iPad Magic Keyboard backlight not turning off. Draining battery when iPad is not being used.

Charles Gardner wrote:

Is there any way as a user to determine which app could be causing this type of problem? I really like the magic keyboard but find this “occasional” problem a real pain. I use my iPad while traveling in my business and really can’t have the ipad die going into a meeting.

You could lock your screen and if the back lights don't turn off, see which apps you may have in the background, and force close them one by one to see if one is the culprit.

Again, I'm not saying there is a specific app issue with iPadOS and Apple Magic Keyboard. But when Apple updates iOS, if you have apps on the app store, don't you get updates from Apple which you can use to update your app in the app store, so it is compliant with the changes in iOS? I could be completely wrong, but other app developers and those who are part of the App Developer program with Apple supposedly get advance update data for them to update their apps.

A good example of this is that using Apple Shortcuts on my Apple Magic Keyboard doesn't work with some 3rd party apps, but does work with ALL Apple apps. I was told by Apple this is because the App Developers haven't yet updated their app with the API's they were provided to update their app.

Hi i dont use my keyboard so often but today when i turned it on the keyboard’s backlight is not working anymore. Happened to anyone? Tried detaching the ipad from the keyboard but still not fixed the problem. 😩

How bright is the room you're in? Remember, the backlights are tied to the ambient light sensor on your iPad, so if the room is bright, the lights shouldn't come on. See what happens in a room dimly lit. Also check to see that you haven't turned the backlit setting down or off in Settings > General > Keyboard > Hardware Keyboard > Keyboard Brightness

Well, It's June 19th and my Magic Keyboard has been working correctly since I had to reset it on June 12th. On the 12th I tried the process of closing Apps one at a time to see if any Apps were the culprit. Did not result in the iPad Magic Keyboard staying on so that did not resolve the issue for using non Apple Apps. I hope folks will continue posting here at least until we see a software update that addresses the problem.

Well now it’s June 22, 2020 and I find that my ipad is at about 10% power after not being used for 1 day. I noticed before I opened it that the keyboard lights were on - really irritating. The only apps that I was using were Apple apps. The app “Things” I was using before I closed down the keyboard, but I believe I shut it down. This is not acceptable. I am going to start a dialog with Apple about a replacement. They don’t seem to be coming out with a fix or a patch of some kind and I need a keyboard I can depend on. Anyone else have additional comments, or any communication with Apple?

You may have an issue with your keyboard. Apple would only issue an update if there is a documented issue effecting lot's of users. This is not a universal issue and as I've stated, not an issue I've had with my Magic Keyboard once. You should address this with Apple directly.

Quick update... We own multiple ipads, including 2 iPad Pro 11s and 2 iPad Pro 12.9s. We have magic keyboards for all of 'em. We have not experienced this problem with the 11s, but we have had it with both 12.9s now. After all of this experience, I find it hard to believe this is NOT a software bug of some sort. And based upon online complaints on various forums, this is not a small isolated issue. Again, we have had multiple keyboards with this problem (and yes, they have the latest updates).

Apple needs to get on the ball, investigate, provide a status and figure this one out. Poor user experience--which is sad, because it's a great keyboard otherwise (aside from the rubbery material that attracts dust/gunk. I wish they'd stop using it).

I experience the same issue with a iPad Pro 11” 2020 with iPadOS 13.5.1 and also sometimes the backlight stays on. Not always at the same intensity. Sometimes very dim so hard to see.

After removing the iPad from the keyboard (which breaks the contact with the smart connector) and putting iPad back on keyboard everything works fine again, most of the time.

Sometimes you also need to power down and reboot iPad to solve.

So in my opinion it looks SW related as reboot or reconnect solves it...

Hope the next release of iPadOS will solve this issue...

Hello,

same thing happens to me (12.9 ipp latest FW), it’s the second magic keyboard after a swap was recommended by apple for my first MK, the backlight stays on randomly removing the MK does the job at last for me! I called apple several times and the keep telling me there isn’t a problem as far as the know with the MK, i told them in my first call that i think it’s more likely sw related then hw.

So the new MK has got the same bug error Hw error or whatever, that said it’s a nice expensive keyboard with a problem, that nobody is aware of but us „poor“ customers.

thx apple for not listening (again).

PS i’m not a native speaker, so im sorry for my typos

Well today is June 28th and I have a Genius Bar appt to have them look at my Magic Keyboard. Probably I'll have to leave it with them - meaning I'm without for as long as it takes to resolve. While trying to resolve this issue, I've waited too long to do an exchange . . . I'll report back on what I found out. Has anyone exchanged their MK and found that it resolved their issues?

It's such a handy accessory, but so irritating that Apple can't seem to acknowledge the problem.

Charles Gardner wrote:

It's such a handy accessory, but so irritating that Apple can't seem to acknowledge the problem.

Probably because the issue is most definitely not universal. I've not had any issues with the back lights not turning off on my Magic Keyboard at all. I get that it's happening to you and some others, but if it was universal, given they can't keep these keyboards in stock, this thread would be flooded with other's having the same issue.

so you’re the lucky one, i guess there are not a lot of these expensive keyboards out there and many customers didn’t acknowledge the problem, i got a swap ipad (new) and a swap MK and the problem was/is still there or maybe i got unlucky 2 times, i tested the new ipp with the new MK and the old IPP and the other way around still the problem was/is the same. If it’s not universal what can we do to get rid of the issue?

After our experience with multiple keyboards on multiple iPad Pros, I think it's safe to say it's either a software bug, or a combination of hardware/software. Apple needs to dig in and figure this out. I'm guessing many more people are experiencing this than are posting in forums.