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Helloengel123
User level: Level 1 (4 points)

iPad screen locks despite Auto-Lock 'Never' in iPadOS 27.0.1

Hello,

We are experiencing a recurring issue with approximately 35 iPads in our environment. More than half of the devices are affected.


All devices are currently running iPadOS 27.0.1. The iPads are configured so that they should remain awake and unlocked:

  • Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock is set to “Never”
  • Guided Access is enabled
  • Guided Access > Display Auto-Lock is also set to “Never”


Despite these settings, more than half of the iPads still lock or turn off their screens after being left running for some time.


The issue does not affect every device, even though the iPads are configured in the same way and are running the same iPadOS version. This makes the problem appear intermittent or dependent on the state of the individual device.

We previously experienced the same issue on iPadOS 26.6. We have since updated all approximately 35 iPads to iPadOS 27.0.1, but the problem remains.


We have also found other reports of problems related to Auto-Lock, Guided Access, and screen locking behavior in iPadOS 27.x. However, we have not found any official Apple documentation confirming this specific issue.

The important point in our case is that the devices are locking even though both Auto-Lock settings are explicitly configured to “Never”.


Because these iPads are used in a setup where they need to remain active for long periods, this is causing significant operational problems.

Could you please confirm:

  1. Is Apple aware of any known issue in iPadOS 27.0.1 related to Guided Access or Auto-Lock where the screen may lock despite being set to “Never”?
  2. Is there any known workaround?
  3. Is this issue being investigated or addressed in an upcoming iPadOS update?
  4. Are there any diagnostic logs, sysdiagnose files, or other information we can provide to help Apple investigate the issue?



Thank you.

Posted on Oct 16, 2026 2:38 AM

1 reply

LotusPilot
User level: Level 10 (334,506 points)

Oct 16, 2026 3:10 AM in response to Helloengel123

First, please be aware that Contributors within the Apple Support Community (ASC) are all end-users, just like you. Other than the site Moderators, Apple neither monitors nor participates within the Support Community. As such, if you anticipate that Apple will see or act upon anything that you post here, you will be sadly disappointed.


Beyond information publicly released by Apple, Contributors here have no access to additional diagnostic material, or knowledge of internal diagnostic or remedial activities within Apple.


Given the nature of the issue that you describe - and the presumed troubleshooting that you have already performed - you would be best advised to seek assistance directly from Apple Support. You can contact the Support Team using the Support link at top-right or bottom-left of this page. Alternatively you can initiate and manage support cases from Apple devices using the excellent Apple Support App. If not already installed, the App can be downloaded from the App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-support/id1130498044


In addition to seeking assistance directly from Apple, consider submitting a Bug Report via Apple's Product Feedback portal. For iPad and iPadOS:

Feedback - iPad - Apple

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256377122