Learning on the iPad is fantastic, but sometimes, you just need a little peace and quiet. Especially when you're working on iReady, the constant narration or sound effects can be a distraction, not just for the student, but for anyone else in the room!
Are you a student trying to focus without the background noise? A parent or teacher looking for a way to manage sound in a busy learning environment? Or maybe you're just trying to enjoy some peace while your child learns? Whatever your reason, mastering how to mute iReady on your iPad is a valuable skill.
Let's dive into a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to help you achieve that much-desired silence!
Step 1: Let's Assess the Situation – What Kind of Mute Are You Looking For?
Before we start tapping and swiping, let's clarify what kind of "mute" you're aiming for. This will help us choose the most effective method.
- Are you looking to completely silence your iPad so no sound comes out, regardless of the app?
- Do you want to mute iReady specifically, while still allowing other apps or system sounds to play?
- Are you trying to reduce the volume of iReady, rather than muting it entirely?
Understanding your goal will streamline the process. So, take a moment and think – what's your ultimate sound objective here?
Step 2: The Universal Mute – Silencing Your Entire iPad
This is the most straightforward approach if you want absolute silence from your device. It affects all audio output, from iReady to YouTube to incoming notifications.
2.1: Using the Volume Buttons
Every iPad has physical volume buttons on its side. These are your most direct control for overall device volume.
- Locate the Buttons: Look along the side of your iPad. You'll typically find two buttons: one for increasing volume and one for decreasing it.
- Press Down Repeatedly: Press the 'Volume Down' button repeatedly until the volume indicator on your screen shows the speaker icon with a line through it, or the volume bar is completely empty. This indicates your iPad is muted.
- Confirm: Open iReady and start an activity. You should hear no sound at all.
2.2: Through the Control Center
The Control Center provides quick access to many iPad settings, including volume.
- Access Control Center:
- For iPads with a Home button: Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen.
- For iPads without a Home button (Face ID models): Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen.
- Locate the Volume Slider: You'll see a vertical slider with a speaker icon at the top or bottom.
- Drag to Mute: Drag the slider all the way down to the bottom. Just like with the physical buttons, you'll see the speaker icon with a line through it when it's fully muted.
Step 3: Targeted Muting – Silencing iReady Specifically
Sometimes you want iReady quiet, but you still want to hear notifications or other app sounds. This requires a slightly different approach, as iReady itself doesn't have an in-app mute button.
3.1: Utilizing the iPad's App Volume Control (Not Always Available)
While some apps offer in-app volume controls, iReady generally does not have a dedicated mute or volume slider within its own interface. This is a common frustration for users. Therefore, our focus here will be on general iPad settings that affect iReady.
3.2: Leveraging Guided Access for Focused Learning (Advanced Technique)
Guided Access is an iOS feature designed to keep the iPad in a single app and control which features are available. While its primary purpose isn't muting, you can configure it to lock the volume controls, preventing accidental unmuting by a child. This is less about muting iReady and more about keeping it muted.
- Enable Guided Access:
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access.
- Toggle 'Guided Access' ON.
- Tap on 'Passcode Settings' and set a Guided Access Passcode (something different from your iPad unlock code). You can also enable Face ID/Touch ID for ending Guided Access.
- Start Guided Access with iReady Open:
- Open the iReady app.
- Triple-click the Home button (for iPads with a Home button) or triple-click the Top button (for iPads without a Home button).
- The Guided Access screen will appear.
- At the bottom, tap 'Options'.
- Toggle 'Volume Buttons' OFF. This will disable the physical volume buttons during the Guided Access session. You can also toggle 'Touch' off if you want to prevent any interaction, but that's usually too restrictive for iReady.
- Tap 'Done' in the top right.
- Tap 'Start' in the top right to begin the Guided Access session.
- Ending Guided Access: Triple-click the Home/Top button again, enter your passcode, and tap 'End'.
Why this helps: If you set the iPad volume to mute before starting Guided Access, and then disable the volume buttons within Guided Access options, the student won't be able to unmute it accidentally or intentionally.
Step 4: Checking Your Output Source – Is it an External Speaker?
Sometimes, the sound isn't coming from your iPad's internal speakers but from a connected Bluetooth device or headphones. If you're muting the iPad but still hearing sound, this is your next troubleshooting step.
4.1: Disconnecting Bluetooth Devices
- Access Control Center (Swipe up from bottom or down from top-right).
- Tap the Bluetooth icon (it looks like a stylized 'B'). If it's blue, Bluetooth is active.
- Tap and hold the network settings box (the one with Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth).
- Tap the Bluetooth icon again within this expanded menu.
- Look for any connected devices. If you see headphones or a speaker listed and connected, tap the 'i' icon next to it and then 'Forget This Device' to disconnect.
- Alternatively, you can just toggle Bluetooth off entirely from the Control Center or Settings > Bluetooth.
4.2: Checking for Headphone Jack Connections
If your iPad has a headphone jack, ensure nothing is plugged into it that could be routing the audio elsewhere. Remove any headphones or adapters.
Step 5: Troubleshooting & Final Tips
Still having trouble? Here are a few more things to consider.
5.1: Restarting the iReady App
Sometimes, an app can glitch.
- Force Quit iReady:
- For iPads with a Home button: Double-press the Home button to bring up the App Switcher. Swipe up on the iReady app preview to close it.
- For iPads without a Home button: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle to bring up the App Switcher. Swipe up on the iReady app preview to close it.
- Reopen iReady: Launch the app again and check the sound.
5.2: Restarting Your iPad
A full device restart can resolve many minor software issues.
- For iPads with a Home button: Press and hold the Top (or Side) button until the power off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off your iPad.
Wait a few seconds, then press and hold the Top (or Side) button again until the Apple logo appears. - For iPads without a Home button: Press and hold either the Volume up or Volume down button and the Top button until the power off slider appears. Drag
the slider. Wait a few seconds, then press and hold the Top button again until the Apple logo appears.
5.3: Check for iReady App Updates
Ensure you're running the latest version of the iReady app. Developers often release updates that fix bugs and improve performance.
- Go to the App Store.
- Tap your profile icon in the top right.
- Scroll down to see pending updates. If iReady is listed, tap 'Update'.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How to completely mute all sound on my iPad?
To completely mute all sound, repeatedly press the 'Volume Down' button on the side of your iPad until the volume indicator is empty, or drag the volume slider in the Control Center all the way down.
How to mute iReady specifically without affecting other app sounds?
iReady does not have an in-app mute button. Your best bet is to mute the entire iPad using the volume buttons or Control Center.
How to make sure my child can't unmute iReady accidentally?
Use Guided Access. First, mute the iPad, then enable Guided Access for the iReady app and turn off the 'Volume Buttons' option within Guided Access settings.
How to check if my iPad's sound is being routed to a Bluetooth device?
Open the Control Center (swipe up from bottom or down from top-right), tap the Bluetooth icon, and check if any devices are listed as connected. Disconnect them if necessary.
How to troubleshoot if iReady still has sound after muting my iPad?
Force quit and restart the iReady app, then restart your entire iPad. Also, ensure no headphones or external speakers are connected.
How to find the volume buttons on my iPad?
The physical volume buttons are typically located on the side of your iPad, often above or below the power button.
How to access the Control Center on my iPad?
On iPads with a Home button, swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen. On iPads without a Home button, swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen.
How to update the iReady app on my iPad?
Open the App Store, tap your profile icon in the top right, and check for available updates.
How to restart my iPad if it's frozen or not responding?
For iPads with a Home button, press and hold the Top (or Side) button. For iPads without a Home button, press and hold either the Volume up or Volume down button and the Top button until the power off slider appears.
How to use Guided Access to lock the volume on my iPad?
Enable Guided Access in Settings > Accessibility, then triple-click the Home/Top button while in iReady, tap 'Options', and toggle 'Volume Buttons' off before starting the session.