How to Turn On Airplane Mode on an iPad

Whether you are about to board a flight, trying to conserve battery life during a long day, or simply want to disconnect from the internet for a few hours of focused, distraction-free work, Airplane Mode is the quickest way to disable all wireless communications on your iPad simultaneously. With a single tap, it cuts off your cellular connection (on LTE/5G models), Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.

What Does Airplane Mode Actually Disable?

When you activate Airplane Mode on your iPad, the following wireless radios are turned off immediately:

• Cellular (LTE/5G): On iPad models with a cellular connection, all mobile data and phone calls are blocked. The device can no longer send or receive data over a mobile network.
• Wi-Fi: The iPad disconnects from any joined Wi-Fi network and stops scanning for new ones.
• Bluetooth: The Bluetooth radio is disabled, disconnecting wireless accessories like keyboards, headphones, and styluses.

Crucially, your locally stored content — downloaded films, offline books, locally saved notes, and your camera — all continue to work perfectly. Airplane Mode only affects wireless communication, not the device itself.

Method 1: Using the Control Centre (Fastest Method)

The Control Centre allows you to toggle Airplane Mode on or off instantly from absolutely any screen, even the Lock Screen, without opening a single app.

1. Swipe your finger down from the top-right corner of your iPad screen (where the battery percentage icon is located).
2. The Control Centre panel will slide down from the top of the display. Look for the cluster of four connectivity icons in the top-left corner of the panel.
3. Tap the Airplane icon (it looks like a small aeroplane silhouette).
4. The icon will turn orange to confirm it is active, and the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth icons nearby will visually dim to indicate they are disabled. A small aeroplane symbol will also appear in the status bar at the very top of your iPad’s screen.

To turn Airplane Mode off, simply open Control Centre again and tap the orange Airplane icon to deactivate it.

Method 2: Using the Settings App

If you prefer the main Settings menu, the toggle is placed prominently at the very top for easy access.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPad (the grey icon with gears).
2. Look at the very top of the left-hand settings menu list. The first option displayed should be Airplane Mode.
3. Tap the toggle switch to the right of “Airplane Mode” so that it slides to the right and turns green.
4. The setting activates immediately. You will see the same aeroplane icon appear in your status bar.

Using Wi-Fi During Airplane Mode on a Flight

Many commercial airlines now offer in-flight Wi-Fi services. If your flight provides this, you can keep Airplane Mode active (as required by aviation regulations) while still connecting to the aircraft’s Wi-Fi network.

1. Turn on Airplane Mode using either method above.
2. Once Airplane Mode is active, swipe open the Control Centre.
3. Tap the Wi-Fi icon to manually turn just Wi-Fi back on while keeping Airplane Mode and its cellular restrictions active.
4. Open your browser and follow the airline’s captive portal instructions to connect to their in-flight network.

This gives you internet access through the in-flight service while remaining compliant with the airline’s request to disable cellular signals.