iPad iPad Air: Faint clicking sound inside

[randlsa]

I just got my new iPad Air. I previously owned a 3rd gen. There's a very faint clicking sound coming from inside my iPad. Has anyone else heard this? It's not the same sound some folks heard when pressing on the 3rd gen screen. This happens even when I'm not touching it. It sounds like a moving part. Could it be the SSD? Any ideas? It does not seem to cause any malfunction.

 

[Lucille Carter]

No ticking here. If your ipad is sitting not moving, there should be no moving parts. You SSD is totally solid state with no moving parts. The internal lenses in the camera can make a noise when shook.

Maybe coming from the speaker?

 

[terrywfoster]

Camera lens?

 

[Cyloncat]

There's a very faint clicking sound coming from inside my iPad.

Don't feed the gremlins after midnight.

 

[MrGimper]

My first Air had a very loose sleep button. Could hear it rattle.

 

[Stewart21]

It's a cockroach.

 

[FrankB1191]

You need to give more info. Does it happen while the iPad is sitting undisturbed on a table, or when your typing, shaking it, etc? There is a haptic feedback feature that causes a vibration when you type, and that can be turned off in Settings, then Sounds, and at the bottom you'll find Keyboard Clicks. Don't be offended if you've owned every iPad, I'm just trying to help.

 

[Macalway]

Is it coming from the speaker?

Turn down the volume, and try plugging in headphones

There should be no noise except from the speaker. Absolutely silent

Edit: apparently this may be incorrect.

 

[jonnyb098]

Definitely the SSD

 

[Macalway]

Definitely the SSD

Not

Yikes don't confuse the person. Be helpful

 

[MrGimper]

You need to give more info. Does it happen while the iPad is sitting undisturbed on a table, or when your typing, shaking it, etc? There is a haptic feedback feature that causes a vibration when you type, and that can be turned off in Settings, then Sounds, and at the bottom you'll find Keyboard Clicks. Don't be offended if you've owned every iPad, I'm just trying to help.

A vibration without a vibration motor?

 

[brentsg]

I will have to pick up a stethoscope after work.

 

[jonnyb098]

Not

Yikes don't confuse the person. Be helpful

Fine then it's definitely the flux capacitor.

 

[FrankB1191]

A vibration without a vibration motor?

Something inside makes it click. I personally can't stand that, and shutting off clicks and haptic feedback is almost always the first thing I do with a new device.

 

[Macalway]

Something inside makes it click. I personally can't stand that, and shutting off clicks and haptic feedback is almost always the first thing I do with a new device.

Yes I do that also, and after reading the OP's post I'm glad i do

 

[FrankB1191]

I just got my new iPad Air. I previously owned a 3rd gen. There's a very faint clicking sound coming from inside my iPad. Has anyone else heard this? It's not the same sound some folks heard when pressing on the 3rd gen screen. This happens even when I'm not touching it. It sounds like a moving part. Could it be the SSD? Any ideas? It does not seem to cause any malfunction.

You'll have to forgive me. I somehow failed to see that this is happening when you don't touch it. Return it and get a brand new one. I've never heard a tablet click or make mechanical sounds without some sort of input.

 

[trigf]

Ok, a lot of you are making fun of the OP for this, but I just heard it coming from my brand new Air as well.

I was sitting in my office, reading something, when I started to hear what I thought was GSM cellular interference through my un-shielded speakers. Then I realized that my speakers were off, and the sound was coming from my Air.

I couldn't tell if it was the speakers, or something else in the device. I have the 64 GB LTE model.

 

[randlsa]

It's real, but I'm not sure it's a problem

When I don't have the roaring background noise of my family, I definitely hear an intermittent sound. It's hard to know for sure, but it sounds like it's coming from the lower left quadrant of the screen, more toward the screen center. It's not the speaker. It's not the home button. It's not from contact or movement. When it sits absolutely still, and I'm not touching the screen, the noise occurs. Not sure if it will be a problem or not. I have also noticed that I can't get a full charge on the battery. After a full night of charge, it's been 98% and 99%. Weird.

 

[MrGimper]

My first Air would never reach 100% charge, only 99%. My replacement does. Using same charger.

 

[Conan86]

When I don't have the roaring background noise of my family, I definitely hear an intermittent sound. It's hard to know for sure, but it sounds like it's coming from the lower left quadrant of the screen, more toward the screen center. It's not the speaker. It's not the home button. It's not from contact or movement. When it sits absolutely still, and I'm not touching the screen, the noise occurs. Not sure if it will be a problem or not. I have also noticed that I can't get a full charge on the battery. After a full night of charge, it's been 98% and 99%. Weird.

I'd recommend you to do a full discharge and charge cycle to see if the battery part corrects itself..

I have never heard clicking from any of my iPads.. I'd probably exchange it if it clicks for no reason

 

[WilliamG]

It's clearly the fan or the hard drive. Do we know if it's a Seagate or a Western Digital drive in the iPad Air?

OK fine, that wasn't helpful.

The only thing I can think of is that it's something not grounded quite right in the iPad. I'd exchange it if it's bothersome.

 

[randlsa]

I'd recommend you to do a full discharge and charge cycle to see if the battery part corrects itself..

I have never heard clicking from any of my iPads.. I'd probably exchange it if it clicks for no reason

I agree. Thanks!

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It's clearly the fan or the hard drive. Do we know if it's a Seagate or a Western Digital drive in the iPad Air?

OK fine, that wasn't helpful.

The only thing I can think of is that it's something not grounded quite right in the iPad. I'd exchange it if it's bothersome.

You're a funny, funny man.
I agree with the grounding theory. I suspect that whatever wasn't connected/bonded/grounded fully is moving with thermal expansion/contraction, despite the fact that these run really cool. That could lead to a long-term durability issue.

 

[randlsa]

Unfortunate customer service experience

Well, I'm disappointed with The way my call to Apple went. As usual, they were very friendly and tried to help. Unfortunately, they couldn't do express replacement. I was going to have to send in my iPad before they would send the new one. The iPad is my only computer right now, so being without it for a week or so isn't appealing. The CSR did try to do express replacement, but for some reason couldn't. So, I'm keeping it until I can visit an Apple store at some point in the future.