iPad Pro Smart Keyboard not working

From my experience you have a GEN1 keyboard which has a known fault so get in contact with Apple support (I used twitter). They will set up a meeting at your local Genius Bar and you’ll get your keyboard replaced. Unfortunately that wont fix the issue of the software keyboard popping up randomly. This looks to be a firmware issue with the device identifying if it is in type mode or not. I can make my software keyboard come up by picking up the devive and tilting the iPad towards me when attached to the keyboard, in typing mode. This shows an issue with the device identifying its orientation. I’ve s-omen to the senior Apple engineering team in Ireland and they were not aware of the issue. This has now been raised for investigation by the Apple software engineers so we will now have to wait and see if Apple can track down the firmware / software issue and fix it!

I’ve had this problem and found a workaround:

For some reason, while the letter keys intermittently dont work in a text field, the COMMAND and TAB keys work.... and for some unknown reason, if I COMMAND+TAB out of the app I was trying to input type, then COMMAND+TAB back in... It works. And then it works flawlessly until the next time it wakes up and suffers again.

Absolutely no idea why this works, but I didnt see this solution posted anywhere else, so I’m sharing it now.

So yea. CMD+TAB out of your app then back in and that works for me every single time.

I have gone through 3 new keyboards and none of them work for long. I am returning and getting my money back. Apple giving new keyboards does not matter because they don't work either... I have tested my iPad Pro with the full Apple Bluetooth Keyboard and it works fine, so it is not the iPad. Really disappointing, you would think that if Apple really wanted the iPad Pro to be the Surface Killer they would do it with a product that worked. Typing on the iPad screen does not work for me. If I knew I would be having these much trouble I would NEVER have bought the iPad 12.9 Pro. For over $1200 spent you would hope that the keyboard would work??????? #verydissappointingapple

I have been a loyal Apple customer from the first launch. I have spent hours with Apple support trying to sort out this issue. unfortunately there is no Apple shops where I am located but Inreally feel they have lost the plot in burying their heads in the sand in ignoring this problem. Apple used to mean quality and reliability. I really feel let down by them. I have rest my device to factory settings and still no success the beeping noise persists and I get no an approved device message.

Having the same issue. Smart keyboard for iPad Pro 12.9" (1st Gen) intermittently not working. It is nearly unusable since recent update. The issue is now much more frequent and restarting the iPad as recommended by apple support does not even resolve the issue sometimes. Apple please fix this issue. This is ridiculous how poor it is performing. The iPad Pro is a good platform, don't let issues such as this ruin it. This is something that should be addressed in a more timely manner.

I first received the same error message about "Accessory not supported" like everyone else. After contacted with Apple Support, they said that I should go to Apple store and I did. Then the store replace the keyboard under the extended warranty of this item by Apple. Anyway the new keyboard is priced less (-$40), though I did not pay for the replacement. The new keyboard did not produce error message anymore, but it is still mostly not responsive. Each time I needed to type, the on-screen keyboard pops up indicating that the attached keyboard was not recognized. It happens about 99% of the time. I try to disconnect and reconnect a few times, the keyboard will come back to work for a while, then die again. Too much trouble to bother with the $139 (down from $179 I paid) crap made by Apple. So, Apple does sells craps. I remembered that Steve Job said once, Apple did not sell craps. I guess the policy changed after Steve passed away.

After 6 weeks Apple still doesn’t give a crap!!! My Surface Pro keyboard works great! iPad go for watching videos now, nothing more. Glad I didn’t buy a new one!!

Good luck all, as I have said for weeks.... they don’t care... just buy a new one!!! HA!!!

Start a Twitter rant....Facebook, something. Apple obviously doesn’t pay attention to this forum. Or they just don’t care, more worried about an overpriced new IPhone, instead of helping their current customers.

#apple_doesn’t care

I went to apple store in California in March 2017 with TWO keyboards experiencing problems described in this thread. ONE was purchased in Japan and the other in california. Only the california purchased keyboard had become unusable. At the apple store, they denied any issues existed and because I had bought it 13 months prior, that it was out of warranty. Now the Japan purchased keyboard is also malfunctioning. I was about to buy a logitech product and saw that apple has finally recognized an issue and has a 'program' to fix it ( http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/05/08/apple-offers-free-ipad-pro-smart-keybo ard-repairs-in-wake-of-functional-issues ) as long as it is within 3 years. Just 5 minutes ago I got off the phone with "nathan" a "senior manager" on the phone support. He declared that they do NOT currently have a program and that they will only deal with issues if it was within 12 months of purchase (i.e. the warranty). I highlighted the websites and this forum to them and they said that they do not acknowledge any issues. Can you believe it!?!? I'm just one guy... but my family has easily purchased 40k usd of prodcuts over the last decade or so between phones, computers, ipads, nanos, etc.... I highlighted that I'm not sure how I will react but that putting our next decade of business at risk over a 129 dollar keyboard with OBVIOUS problems seems to be a silly decision. SO this ONE guy is going to go thru a lot of inconvenience in the coming years and abandon apple products as much as I possibly can. Anyone have the logitech keyboard?

The Logitech keyboard works fine, but it’s pretty heavy. I replaced my Apple keyboard with this as the same fault came up as experienced by others. Apple should have had a fix by now, if it can’t be fixed then we should get our money back.

I just recieved the Logitech keyboard today. It is heavier And a bit more like a laptop feel to it..... BUT WOW!! It‘s incredible to be able to type a sentence and not have the keyboard stop working midstream!! I kept both malfunctioning APPLE keyboards in my desk. I remain hopeful that maybe APPLE admits to a problem and maybe I get a refund or a credit towards soemthing someday. Bit it feels good to own a non-apple product for once. And I think that feeling is going to get better and easier with every other non-apple purchase going forward.

It’s the iPad itself. I’ve got the same problem with the Apple Smart keyboard as well as the Logitech Smart Keyboard. I get the message this accessory is not supported, the keyboard won’t type, and the iPad won’t charge when the keyboard is connected. I also get an intermittent charging chime even when it’s not charging. I’m going to Apple in the morning and I’m going to demand they replace this garbage product.

I made a discovery. I have the Apple Smart Keyboard and one by Logitech that also uses the Smart Connector. When I got out the Logitech, the problem disappeared. My Apple keyboard would increasingly fail to get recognized by the iPad, and the software keyboard would pop up. It also caused the charging chime to occur at random times when it was attached to the iPad and the iPad was closed. Also, it occasionally would show the message that this accessory is not supported. The Apple Smart Keyboard had failed after a year.

Unfortunately it seems to be a very common problem, but no solution from Apple - or even acknowledgement of the problem. My wife and daughter have iPad Pro’s, and I have said they shouldn’t waste money on the Apple keyboard.

Someone recommended I email Tim Cook. I laughed about it and decided that if something was happening in my business that I didn't know about or was costing me business, I'd like an 'anonymous' email to investigate. I have heard nothing back. As everyone knows, I have ditched my apple keyboard and am using the Logitech which I am enjoying with no issues for 2 weeks. I also was looking at Samsung tablets this week and was really impressed with it. I think I need to remove myself from this thread.... I literally am getting 6-7 new mails per day on someone else having a problem with the keyboard. Imagine what the real # is and why Apple wouldn't solve it with all that CASH!