So, today I’ll give you tips on how to spot a fake iPad Pro, iPad Air, or iPad Mini.
With such a huge market share, the “fake iPad” business has become extremely lucrative for devious
tablet manufacturers. Some of the previous iPad knock-offs are so poorly done that it is very easy to differentiate a fake iPad from a real one. But, over time,
some fake iPads are cloned very well that they are physically very identical to a real iPad.
From the size of the device, the buttons placement, the Apple logo, and other physical features of a genuine iPad,
some fake iPads are indeed good replicas.
So in case you are concerned that you may have a Fake iPad Pro, iPad Air, or iPad Mini, read on.
See also: How to Spot a Fake iPhone 12
This article will help you to spot a fake iPad Pro, iPad Air, or iPad Mini and distinguish it from an original iPad.
Just likefake iPhones, there are so many of fake iPad on the market that looks exactly like the original ones. You should be careful when buying iPads from unfamiliar sources.
Be very careful when buying iPad on sites such as eBay and Rakuten! You don’t want to end up with fake iPad in your hands.
In case you are buying iPad from used market, a classified ad, or some other seller that is not an Apple authorized seller, use this guide to determine
if the iPad you are buying is actually
a genuine iPad.
Most fake iPads run an android OS however, any settings or feature that exposes it as an android is hidden.
In this post, I’ll explain 18 tips that’ll tell you the difference between the real and the fake iPad Pro, iPad Air, or iPad Mini.
See also: How to Spot a Fake iPhone 12 Pro or iPhone 12 Pro Max
Spotting a Fake iPad Pro, iPad Air, or iPad Mini
Before we explore various ways of how to check whether an iPad is original or not, be advised that there are many fake iPads out there. While clones or fakes are increasingly becoming widespread, you can still tell the
difference between a fake and a real iPad Pro, iPad Air, or iPad Mini.
A little knowledge goes a long way with these devices and you always have to keep in mind that there is no one single give away when looking at a fake iPad.
As they are created by different manufacturers that don’t subscribe to a single design philosophy.
There aim is usually to make a convincing replica for as cheap as possible that are identical to a genuine iPad.
Fakes are occasionally manufactured before a official Launch based on rumors or after the official launch.
What to look out for when looking for a Fake iPad Pro, iPad Air, or iPad Mini?
Below are various ways on how to check if iPad is original or fake.
You should look out for the following signs to make sure that your iPad Pro, iPad Air, or iPad Mini is a genuine one:
Sign 1: Packaging
Always look for irregularities in packaging to the official retail packaging from Apple. In case you see a unofficial color of box art, Then it’s a
fake iPad box, and, in all probability, there is a fake iPad inside.
Remember to inspect accessories, and any incorrect information that may be on the box. For example, fake iPad charger is usually weak when compared to the original one. Also, you may get wrong accessories for the fake iPad. In addition,
manual document inside the box may be poorly put together or even poorly written.
Sign 2: Button Placement
One physical characteristic to watch out for is the button placement. On a genuine iPad , the sleep/wake button is located on the top right corner of
the device, while the volume buttons
Are located on the side. In case either of the buttons are not placed where they should, then you have a fake iPad.
Some fake iPads have the buttons in the correct locations, but, feel the buttons by running your fingers on them. Press the buttons repeatedly, if they are loose
Or improperly fitted, then, in all properbility, it’s a fake iPad.
Sign 3: Check the logo
Fake iPads have logos that are often
off in placement, i.e., . being too high or lower than they should be. Moreover, On the back of the iPad, you should see an Apple logo. In case there is no
Apple logo, then it’s a fake iPad.
Sign 4: Check the welcome screen
Usually, the OS on the clones is Android designed to look like Apples iPadOS. If at boot up for example
you see unusual welcome screen that’s typically on android instead of
an Apple logo, its certainly a clone.
Despite of the best efforts , clones try to hide Android features , however,they still appear and as you may already know,
there are no Android OS features on Apple devices.
Sign 5: Font type
Inspect the font type being used. Usually, the font is off on the fakes compared to the Font used on an original iPad. For example , if
you check the font on your emails, you sometimes see Chinese character, making you to first
configure your iPad to English
Sign 6: Missing iPadOS Features
Look out for missing features such as Dark Mode and other unique iPadOS features. Usually, gesture controls do not work on fake iPads.
Sign 7: Fake Settings
Look out for Fake settings that don’t open or work as they should. Some settings wont respond when you tap them therefore, take note of that.
Sign 8: Face ID
On a fake iPad, face ID does not function or its Fake. Typically, it may pretend to scan your face weather or not you move it. In addition, it might not function when
you try to unlock your device.
The following are iPad models that support Face ID:
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch
Sign 9: Camera Quality
Genuine iPads have high camera quality while the fake ones take low quality photos and videos.
Try recording a video and see how bad does a fake iPad shoot videos.
Sign 10: Slow
Fakes are usually slow and lagging in overall performance and in booting up compared to the genuine iPads. The iPad Pro models are very quick
devices
and should not be slow at all especially when they are new.
Sign 11: Look for the serial number
To check the serial number of your iPad,
Head over to Setting > general > about.
This will show you the serial number. Now, you can go to the Apple website, where you can
type in your iPad’s serial number to check if it’s a genuine iPad. Your Serial Number Will Be Verified,And Will Display Your iPad’s Warranty Information If It Is Genuine. If the site says that the code is invalid, you have a fake iPad.
Sign 12: Check the storage capacity
Genuine iPad has a fixed storage capacity and cannot be expanded. Fake iPad require a memory card to expand its storage capacity. If you see
a memory card slot either on the back or the side of the iPad, then start backing out because it a fake iPad.
Sign 13: Check for Siri
Siri feature is only available on an original iPad. Siri doesn’t work at all on a fake iPad.
Sign 14: Try to check the operating system.
If you see any application other than iPadOS, it is certainly fake. Apple uses proprietary iPadOS as its official operating system.
Sign 15. Try to connect to iTunes.
Connect your iPad to a Mac or windows PC via a USB cable then try to run it with iTunes. In case you get an error, then it means iTunes
does not recognize your device; so
it is undetectable and fake.
Sign 16: Check the built-in applications.
Original iPad comes with the built-in Apple apps such as: Podcast, Calender, Settings, Calculator, Mail, Photos and more. If you miss any of those, the iPad might be jailbroken. To be sure you have an original iPad, try to restore the original firmware. Should you miss some built-in Apple
apps
after restoring the original firmware, then you know what it is — a fake iPad.
Sign 17: Pricing
If the price is too good to be real then its certainly or in all probability a fake iPad.
For example , a fake iPad Pro costs as low as $120, which is almost ten times cheaper than the original one.
Always check the specifications of the device or the features and remember to reference apples official specifications
for the iPad Pro, iPad Air, or iPad Mini. Also, check out for spelling errors as well as naming references as some fake iPads are usually
manufactured even before the official device launch
Sign 18: Open it Up
If you can manage to Open it up, the internals are off and this is usually a sure bet way to 100% differentiate a Fake iPad from the genuine one. The
Internals are all erroneous.
Bonus
Here are a number of other ways on how we can differentiate between the real and the fake iPad.
- Ask about the warranty: Fake iPad sellers will not give you a warranty to a certified Apple service center.
- Take it to an Apple store: If your iPad passes all the tests stated above, but you still have some doubts, visit the nearest Apple store.
Ask for the
AppleGenius bar
to inspect your iPad. They can run a diagnostic test to check for the legitimacy of your iPad.
How To Check If Your iPad is original or fake? Now you know
And that covers everything about fake Vs real iPad Pro, iPad Air, or iPad Mini. We hope we are able to help you one way or another. We also have plenty of other articles that I suggest you check right now.
