iPad Pro Keyboard "This accessory is not supported by this device"

Update 2 - I write this update on my new iPad Pro Smart Keyboard having had it replaced at the Apple Store. Took the replacement out of the box and connected it and instantly worked. To me, this suggests the issue is with the Smart Keyboard.

If there is any change here, I will update.

The shorting problem was the source of my problem. This became clear to me when I looked at my iPad and noticed that there were 2 additional “wear” points on the contact edge showing unexpected metal contacts between the keyboard and iPad. I fixed it by using scotch tape strips on the on the keyboard connector.

Hi everyone. I had this problem for a couple of months and thought it would go away with the next up date but it did not.

Coming to this forum I saw someone wrote that the channel and contacts got dirty and when they cleaned it, it helped.

So I cleaned mine and nothing. So then thought it’s over 2 years old what do I have to lose trying something and Eureka!

I’m a musician and have a lot of equipment so I always keep a spray called DeoxIt D5 for cleaning internal parts. It can be gotten from BestBuy or any audio service store. Don’t know if you ever heard about it but this spray works wonders for cleaning electrical contacts and things. Long story shorter I sprayed some on the 3 keyboard contacts not the iPad Pro, blotted the excess spray just to exlpediate drying time, got a call that lasted 3mins and when I got off the call I had my keyboard back as good as new. So the first thing I typed was this info. If you find any typo’s, it not that the DeoxIT D5 didn’t work, I’m a good musician but terrible typist lol. The fix was very quick and easy. The gentleman is right “ Dirty Contacts” but I found no magnets needed just this spray. My iPad Pro is over 2 years old and this worked wonders for me If Apple isn’t going to help and the keyboard is out of warranty, we have nothing to lose by trying this and this spray is not harmful for electronics. I’ve used it on things costing thousands of dollars honestly. I hope it works just as easy for you. Ask the people at BestBuy about this spray. The spray is not very expensive just so great to have for theses kinds of problems. Keep some around. Good luck with your fix.

I am the Director of Technology for a private school. We have 54 iPad Pro 12.9" iPads with Smart Keyboards deployed. We gave them out in February of 2016. By the end of the school year (May 2016), we had 4 or 5 students who were getting the "This accessory is not supported by this device" message. Sometimes a hard restart did the trick. Often times, it did not.

We did find that swapping keyboards, many times, would work. What I mean is, two students would come in with the message. We would swap the two keyboards and the message would go away on both iPads.

Sometimes, that did not work and we had to swap them a brand new keyboard.

Fast forward to this school year we have had 12 smart keyboard issues. We found that many of the keyboards that were giving the "This accessory is not supported by this device" message finally stopped working on ay iPad. I currently have 7 smart keyboards that no longer work. I had another student come in this afternoon with the "This accessory is not supported by this device" message.

I really do not think it is software related. I think it is hardware related, probably related to the Smart Connector.

I am in the midst of contacting Apple to see how to deal with the issue.

Bill

This worked for me! A small addition for those who have the same problem and happen to own an Apple Watch: you can use the Watch charging cable magnet for this. Worked perfectly, I rubbed it from left to right on both sides of the keyboard. My iPad Pro 12.9 (2018) instantly recognizes my Smart Keyboard Folio again.

The problem has to be hardware-related. If I keep the keyboard on my 9.7" pro folded back after a month or two I get the same error. Swapped the keyboard and the problem disappeared.

Apple clearly either didn't intent for the keyboard to nearly always be kept folded behind the iPad or didn't do enough testing.

Before springing for a new (non-Apple) keyboard, I made an appointment at the local Apple store and brought the iPad and keyboard in. This was pre-lockdown, of course; I just thought I'd post the resolution I got here.

They replaced the keyboard for free. It was not still under warranty, but it had not been out for all that long either. If/when this one goes, I'll probably switch to logitech.

Typing this on my Smart Keyboard. Finally. I have an iPad Pro 12.9” (2nd Generation) and I only discovered the keyboard stopped working yesterday. I spent lot’s of time reading and watching videos until finally stumbling across the post from iPodge. Unbelievable.

I have this working but WITHOUT magnets. I should qualify by saying the magnetic switch is undoubtedly the underlying cause.

I didn’t have a magnet to hand so played about hovering the iPad above the guttering, just shy of actually being fully seated. To my amazement it detected the Smart Keyboard and it started working. I found it promptly disconnected once I let go and allowed it to fully “snap” into the guttering.

So, I grabbed an old plastic points card you get from supermarkets and once I got it to recognise the keyboard doing my hover trick, I shoved the plastic card beneath (above keys 6-9) and let go. It still works!!! Not sure why 😂

Happy this is working. I’ll get a magnet soon but hope this helps. I am appalled at how this has screwed up having paid a small fortune for this Apple accessory. It’s had little usage in the past 3/4 years so it certainly hasn’t worn out. I was fearing having to buy another keyboard case, but my iPad Pro is now considered old so many “alternatives” don’t support it. So that spurred me on to get this fixed.

Thank you iPodge!

I had all all this nonsense with my iPad Pro and its keyboard after about a years use. Seems the thing that activates the keyboard is a small reed switch (I am guessing) in the guttering just above the keyboard. When you snap the keyboard together ready for typing a magnet on the oposing face triggers the switch. Try it out! With the keyboard attached but not in the support guttering get a small magnet and rub it just above the 1 and 2 keys on the keyboard. If you are in an application that is waiting for input the onscreen keyboard will dissapear meaning that the physical keyboard is ready for typing.

What is clearly happening is that the magnetic strength of the top part which fits in the guttering has lost flux. Get that magnet which you were playing about with just a moment ago and rub it on the top part of the keyboard which mates with the guttering. Magnet flux is restored and the final act of snapping the keyboard to typing position should activate the switch. Works for me! I used a neodymium magnet, BTW.

That works! My switch is around the 2-3 keys (9.7" iPad Pro, first gen) and works like a charm just by running a small neodymium magnet in the support gutter. Brilliant. Stack mags for the win! Actually, iPodge for the win! lol

I have had the exact same problem and it just kept getting worse. Not sure if this helps, but I'm typing this on my smart keyboard after it not working for a couple of days. What I did was go into Settings->General->Reset->Network settings. Of course, once you do that you have to put in all your wifi passwords again but...

So far, and it's only been about 30 mins, no messages. I'll update this link if I get the message again.

Thanks for this. I tried everything other than this and the keyboard worked then not. When cleaning the magnetized grooves I found that there was tiny residue on the cloth. It seems insignificant but after cleaning simply with a dry cloth, the keyboard is working.

I was having the same problem. I have just turned off and on again but with the keyboard in the typing position as it turned back on. Seems to have worked well. I can now use the keyboard in all the apps where before I could only use it in certain ones.

I am on my Fourth Folio keyboard replacement in two years and this is really not acceptable Apple should have addressed this properly as soon as they knew there was a serious flaw in the poor quality of this product as they are not a cheap item to purchase. If you are in the UK ,contact Apple and tell them of the problem you are experiencing and they should arrange for you to get a replacement. I am so fed up with these keyboards becoming faulty after a very short life i did ask to upgrade the last time i had my latest replacement {last month} however even though i was happy to pay the upgrade difference they would not allow me too and i had to take another Folio keyboard, it’s crazy! Don’t try any suggestions you read about {ie; rubbing a magnet across certain areas} as you shouldn’t have to do things like that, this is a ridiculous option.

Contact Apple today via customers services and complain and tell them how unhappy you are, i hope you get this sorted. The more people complain is the only way to make Apple wake up and see that we are not going to put up with a rubbish product for which the cost is high, it is not acceptable!

Thank you! I tried your remedy and carefully wiped down the connectors on the device and keyboard. My keyboard works fine now.