Smart Keyboard not working since ios11.

TEMP SOLUTION:

Same happened to me. This is defininetly a software issue and came up when updated the IOS, but I think I found a work around until they fix it.

So every time I’m connecting at work I get the splash screen and the keyboard stops working after the screen login. Then what I do is:

1) Open an APP get it ready to type in,

2) Close the keyboard completely until the IPAD shuts off

3) Open the keyboard again and it works

Annoying, but works for me.

At one point I was disconnecting the key board and reconnecting it, then closing it and opening it again as described above and it worked fine too, but was too much pain, specially during the start of meetings, until I discovered the simple three steps above. I hope it works for all until Apple makes the fix.

Several others have mentioned this, but I’ll add to the list. For me it is entirely tied to WiFi and iOS 11.x. Both my Smart Keyboard and my external (Bluetooth) keyboard are doing this. As long as I am at home, I can use my iPad whenever I want, it will come out of sleep and work just fine. The minute I take it to work (or anywhere else where there is a splash-screen, public wifi) the keyboard stops working. As others have said, the keyboard IS being detected because the on-screen keyboard disappears, but entry from any key is not detected. Restarting the iPad, then rejoining the public (I.e., not my home) WiFi, makes everything work fine. Interestingly, if I leave that public place and return to my home WiFi, I never have this issue; it jumps back onto my home wifi perfectly and the either keyboard works fine. This is clearly tied to iOS 11.x and public WiFi spash-screen access. I have submitted several times now to Apple. Hoping a later revision of 11 fixes this.

The problem is rampant. I have 2 bad keyboards. I have just switched to the Logitech. Apple refuses to acknowledge or fix it. I say refuses because they know about it and have basically scripted responses to those of us trying to talk to them about it. Since its less than one year, they will replace it. However, the new keyboards (you already have one) are malfunctioning as well. Hence, I would ask for your money back and go with a different manufacturer. Logitech has been working great for me. Its a little bigger..... but that works for me and the keyboard has great options for volume control, TV, lighted keyboard, and screen brightness controls as well. I wish I bought it in the first place.

hi all. I actually thought this was a software. . Then I read one of the earlier posts which said they thought it was a connection issue. If you move your iPad a few millimeters to the left try to see if your keyboard works if it doesn’t try moving it a few millimeters to the right. This has worked for me every time now. Thus I think this is a manufacturing or specification failure issue.

Have you tried tilting the iPad forwards, then back to it's normal position? IOW, 'rocking' it in the keyboard?

Alternatively, lifting it away from the keyboard at one side, then letting it 'clunk' back together again, with the magnets?

Sometimes I find I have to rock it back and forth 3 or 4 times for the software keyboard to disappear and the Smart Keyboard to be recognised. (This makes it seem like a hardware issue, but I expect it could also be software).

This appears to work >>> At the start of your day, wipe off the three contacts on the iPad Pro and the three contacts on the Smart Keyboard. I have encountered far fewer disconnects after doing this.

Also, as a secondary measure, I bought a $15 “lap desk” on Amazon. Previously, I had the smart keyboard on my lap on a pillow so the three contacts may have been “flexing” and lost contact?

So I’m typing this on my replacement keyboard. It works!!!

OK ... early days, but so far I cannot get it to disconnect or otherwise loose its connection. I can slide the ensemble around on my desk and they stay connected. Previously they would disconnect almost instantly if they were moved around at all.

I note that the 3 pins (connectors) are pretty much perfectly parallel, unlike my faulty keyboard, where one of the pins at the side, was slightly lower than the others.

So it looks like there may well be two separate issues, software and hardware.

ian948,

Apple will send a replacement via courrier and you have to return the old one within 10 days, using the same box and enclosed courrier label. Support is Worldwide, so that should not be a problem. They will try to persuade you to go to an Apple Store, which is obviously preferable from both points of view, but in my case, an Apple store means half a day lost, as I live about 50 miles from the nearest. I used the Apple Support app, to chat with support. They will need your purchase ID/invoice number and/or serial number (hard to read, but it’s included on the Purchase Receipt).

I think in Italy, Apple have been forced to respect the EU 2 year warranty for electronic goods. If your keyboard is less than 2 years old and is faulty, then it should be replaced under guarantee .

Aside from that ...

Has anyone with this problem since iOS11, tried a System Reset?

(Go: Settings/General/Reset/Reset All Settings) This isn’t such a big deal. You may need to re-enter some passwords, e.g. WiFi.

That didn’t work but rebooting, signing into WiFi, powering off and rebooting AGAIN is what does it every time. The first reboot doesn’t hook up with WiFi but the second does and that’s when my 4th keyboard will behave.

There appears to be 2 issues. One is software, the other hardware. I suppose some people may have both.

I have a replacement keyboard, which has pretty much fixed the problem. However, I still have fairly frequent times when it is not connected correctly (much less than before). To reconnect, I rock the iPad forwards, then back to its normal position. I find that the on-screen software keyboard disappears and I can type normally.

Witht the replacement keyboard, the loss of connection mostly happens when I am sitting with the iPad/Keyboard on my knee. If I have it on a hard surface (table) then it is usually ok and if it isn’t, then one rock forward/back will fix it.

On my first keyboard, I noticed that the 3 connecting pins were not level. When I got the replacement, I noticed that these pins were level. They appear to have shifted a bit now, so that they are very very slightly uneven. (I‘m talking fractions).

After months of non working keyboards or sporadic smart keyboards working I finally got back to the USA - stopped at Apple Store ( Encantada Tucson ) and within 5 minutes they had issue diagnosed. Faulty iPad Pro gen 2 - luckily 79 days still in warranty so they replaced the iPad .

This store has always been the best when ever a apple problem cops up - so after all the keyboard hoopla it turned out to be a pad issue !!

Anyway finally resolved !

This worked for me. I did the CMD+Tab cycled through a few Apps and I am now using my keyboard again to type this comment.

Are the 3 connector pins on the keyboard perfectly level (equal height/length)?

Call Apple phone support. They replaced my keyboard which was no longer under warranty. I’m on day two and no error codes. They know about this issue.