Computers, Laptops & Tablets > Apple 124 124 people found this article helpful How to Delay Auto Sleep Mode and Passcode Lock on the iPad Set your iPad to tolerate longer periods of inactivity without locking By Daniel Nations Daniel Nations Twitter Writer University of Texas at Arlington Daniel Nations has been a tech journalist since 1994. His work has appeared in Computer Currents, The Examiner, and other publications. He is a developer who has published apps in the Apple App Store, Google Play marketplace and Amazon Appstore; he also has worked as a data analyst and DB administrator. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 10, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apple iPad Macs What to Know On the iPad Home screen, open Settings and tap Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock. Choose 2, 5, 10, or 15 minutes, or Never.If you have a Smart Cover that automatically puts the iPad into sleep mode when the flap is closed, try the 10- or 15-minute setting.Set a passcode-entry timer: In Settings, choose Passcode, then tap Require Passcode. Select a setting from Immediately up to 4 hours. This article explains how to delay your iPad's Auto-Lock mode and how often it requires the passcode. The iPad goes into sleep mode after two minutes of inactivity by default to conserve battery power, but you may prefer a longer period of inactivity. Instructions cover iPads with iOS 11 or later. How to Delay the Auto-Lock Mode on iPad To increase the amount of time before your iPad goes into sleep mode: On the iPad Home screen, open Settings. In the left panel, tap Display & Brightness. In the Display & Brightness screen, tap Auto-Lock. Select the option you prefer. Choices are 2, 5, 10, or 15 minutes. You can also choose Never. Choosing Never means the iPad never goes into sleep mode automatically. If you put your iPad down and forget to put it into sleep mode, it stays active until it runs out of battery power. Which Auto-Lock Setting Is Right for You? If the iPad goes into sleep mode while you are using it, set the delay to 5 minutes. While three extra minutes doesn't sound like a lot, it more than doubles the default setting. If you have a Smart Cover that automatically puts the iPad into sleep mode when the flap is closed, use the 10-minute or 15-minute setting. If you are good about closing the flap when done with the iPad, you won't lose any battery power, and the longer setting keeps the iPad from going to sleep when you are using it. How to Delay When the Passcode Is Required If your iPad doesn't have Touch ID or Face ID, you may not want to enter the passcode every time you wake your iPad. If it has Touch ID or Face ID, you can unlock the iPad and do a few other neat tricks, but you don't need Touch ID or Face ID to skip inputting the passcode. Instead, set a timer for how often the passcode is required. Open Settings. In the left panel, tap either Passcode, Touch ID & Passcode, or Face ID & Passcode, depending on the iPad model. Enter the passcode. In the Passcode Lock screen, tap Require Passcode. Don't see these settings on the screen? If you have iPad Unlock turned on for Touch ID or Face ID, you can't delay the interval. Instead, rest your finger on the Home button or raise the phone and look at it to unlock the iPad. In the Require Passcode screen, select a setting from Immediately up to 4 hours. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit