like Reddit and X, here are a few of the iPad Air 6 issues we’ve heard about thus far:

• Apple Pencil issues
• iPadOS installation problems
• Bluetooth problems
• Wi-Fi issues
• Issues with Face ID
• App installation issues
• Data transfer problems
• Login issues
• Issues connecting external monitors

We haven’t seen any complaints about the new iPad Air 6’s hardware, but it’s still early and we’ll let you know if that changes in the days ahead.

iPad Air 6 Performance

If you’re running into problems on your iPad Air 6, you’re curious about issues impacting iPad Air 6 users, or if you’re thinking about buying one, you’ll want to dig into feedback about the device’s performance. There are a few places to do that.

We recommend keeping an eye on YouTube, Apple’s discussion forums, social media sites like Twitter/X and Reddit, and the MacRumors forums.

How to Fix iPad Air 6 Problems

If you run into issues on your iPad Air 6, you may be able to fix the problem on your own. If you can’t, you’ll need to contact Apple support, your carrier, or take your tablet into an Apple Store.

If you’ve having issues, take a look at our list of fixes for the most common software problems. Our guide provides fixes for some of the most common iPad issues.

We’ve also released a guide that could help you improve battery life if you think it’s draining faster than it should be. We also have a guide that will help you fix poor performance.

If you can’t find a fix in one of our guides, you’ll want to check Apple’s discussion forums and see if a user there can find a solution there.

If you can’t find anything on Apple’s forums, or somewhere else on the web, you should get in contact with Apple. You can do so via the company’s support account on Twitter/X. You can also get in contact with Apple Support via the company’s website.

If you’d rather get answers in person, you can try taking your iPad Air 6 into your local Apple Store to see if they can diagnose your issue(s). If you’ve got an Apple Store in your area, you’ll want to schedule a Genius Bar appointment.

Your new iPad is currently under warranty so there’s a chance the company offers you a replacement if the issue is indeed hardware-related.

iPadOS 17 Downgrade Status

If you’re dealing with software problems on your iPad Air 6, you can try moving your device back to the previous version of iPadOS 17 if the option is available.

If you’re unfamiliar with the iPadOS downgrade process our downgrade guide will walk you through everything you need to know before you make the move.

Next iPad Air 6 Software Update

If your device is struggling on iPadOS 17, you’re on your own for the time being.

Apple hasn’t confirmed the next software update for the iPad Air 6 though we expect the company to put a new iPadOS 17.6 upgrade into beta testing soon.

The iPad Air 6 will also move to iPadOS 18 later this year and the first beta will become available shortly after Apple’s WWDC 2024 keynote in June.