iPad Pro Smart Keyboard not working

I removed the keyboard and noticed that the connecting edge was not straight, and the portion with the pins was slightly lower than the lower than the rest of the edge. Just flexed it a smidge to raise the pins and problem is solved!

Many ways exactly the same feelings and experiences. At Apple store at a set up meeting to get my iPhone battery replaced (another story!!!) but also took my IPad Pro with Smart Keyboard as a second issue whilst waiting. This keyboard had gone from 100% connections to finally randomly connecting and disconnecting until finally it was a really really expensive screen cover.

Testing etc in store connecting with other iPad pros, etc showed that it wouldn’t connect at all. Got a replacement under warranty and with no iPad system upgrades the new one works perfectly everywhere — read all of the hypotheses about Starbucks, variable wifi, reboots, etc ... in all of the situations where I had issues there are simply no issues at all.

Says to me this is a hardware issue 100% .. never looked at the insides of a Smart Keyboard but this new 100% working keyboard with all other things remaining the same suggests to me that with constant use some part of the mechanics/electronics/wiring? is deteriorating and this sets up a pattern of chaotic faults and final demise. Plus I am a very heavy user of the iPad and keyboard ... now barely touch my MacBook Pro.

iOS upgrades to me just act as an age indicator for the keyboard which in my hypothesis is much more fragile than it looks and may need to be used quite carefully. Simply faults increase with use and age.

With no way of testing I also feel that the magnet used in the new one is stronger since it snaps together with iPad much more vigorousl.

Bought mine with my 12.9 iPad Pro almost two years ago (so it’s a month from applecare ending). Had a nice chat through the support app just now with rosemary from applecare. I described how it often disconnects, most recently for a few days until it randomly started working today... and how it often starts working again when i disconnect and reconnect, but that didn’t help this week, nor did restarting my ipad. Seems i said all the right things (i.e. i had tried everything she would have told me to try) because she said it’ll need to be replaced under a replacement program, and she can send one to me or set up an appointment at a store! She did need me to tell her the serial number which was really hard because it’s engraved ultra tiny in the soft grey material. I’m really happy they’re giving me a new one, though! I realized the past several days that i really hate using my iPad Pro without the keyboard! 😉

adam

Hey there Bob Burns,

If your Smart Keyboard is from a gen 1 iPad Pro, chances are good that it's not the iOS but what I'm 99% certain is a design flaw.

I've gone through 2 of these keyboards and I've noticed a difference in the third one which makes me believe made a slight design change on this version before moving on to the new design found in the lates iPad Pro version.

In Get one, there is the 3 gold pin contacts that meet with the spine of the iPad and magnetically connects to the 3 gold contacts on the device.

If you take the flexible spine of the Smart Keyboard you can almost feel and if you look hard enough almost see what I believe is an electronic ribbon, much like you'd see on old spinning internal hard drives or ribbons that connect tiny logic boards to LCD's.

After enough flexing, they break making the contacts on the keyboard useless.

In this lates version for iPad Pro Gen 1, I can't feel that ribbon or see the impression anymore, which makes me think something changed here.

Moving to the new iPad Pro you will notice the connector are no longer on the spine of the device but on the back of the device and the connectors on the Smart Keyboard seem to be in a more stable place.

I stumbled across news that  had a program available for you to exchange your troubled keyboard, even out of warranty, with a valid serial number, which can be impossible to see if you don't take pics right out of the box. It gets lost in the material over time. See my other posting on this matter or a workaround for identifying a hard to read serial number on a velvet backing.

I would see about exchange it asap, as this program may not be offered much longer, it at all anymore.

All the best!

MJW

Greetings,

I have had the issue with the Smart Keyboard not responding and iOS saying that the accessory was not recognized. I have tried all of the recommended steps. Nothing worked, until today. All I had to do was throw a little money at the problem!

I've had my Smart Keyboard sitting on a shelf for a few months and decided to plug it in. Again - not recognized. I unplugged it, then cleaned the connectors (the three shiny pads on the side) on the iPad and the connectors (three pins) on the Smart Keyboard with a dollar bill.

You read that correctly: I rubbed a US $1 bill a few times against the pads and against the pins. Note, neither the pins nor the pads looked corroded prior to doing this.

The Smart Keyboard works fine now.

Guys, Apple Store just replaced the keyboard no charge. Problem is the keyboard. Not the iOS. Cheers

I spoke to Apple tech support this morning (use the chat facility, much better than phone)... Seems iOS 11.0.1 should fix this. Upgraded to 11.0.1 this morning and keyboard working fine, for now. I’ll update later today if it stays that way!

Also just check the three little brass pop up connectors on your keypad. I found one of mine was sticking. They are sprung so they keep good contact with the iPad so if it sticks it means the iPad gets the wrong signal and can not identify the keyboard as a supported device and comes up with the message “This accessory is not supported on this device”. Give them a clean with Microfibre cloth.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the iPad Pro keyboard thread - I may have solved the issue - at least mine anyways. Hope this works for you too. This is early days, but I am actually typing this reply on the keyboard (which did not function when I setup my iPad about 5 min ago). I’ll keep testing, but here is the trick: the keyboard is physically not docking correctly. The magents are strong and it may seem that the iPad and Keyboard are locked into the correct position - but they are not. It is a example of getting a little too fancy with the design.

Open any application with a text field that prompts the keyboard (new note, new email, etc). If the Smart Keyboard is set correctly then you are good to go. If the on-screen keyboard pops up then the first step is to spew forth your customary profanity. However, please add this extra step - with the software keyboard on screen push the iPad slight left or slight right in its base. It is seated strongly and you may have to press hard - but slightly chaging the position of the contacts (which are far too small) will allow the iPad to recognize and power the keyboard. You will know you are successful because the on-screen keyboard will immediately disappear when proper contact is made and the Smart Keyboard will start functioning. I’m baffled by the simplicity of this solution. I am also baffled that Apple REPLACED my entire hardware setup because of this.

I am hoping that this small adjusting does not pose any long-term issue or damage. I really think Apple should replace all our keyboards with a refined design that works propertly the first time it’s is connected but unsure how to start that process. In the mean time I hope this little trick works for most of you.

HERE IS MY FINAL NUGGET....

THE KEYBOARD ISSUE IS RELATED TO THE ANGULAR POSITION OF THE IPAD PRO AS IT RESTS IN THE KEYBOARD HOLD-OPEN POSTION.

TEST: KEYBOARD NOT WORKING?

TILT THE IPAD PRO FORWARD, TOWARD YOU, JUST A BIT, IN THE DIRECTION THAT YIELDS A NINETY (90) DEGREE ANGLE (PERPDENDICULAR) BETWEEN THE IPAD AND THE KEYBOARD.

ENJOY USER EXPECTED FUNCTIONALITY!

TEST: KEYBOARD WORKING?

TILT THE IPAD PRO BACKWARD, AWAY FROM YOU, IN THE DIRECTION THAT YIELDS A ZERO (0) DEGREE ANGLE (PARALLEL) BETWEEN THE IPAD AND THE KEYBOARD.

It’s a hardware issue; mine had the same issue almost one year after buying it. No problem with iOS 10 and later revisions, used also with no problems in each iOS 11 beta. When iOS 11 officially released I started noticing weird stuff: “device not supported/recognized” pop-ups, brief screen flashing with battery charging image, keyboard not responding at all when in typing position...

as it turns out, some connections inside the keyboard got damaged. The small stripe between the magnetic connector that sticks to the side of the iPad and the sturdy part of the cover is very thin and very soft because it’s the part that gets bent over and over when opening the cover, unfolding it on the back of the pad or putting it in typing or viewing position. I think that’s a little too soft and continuously bending it, wears the thin connection stripes running inside it (which power the keyboard through the smart connector).

I went to Apple today to have mine replaced. I hope they noticed the issue and the newer ones are more strong/reinforced in that point; otherwise, it will eventually break again 😟

Get it replaced. I had mine today. Now it’s working as intended.

I used the first one with iOS 9, 10 and 11. It always worked. It then started having intermittent issues. Replacing it fixed it, so it’s definitely not a software issue in my case. It could be your case too.

The Smart Keyboard has a weak spot: the thin, soft stripe between the magnetic connector and the cover itself. Bending it over and over again by opening the cover, folding it on the back of the iPad and unfolding the cover/keyboard in viewing or typing position can put a strain on the electric connections that run inside that thin stripe, from the smart connector to the actual keyboard. I think this is what was causing issues with my keyboard, so you could check at a local Apple Store to see if you can have a free replacement.

I just got the new 12.9 inch iPad pro and keyboard today. I was having the same issue, but no message. After a quick web search, I found a 1 minute YouTube video showing a guy moving the iPad slightly to the side and it made the virtual keyboard go away. It's just not making a terrific connection when automatically using the magnets to line up the connectors.

For me it is very sensitive to the exact position of the three prongs on the magnetic surface of the attaching Smart Keyboard, and the three contacts of the iPad edge. If these are not perfect, it does no work. Even if they appear to be aligned or ”touching” it work. It means when it stops working, I have to re-attach very carefully. Since I noticed this it is reliably fixed with careful positioning.

Hopefully that is the same for you and not something more sinister.

I found this thread because I have this problem too with my 2 yr old Smart Keyboard, so I noted that several people recently have said that their keyboards were replaced in Apple stores. I contacted apple support chat and after a very short conversation which consisted of switch it off/switch it on again, wipe the connections, give me your serial no. I was offered a replacement. which has just arrived 2 days later. So far so good, it seems to be working fine.

I am somewhat suspicious that there is a known problem because as soon as the 2 obvious things were checked I get a replacement with no further questions.

I may have found a solution to this. I went into setting and deleted all the keyboards installed save for the English one (or whatever country your language is. Also this keyboard was not able to be deleted anyway.). The only other one I had in there was the emoji one. After deleting it I have had no issues for 2 days now. Before I could not go 15 min without it disconnecting. Clearly software issue in my case and I hope this helps someone else.