Vibration API on iPad: what you need to know

A webpage on your iPad says it should vibrate, but nothing happens. You may also be checking whether a website or web app can use the device's vibration feature at all.

The short answer is that iPad browsers generally do not offer websites a vibration feature, and iPads typically lack a vibration motor that a webpage could control. The Sensors Test can help you check what sensor features your browser exposes, but a missing vibration response does not automatically mean your iPad is broken.

Check vibration support on your iPad

1. Open the Sensors Test on the iPad you want to check.
2. Allow any browser prompt the test presents for motion or sensor access. Vibration does not normally use the same permission prompt, so do not expect a separate vibration approval.
3. Look for the vibration check in the test and follow its on-screen instructions. If no vibration result or control appears, the browser may not expose the feature.
4. If the test includes motion or orientation checks, move and rotate the iPad gently as instructed. These sensors are separate from vibration, so their readings can work even when vibration is unavailable.

Test in the browser you actually use. On iPad, changing from Safari to another browser app usually does not add vibration support, because iPad browsers generally rely on the same underlying web platform.

What the result means

The test indicates vibration is unavailable

This is the expected result on many iPads. Safari and other common iPad browsers generally do not provide the web Vibration API, which is the browser feature a page would use to request a vibration. There is no Safari permission switch that turns this API on.

That result says the webpage cannot request vibration through the browser. It does not show that the iPad's motion sensors are faulty, and it does not test every form of system feedback, such as sounds or visual alerts.

The test shows motion readings, but no vibration

Motion sensors and vibration are different features. The accelerometer and gyroscope detect movement or rotation. A vibration API asks the device to produce physical feedback. An iPad can report motion data while offering no way for a website to make it vibrate.

The test indicates support, but you feel nothing

A browser can report a feature or respond to a request without the device producing a noticeable vibration. The device needs compatible hardware, and browser support can vary. Since iPads generally do not include a vibration motor for webpages to control, do not use an apparent support result alone as proof that the iPad has a hardware fault.

Nothing happens when a website asks it to vibrate

The page may be relying on a feature your browser does not support, or it may not handle unsupported devices gracefully. A silent or unresponsive request is not enough to diagnose the iPad. If other web functions work and the Sensors Test does not show vibration support, treat it as a platform limitation.

What you can check

1. Reload the page. Close the tab, reopen it, and try the test again. This can clear a temporary page problem, but it cannot add a missing browser feature.
2. Check motion access only if motion testing fails. On iPadOS, look in Settings › Apps › Safari for Motion & Orientation Access. On older versions, Safari may appear directly under Settings › Safari. This setting concerns motion and orientation data, not vibration.
3. Try an up-to-date browser. Install available iPadOS updates and browser updates, then reload the test. This can fix a browser bug, but it is unlikely to enable vibration if the platform does not expose the API.
4. Compare with a device that supports web vibration. If you need to test a website feature, try the same page on a compatible phone with vibration hardware and a browser that supports the API. A different result points to device or browser support rather than a fault on the iPad.
5. Use a different kind of feedback in a web app. If you are building or troubleshooting a page, make vibration optional and provide a visual or sound cue as well. A site should check for API support before relying on it, rather than assuming every phone or tablet can vibrate.

Vibration is not the same as motion sensing

The word sensor can make these features sound related, but they do opposite jobs. Motion sensors send measurements from the device to a webpage. Vibration sends a request from a webpage to the device, asking it to produce physical feedback. Browser support and device hardware are both needed for that request to work.

Also, iPadOS settings for alerts or other system feedback do not grant websites access to a general vibration motor. If a web app needs to get your attention on an iPad, use an accessible visual change or sound and make sure the main action still works without haptics.

The Sensors Test runs in your browser on the device being checked.