Tech Reference

How to clean your iPad's screen without damaging it

Someone cleaning an iPad
Cleaning your iPad's screen won't take long. Richard Drury/Getty Images
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If you've owned your iPad for more than a week, you've noticed that it doesn't look nearly as good as when it first came out of the plastic. Fingerprint smudges, dust specks, grease streaks — it's hard to keep a device clean.

Luckily, iPads are easy to clean. Here's a full guide on the Do' and Don'ts of cleaning your iPad.

How to clean your iPad's screen properly

ipad screen clean
A microfiber cloth should work just fine for cleaning off dust, grease, and fingerprints.  Maya Kachroo-Levine/Business Insider

  • If necessary, lightly dampen the cloth with water or 70 percent isopropyl alcohol. If you do this, make sure to only wipe the hard and non-porous surfaces (the casing and display). This should also help if something is stuck on your iPad's screen, like a piece of dirt. Just make sure to dampen the cloth itself — don't pour or spray water directly onto the iPad.

If you've used a wet cloth, you can polish the screen afterwards with a dry microfiber cloth.

Maya Kachroo-Levine contributed to a previous version of this article.

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ExperienceWilliam joined Business Insider in 2019 to help found Tech Reference, a vertical dedicated to answering the internet’s most common questions about the gadgets they buy. In that role, he helped grow the vertical into a powerhouse that attracted over 20 million pageviews a month. He also wrote and edited one of Business Insider’s most successful stories: How to take a screenshot on Windows.William later became one of Business Insider's lead consumer tech reporters, writing roundups and reviews about gadgets ranging from smartphones to gaming PCs. He also established key industry contacts at brands like Apple, Google, Nintendo, and more. He’s also cited on the Wikipedia page for Among Us, an honor above all others.William’s work for Business Insider has included reviewing the best gaming laptops, publishing previews of new Nintendo games and consoles, and comparing Apple’s latest releases so readers know what’s worth their money. Across all assignments, he’s been praised for his depth of knowledge and research skills.In addition to his work at Business Insider, William’s writing has appeared in outlets like The Guardian, Polygon, Thomson Reuters’ Context, and more. He's also a regular guest on TV stations like CBS and NBC, where he provides expert analysis on AI, consumer tech, and Silicon Valley moguls.Why you can trust WilliamWilliam believes the goal of journalism should be to tell the truth, not sell products. In his reviews, William never hesitates to call out a product’s flaws, but he also has no issue complimenting features that genuinely add value.When reviewing a product, William doesn’t test it in a vacuum. He tries to incorporate each product into his daily routine to get a better sense of how it’ll work for the everyday user. And when writing, he focuses on reader comprehension. He’s talented at explaining complicated concepts in ways that all readers can understand, without losing depth or nuance — or his distinctively engaging voice.Expertise
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Consumer Technology (Laptops, PCs, video games and gaming consoles, smartphones, more)
  • Social Media (TikTok, X, Meta, more)
  • Internet Culture (Memes, influencers, viral trends)
  • Disinformation
EducationWilliam graduated from the State University of New York at Geneseo in 2018. There, he studied English, communications, and adolescent education, alongside reporting news for the university’s radio and TV stations.Outside workWhen he’s not reporting, you can usually find William biking through Central Park, playing video games, or at home listening to music and writing fanfiction. He’s also a co-manager of the New York Mandolin Ensemble, one of NYC’s premier string orchestras.You can contact him at w.antonelli322@gmail.com, visit his official website at williamantonelli.com, or follow him on Twitter @DubsRewatcher and BlueSky @wantonelli.bsky.social.