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

Perhaps. The only publication I've seen even mention this is 9to5 Mac. This is after all the worlds most used forum for all things iOS and we're just not seeing many posts about it. Since we know the back lights will take the iPad battery down fast, I still say we'd see way more people post about this if was happening to them.

It could be a hardware issue with the keyboard. It could be a software issue, but again if it is, it should effect just about everyone. Or it could be as you suggest a combination.

If you and others have told Apple about your issue, they're aware. Apple rarely IF ever publicly acknowledges any issue. But behind the scenes Apple is almost always working on seeing what the issue may be and often includes a bug fix in an iOS (in this case iPadOS) update without any fanfare.

that’s true isn’t a fast responding company, i got also lucky with my macbook pro and the keyboard that’s isn’t repairable because you will get always a new keyboard with exactly the same problem and stops functioning after a couple of weeks ( btw last macbook for me and my customers) so go apple you’re doing good in getting rid of loyal long time customers!

So now it's July1st. After going to the Apple store on June 28th- they indicated that they would replace the Magic Keyboard. It arrived on June 30th. They took back my original Magic Keyboard and provided a NEW replacement. I'm appreciative of Apple responding to my concerns in such a quick manner.

So far (only 1 day) the new keyboard is working correctly (🤞) The cursor works perfectly, I'm able to adjust the brightness up and down. The backlights on the keyboard don't come on while the iPad is closed against the keyboard.

(While not an Apple comment, the genius bar person I worked with made an off hand comment indicating that there would probably be a software update that should resolve the issue.)

I hope this helps everyone that is trying to resolve this issue.

I have brand new iPP 11” and MK which I received June 12. Running iOS 13.5.1

I have had 2 times where the MK stayed lit and has drained the battery and once when the keyboard would not light up in a dark room at night. Checked all my brightness settings etc and they were fine. Unmounting the iPP from the MK and rebooting has worked, but for $300 this should not be happening. I am calling Tech Support tomorrow.

Hello, I am having same problem.

If I press power button and close tablet (get screen to keyboard) if its light in the room it looks like all is good.

But if you do it in dark room, you can see that backlight on keyboard it is still on.

Tablet is on iPadOS 13.5.1 problem is still there.

Disconnecting tablet from Magic Keyboard will do the trick, until tomorrow evening....

Please resolve it.

We are all users on this forum, so we cannnot resolve anything. You need to let Apple know you are having this issue. Your keyboard comes with a one year warranty. Contact Apple directly and let them know.

You can: Use the Contact Support button at the top right of this page; Call Apple (in the US) at 800-MY-APPLE; Or visit an Apple Store Genius Bar

Purchased the Apple "Magic Keyboard" for the Apple iPad 11 pro on 4.25.20 and paid the big $$$. The backlit keys are not turning off when the iPad turns off or closes. Then next time you use the iPad, oh, dead battery. Yes a reset will fix this so will disconnecting the iPad from the keyboard for a moment. Then in no time it's back to not turning off again. It is obvious Apple has a known issue. So with a keyboard very well inside warranty, and a known issue, you'd think they would just replace it. Nope, you get the run around and then they want you to be without a keyboard in the meantime. Nice Apple for a $300 keyboad.

Hi Charles,

I am having this issue with the keyboard backlight being on while its closed as well. I first noticed this because I put my ipad on my bedside table when I go to sleep. It’s right at eye level so when I wake early I can see the keyboard backlight is on glowing in the dark.b This behaviour is only while not plugged in charging. I have woken and seen it and thinking it would be draining the battery plugged the charging cable in and the backlight turns off.

It’s very hard to see that the backlight is on when the ipad is closed onto the keyboard unless it is dark.

This is annoying as I have found my iPad battery drains faster since I’ve had the new keyboard and now I think I know why. i was putting it down to more running off the iPad battery but if the keyboard backlight is staying on when its closed then this will explain my battery drain.

By the same token I’ve not noticed the keyboard staying on when I have the ipad open.

iPad Pro 11” latest gen fully updated.

Today is July 10, 2020. The keyboard that Apple provided as a replacement works properly 90% of the time. Before it was only about 50% of the time. The lights do shut off much more often when I close the iPad against the keyboard.

The cursor, which was somewhat intermittent on the prior keyboard is working perfectly.

The only thing that is still bugging me is is that the keyboard backlight should adjust when going from a bright room to a dark room, or back to a bright room. The response seems somewhat spotty at best.

I hope this is a software issue that Apple can respond to and fix.

How’s everyone else’s “Magic” keyboard doing??

It’s universal!! I am from Malaysia and bought online from Apple (I think they shipped from Singapore). I have the same issue - backlit light on the MK is not sync with the iPad Pro display.

I’ve been in contact with Apple support but they are really not helpful and did not solve the problem.

Happy for you. But... I suggest you give it time ;) Reality is--this is a problem for many magic keyboard owners, and Apple still has not addressed it. It's not imaginary--it's a real problem. Apple needs to address it. We've had 2 keyboards replaced, and it still happens (we own 2 12.9" iPad Pros and 2 11" iPad Pros) on both 12.9" iPad Pros. We've simply accepted it as a software issue for now--and if it persists months from now, we will contact Apple support again for an update. We have purchased many Apple products, but that doesn't change the fact that Apple does make mistakes, does release products with bugs (all companies do) and this keyboard issue is a glaring one they need to own up to. It is very frustrating to contact their support people and they simply say it's an unknown issue at the moment.

I didn't say it's imaginary or not real. It's just NOT an issue I'm facing and I've been using the keyboard now well over a month, with no back light issues at all. In the 6 weeks I've had the keyboard, it's been absolutely flawless in operation in all regards. And it's used every single days for multiple hours a day.

I use both browsers and the back lights go off as they should in all cases.

I'm curious if anyone who is having an issue with the back lights not going off, have a screen protector on their iPad, which does NOT have a cutout for the sensors.

We've already established some people are not experiencing this. This problem is: some people ARE experiencing this problem. Im starting to understand why you have over 69,000 "points" on this website :|