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Why is my Apple Smart Keyboard constantly losing connectivity?

Less than a month ago I purchased an iPad Pro with an Apple Smart Keyboard at an Apple Store.


Now the keyboard is constantly losing connectivity, and the display on screen keyboard appears in its place.

At first an annoying restart would solve the problem, but now NO matter how many times I shut down, disconnect and restart, it will NOT recognize the keyboard.


I am painstaking typing this from the onscreen keyboard.


Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, this is driving me crazy.

iPad Pro, iOS 10.0.2, Smart Keyboard not working

Posted on Oct 7, 2016 5:31 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 8, 2016 5:11 PM

Hello Brideofrocknrol,


Thank you for using the Apple Support Communities. I know having an issue with your iPad Pro and Smart Keyboard is not what you expect. The good news is the following steps will be helpful in resolving your issue of the Smart Keyboard unexpectedly losing connectivity.


Get help

If your iPad Pro doesn't detect your Smart Keyboard or you see an "Accessory not supported" alert on your iPad Pro, make sure there's no debris or plastic covering on the Smart Connector pins on the keyboard or the Smart Connector on the iPad Pro. Also, try these steps:

  1. Make sure that your iPad Pro and Smart Keyboard are in the Type position.
  2. Remove the Smart Keyboard from your iPad Pro.
  3. Restart your iPad Pro.
  4. Reconnect the Smart Keyboard. If iOS asks if you want to update the Smart Keyboard, tap Update.

Use your Smart Keyboard with iPad Pro


Cheers!
7 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 8, 2016 5:11 PM in response to Brideofrocknrol

Hello Brideofrocknrol,


Thank you for using the Apple Support Communities. I know having an issue with your iPad Pro and Smart Keyboard is not what you expect. The good news is the following steps will be helpful in resolving your issue of the Smart Keyboard unexpectedly losing connectivity.


Get help

If your iPad Pro doesn't detect your Smart Keyboard or you see an "Accessory not supported" alert on your iPad Pro, make sure there's no debris or plastic covering on the Smart Connector pins on the keyboard or the Smart Connector on the iPad Pro. Also, try these steps:

  1. Make sure that your iPad Pro and Smart Keyboard are in the Type position.
  2. Remove the Smart Keyboard from your iPad Pro.
  3. Restart your iPad Pro.
  4. Reconnect the Smart Keyboard. If iOS asks if you want to update the Smart Keyboard, tap Update.

Use your Smart Keyboard with iPad Pro


Cheers!

Oct 20, 2017 8:25 AM in response to Brideofrocknrol

I have this problem too and it is extremely annoying... almost deal breaking. I bought my iPad Pro only 2-3 weeks ago. Sterling R’s reply is the standard reply from Apple, which several tech support people have already told me over the phone through Apple Care. Unfortunately it only temporarily works. My Smart Keyboard will connect only after powering the ipad off and on again, disconnect the keyboard etc. Then sometimes only minutes later, if I exit whatever app I am using the keyboard in and go to another app and back, the “Smart” Keyboard is gone again. It also happens if the iPad sleeps.


This means that dozens of times a day I have to power off and power on the iPad. This *****. I have replaced my keyboard at the local Apple Store at the suggestion of tech support, but the issue continues. It must either be an iPad or a software issue.

Dec 26, 2017 2:26 AM in response to sterling r

Sterling R, it should be clear to you from reading the original post that the OP has been doing exactly what you have recommended, so it is far from “good news” as you suggest.


The Smart Keyboard I used with my original 9.7-inch iPad Pro was working most of the time for almost a year but started to lose the connection frequently. Now, I have a brand-new 12.9-inch iPad Pro with a larger brand-new Smart Keyboard, which havw not yet even been squeezed into the computer bag with my MacBook Pro and other equipment. Yet, the new larger iPad Pro and new Smart Keyboard have worked fewer times in the past two days that I’ve owned them than they have actually worked. Your recommended solution does not solve the problem at all. It’s ridiculous that users would have to disconnect and reconnect the keyboard innumerable times a day and restart the iPad Pro 2 dozens of times per day just to get them to work. That’s absolutely ridiculous.


The truth is that either the hardware design or quality is faulty, or there is a bug in iOS, particularly the latest public beta versions of iOS 11. I can only hope it’s the latter, but I suspect the former.

Mar 14, 2018 8:48 AM in response to Brideofrocknrol

I have this issue as well. Started about one week after my purchase of the ipad and smart keyboard. I did the recommended fixes, which fixed temporarily. I took it back to apple store and asked about it. They tested both the ipad and the keyboard and decided it was the iPad itself that was the issue. They replaced the iPad and not the keyboard. I am having the same issue again. All software is up to date. All ports and connections are clean.


Apple: It seems like its not just me. Recommendations?

Why is my Apple Smart Keyboard constantly losing connectivity?

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