iPads getting stuck in Recovery Mode after iPadOS 27.x update with DDM

Hi all, Just wondering if anyone else is experiencing this.

We use Declarative Device Management (DDM) to manage/enforce OS updates on our iPads. Everything was working fine with 26.x, with no Recovery Mode problems.

Since starting our pilot rollout of 27.x, however, a few iPads have suddenly ended up stuck on the Recovery/Restore screen.

Sometimes a force restart works and the iPad boots normally again. Other times it doesn't, and we have to connect the iPad to a Mac and run an update/recovery before we can get it working again.

For now, I've changed the update deferral for our other devices from 0 days to 15 days while we monitor the pilot group.

Has anyone else seen this with DDM-managed updates? Is there a known fix/workaround, or would it be safer to hold the rollout until another OS update is released?

Thanks!

Posted on Sep 17, 2026 9:33 PM

1 reply

PreCognition

Level 6 (12,236 points)

Sep 18, 2026 12:35 AM in response to Liv_Ph

I haven’t seen Apple list Recovery Mode after a DDM update as a known iPadOS 27 issue.

Since you’ve already had several pilot devices end up on the restore screen, I’d keep the 15-day deferral in place for now rather than expand the rollout. I’d also confirm with your MDM vendor that its iPadOS 27 DDM update implementation is fully supported. Apple notes that software update management changed in 27 and legacy MDM update management no longer works there.

For an affected iPad, I’d try Update from a Mac first. Restore erases the iPad, so I’d only use that if Update fails and you’re prepared to reprovision it.

If this is reproducible, it’s worth opening an Apple enterprise/support case and providing logs from one of the affected devices. iPadOS 27 also added remote AppleCare log collection for supervised devices, which may help Apple diagnose it.