iPad Pro Smart Keyboard not working

It seems that a lot of users are helped by ensuring good connection between the connectors on the magnetic strip on the keyboard and the bottom of the IPad, by bending the magnetic strip carefully so that the connectors in the middle of the magnetic strip is pressed upwards. Another trick that have helped people is to look for any metal spots in the magnetic strip which is caused by wear. To me, there were two such spots just above the "1" key, and they had resulted in clear wearings on the bottom of the IPad. Maybe they are crausing some short circuit problems, because several have reported that covering the metal spots with tape will fix the problem. It solved it to me :)

The slight bending helps make contact yes, but the idea that you can get shorts to the iPad case can not be correct as the iPad case is non conductive. I know it looks like aluminium but if you measure its resistance it is infinite, it has no conductivity. It must be some sort of resin compound.

Thanks, ComeinHandy, for correcting me on the short circuit hypthesis. Indeed, from what I hav read, it is the bending that helps the most people. But 3 cases I know seem to have been helped by covering the metal that uncovers with tape. It may still be wrong. I will give the repair some time and possibly report back its effectiveness.

Completed iOS 13.6 update and immediately after said iPad does not support accessories -iPad pro charger that came with iPad and apple iPad keyboard. Have restarted 102 times in past week -keyboard works for between 28 seconds and 2 min 12sec before needing restart so would need an minimum of 720 restarts a day. No issues prior to iOS13.6. How do I remove the defective software from my iPad Pro and how long until apple fix the failed update?

My Smart Keyboard had intermittent connection issues for a few months. Then failed completely. Restarting or hard restarting the iPad does not work. The contacts look clean.

The cover also has not weathered well. The edges have frayed from being carried around in a brief case and use.

Have the same problem!

It work something’s, no matter what I’ve done.

I tried all your suggestions and it all started with the iOS update.

there have to be a fix coming from apple to repair this problem or you need to do a massive recall!!!

Please advise

Per usual, all of the recommended steps to resolve do nothing to help. Keyboard just stopped working intermittently all of the sudden. Now, not at all. Seems that those who suggest tech companies program kill features into their devices to force consumers to buy new stuff seem to be right. I’m having the same problem with two inkjet computers, one new and one just a couple of years old. With Apple’s market cap, it’s disappointing that Apple is going junk. But hey, they did the same thing with batteries. It’s okay - back to my Surface Pro.

They don’t care. There will be no recall. The only real solution - you guessed it - is buy a new one. They already know none of their suggestions don’t work. These days it’s all about “appearing“ to look like you care.

Things wear out, especially things that get bent a lot like this keyboard. It should have lasted longer but I guess those joints are hard to test. It’s not programmed obsolescence it’s just a rush to get stuff out and the consumer won’t wait. If you want a fix and to see why it fails, watch this https://youtu.be/buNYHzMZJdk

Brilliant YouTube thanks. So now we know, it’s poor design. I’m not quite as handy as you Comeinhandy and won’t be attempting that fix.

Like all Apple kit this keyboard was not cheap. How do we get out money back?

I spoke to the local Apple shop. They suggested I buy a non Apple keyboard. No help on the failed keyboard, suggested I contact Apple directly.

This is very poor performance by Apple. How can they expect anyone to buy their new pro with the even more expensive keyboard if they won’t stand behind their product?

Apple's product strategy is wrong. The top iPad Pro with its lovely keyboard/stand/cover is as expensive as a laptop and I am told faster than many. But it is not one, so as a work tool it is limited. In most offices I visit the laptop has an external keyboard, mouse and two external screens. Doubles as a desktop. The iPad Pro does not do this and the pointer function falls short of a proper mouse function on OS.

The advantage of the Surface Pro or top end Thinkpad is that you can flip them over and write on the screen in meetings, review and mark up documents etc. This is the real business focus/use case of touch screen. It is not some toy or different way to drive the os. A touch is the only viable way to go properly paperless. My colleagues have all finally caught up with this. few are now buying iPads anymore.

The iPad does write on screen very well, but you need a laptop as well for the desktop setup. So two devices. Why would you do that? And as BobBurns points out with a poor track record with the old iPad keyboard why fork out for the new beaut expensive one? Can we trust Apple to produce a durable product? For me it is no.

It sounds like you have never owned an iPad Pro. It makes a brilliant device for reviewing and marking up documents, whether it is a pdf, or word or excel document. Use the Apple Pencil and it is perfect for mark ups and drawing. I have been a great fan of Microsoft, decades ago! Never again, I now use an iPad Pro and a MacBook Pro. The MacBook makes a better Microsoft PC than Microsoft does, running windows10 in a virtualBox window that I can turn on and off instantly.

The ergonomics and quality of apple products outshines every non apple PC types that I have previously owned, and I've owned a lot. Time to move on and see the light and BTW I don't work for Apple!

Good points. My iPad Pro gets used a lot on video editing and production so the power of the processing is very important to me. It is amazing power on the iPad Pro compared to my PC, due to the built in hardware acceleration for MP4 manipulation. It was a real eye opener the first time I used iMovie (free app as well!). It's not that different in video production time compared to the latest MacBook Pro!

I agree they are expensive and I agree it is disappointing that the flex joint on the keyboard breaks. Then again the bluetooth keyboards made by others are usually rubbish as well, I'v gone through three, all poor quality. I am hoping than the next time I buy another apple keyboard that they have improved the quality. Maybe I'll look after it more as well as I used to often bend it over itself and prop it up reading in bed.

My Smart Keyboard case hasn’t been working for most of 2020 , Iv’e been in touch with customer services a couple of times and got nowhere.

I was on the phone to them today and I was told I would need to take it to a store to be assessed and I would be billed for the repair. So is Apple selling inferior products ? Because all Iv’e heard from people who have the 2nd Generation IPad Pro with the Smart Keyboard is that the keyboard after 18 month’s / 2 year’s will not work, and it’s not as if there cheap is it a few hundred pound’s down the toilet and Apple have the audacity to say you’ll be paying for your’e Smart Keyboard to be fixed .

Apple need to admit they have a problem and rectify it before there’s a class action suit against them in numerous Trading Standards Courts around the UK !!!!!!!!!

Yes the product has failed. In New Zealand they have taken the product off the market. When it was still on the market the local store suggested another brand of keyboard/stand instead. Regrettably it does not fit older Pros.

Incidentally my Smart Cover has also fallen to bits and i have just bought a non-branded replacement on Amazon.