The Apple iPad can be thought of as a computer without a keyboard. Similar to any other machine, it has a need for regular maintenance.

Here are three ways to make sure your Apple iPad stays running the way it should.The first thing to do to make sure your iPad is running in top form is to keep the battery in proper shape.

The “battery life” is different, but related, to the “battery lifespan”. Battery life is how long the battery lasts between recharges. The lifespan is based on how long the battery will retain 80 percent of its original capacity after being recharged. To make it last longer there are a number of things that can be done. Adjusting screen settings to make the screen less bright is one tactic. Being careful to watch the behavior of the applications or programs that are downloaded is another. Some programs will hold the screen at the highest brightness, fighting efforts to turn the level down in the settings. Turning off the Wi-Fi when the iPad is not being used on a network is another way to increase battery life.

The second way to keep an iPad running smoothly is to know what to do if it crashes. Most all operating systems are going to crash if they are under heavy stress and knowing how to handle this is smart. If a rogue program freezes your iPad here is what to do. Locate the “sleep” button on the top right edge of the tablet. Then, locate the “home” button under the display. Press both of these buttons at the same time for at least ten seconds. There is no need to pay attention if the “power off” button shows up on the screen. Keep holding the two buttons until the Apple logo appears on the screen. Once that is seen, you can let go of the buttons. The iPad will turn off and you can then press the “sleep” button again to turn it back on. When you can reach the “settings” menu, choose “general”, on the left, then “reset” at the bottom. Choose “reset all settings” to get back to normal on the tablet. No data will be lost.

The last way you can make sure your iPad will keep running well is to make sure the operating system is updated. Keeping up with software updates is a good way to not only make the iPad last longer, but to also keep personal information safer. There is always a digital war going on with popular operating systems and iOS is one of them. Connecting to iTunes on your computer regularly is the way to keep the bad guys at bay. Install the latest version of iOS and the iPad will not only be protected but will run faster as well. Once you have updated the operating system do not forget to check the applications and programs for their updates as well. An updated iPad is easier to use and destined to run smoother than one that does not get updated.