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When using my iPad a side bar comes up with a screen on it and then a small grey dot hovers around my screen. Sometimes it closes my apps and goes to Lock Screen, really annoying when watching a movie. It went away for a while with the last update but has returned again. What can this be? How can I fix it?
Are you using a Mouse or Apple TrackPad with your iPad - as the illustrated dot resembles the associated pointer.
If neither Mouse or TrackPad are currently connected, try a forced-restart of your iPad - as this will often clear an isolated software issue:
Force restart iPad (models with Face ID or with Touch ID in the top button)
If your iPad doesn’t have the Home button, do the following:
Force restart iPad (models with the Home button)
Press and hold the top button and the Home button at the same time. When the Apple logo appears, release both buttons.
If the problem persists after performing the restart, it may be necessary to reset your iPad settings. While this reset will not cause any loss of data, as a precaution, it is always wise to ensure that you have a current iCloud or iTunes backup before performing the reset:
How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support
When you are happy to proceed, you can perform the reset from iPad settings:
Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset > Reset All Settings
If the problem still doesn’t clear, the next step is to reset the iPad to factory settings:
Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings - Apple Support
side bar and small dot on ipad
