# Why does my Find my iPad say my iPad is "offline?"



## bj nick (Jun 10, 1999)

I recently had a little scare where I thought my iPad was missing.....I tried "find my iPad" but it said it couldn't locate the ipad because it was "offline." I figured that meant "dead," but when I retrieved the iPad it still had juice......10%.....so what does offline mean, and how can I avoid a situation where my iPad can't be located in case of loss or theft?


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## texasbullet (Jun 11, 2014)

offline means that your ipad is turned off and/or the battery already went dead or auto shut off.


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## bj nick (Jun 10, 1999)

As I said, it was NOT dead. I don't know what you mean......the iPad was not "on," in the sense of being in active use, of course.......it was in the same state as anybody's iPad when not in use.


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## texasbullet (Jun 11, 2014)

If it was off, there is no way in finding it....unless you already found it.


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## texasbullet (Jun 11, 2014)

BTW: dead meant that the battery got drained off.


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## bj nick (Jun 10, 1999)

Umm.........the battery was NOT dead......again, I don't understand you. Are you saying that unless an iPad is actively turned on--meaning basically in use--that it can't be located? That cannot be true. That would negate the value of a location device.


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## texasbullet (Jun 11, 2014)

If the device is on it can be located. But if it is turned off, there is no chance in finding it unless you remebered where you left it. If it is stolen then you will have to keep trying until someone turns it on but may be unsuccessful in getting into it because it may be locked up (requires a password).


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## dvk01 (Dec 14, 2002)

it means the wireless or if installed cellular sim card was turned off or out or range of the signal


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

When your device running iOS has been idle for a set amount of time it goes to "sleep." When sleeping the screen is blank and the wireless adapter is off and little is happening. You cannot contact it via Wi-Fi when it is in this state. Depending on your settings it may awake briefly, turn on the wireless, and check for email or update calendar or whatever. Except for these brief periods any Wi-Fi access has to wait for somebody to manually awaken the device.

Not sure exactly how a sim card is handled during "sleep." Since you can get incoming phone calls and SMS it obviously is not off, but may respond to only a few specific signals.


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## bj nick (Jun 10, 1999)

I will have to talk to Apple about this....it is WORTHLESS to sell a service that can't be used. Obviously if my iPad is out of my hands, "lost" or stolen or whatever, I can't activate it! So what is the point of "find my iPad??"


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## texasbullet (Jun 11, 2014)

Here is some support details:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201472


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