Smart Keyboard not working since ios11.

I’m having the same exact issue. It seems to occur as soon as I log in to the public WiFi on the bus.

Instead of rebooting the iPad, I do a memory clear by holding the power button until I get the “swipe to shut down”, letting go of the power button then holding down the home button until the screen comes back to life. The keyboard then works fine.

But I’m tired of having to do this every time I need to use WiFi on the bus. I tried resetting the network settings but it didn’t help. This is clearly an iOS issue because it never happened prior to iOS 11.

This issue has to do with the splash login screen for public wifi and is software related. An easy fix for everytime this happens is to press Alt+Tab when you are in an app and Alt+Tab again to go back to the app. This will make your keyboard work again.

I do not think it is a software problem. After I fixed the keyboard as shown on the youtube video named “fix apple smart keyboard ulgen” the problem disappeared. When the narrow conductive strip starts going bad first the data signal starts getting weak and shows a pop up saying the device is not supported intemittently. When you are in an electronically noisy environment such as a hotspot, the RF noise makes the situation even worse than it would be at home or office.

Apple really needs to acknowledge this design problem.

They have sat on their ears for too long.

I am running iOS 11 on a 9.7 inch iPad Pro with no problems since the fix, but my keyboard is ugly as **** now.

I called in to Apple Support and spoke to a CSR in Ireland. His recommendation was to take it to an Apple Store. It seems like a waste of my time because physically my keyboard is unchanged and the connection appears perfect. I have had my keyboard over a year without issue until recently.

I have attempted to reboot with and without the keyboard connected and it sporadically helps. Within a day the problem reappears. So, rather than waste my time with a store visit I hope Apple reads all these complaints and solves the problem with an update to iOS.

I just recently went to the apple store, and they exchanged the keyboard. We couldn’t duplicate the problem at the store. We did try a different keyboard. They said they will exchange it but didn’t have any. However, I solved that, because there were a stack of boxed keyboards behind where we were standing, and they gave me one. But....when I got home, ..it again, lost contact between the keyboard and iPad Pro. I think you are correct in regards to a software issue, and I kept hoping as the new updates came in, that this would fix it. I think it’s a relational problem, either with the “WiFi” switching, or possibly the ”sleep function” of the hardware, and the way the software is responding to the hardware changes, i.e. sleep mode, or WiFi switching...it erroneously throws the keyboard offline, when either are interrupted, and not recognizing that glitch, fails to re-engage the keyboard.

Just read your post re: Starbucks, and will test tomorrow. This is the place I first go to in the day, and use the iPad, and you‘re right....no keyboard after agreeing to the Starbucks splash screen! Is that something in the secure router software at Starbucks, or a rogue response from iOS and the iPad? That’s going to be a pain in the....

I have also had the problem with the Smart Keyboard not working when I log in to my iPad Pro since upgrading to iOS 11. I found that booting with the smart keyboard in place is the first step required. Then start to shut down the iPad using the on-off switch. However, when prompted with the “slide to power off” query, hit “cancel” and then the Smart Keyboard will work.

Yes. Logitech makes at least two keyboards that connect to the Smart connector instead of Bluetooth. And they are backlit. I have the original one called the CREATE. A second one was released called the SLIM COMBO. Go to Logitech.com and search for "iPad Pro Keyboards." Some Apple Retail Stores carry them.

One caution. Lately my Logitech CREATE has been going to 'sleep' in the middle of typing. It 'wakes' after a few seconds which leads me to believe the problem is with iOS, not the Smart Keyboard itself.

Because of the Logitech starting to misbehave, I giving the brand new Apple Smart Keyboard another try. stopped working briefly a few minutes ago. I rocked it back and forth and it starting working again.

I encourage you all to send a note to Apple Feedback in the iPad section. And send them a link to this 10 page discussion. If you have Tim Cook's email, send him a 'greeting.' I saw a picture recently of him holding an iPad Pro but there was no keyboard attached. Maybe he is unaware of this issue. Time to bump it up the chain of command.

I had the same problem. you should try this: go to settings_bluetooth_select your keyboard_ and then press forget this device.

hold the power and home buttons for 10-15 secs until the apple logo appears

once it is turned back on try to pair your keyboard to your ipad like the first time you used it.

have a good day! 🙂

Revised edition of what? I'm on my third keyboard. The problem occurs when I first open the iPad to use the Smart Keyboard. Lately rocking the iPad Pro forward and backward makes the virtual keyboard disappear the the Smart Keyboard starts working. Once in a while that does not work so I disconnect, reconnect, rock forward, rock back. That usually takes care of it for the remaining time. I'm not going back to iOS 10. I'm currently running iOS 11.2.2. Apple needs to fix it and going back to iOS 10 is NOT a fix. And as for letting Apple know our feelings and thoughts, that is what this discussion site is for. They should be reading it. I've also reported the issue to the Apple Feedback site. And I suggested they read this discussion thread which is now up to 12 pages long.

I've already called Apple and had my keyboard replaced. It didn't fix the issue. I'm having the issue where connecting to public WiFi that uses a splash screen causes the keyboard to stop working. Sometimes doing a cmd t on right before the screen comes up will allow it to keep working, but that's hit or miss and most of the time only a full reboot of the iPad fixes it. I've had the issue on 2 different iPads and 2 different Smart Keyboards, and after 11.2.5, the same thing started happening with a Bluetooth Logitech Keys To Go keyboard as well.

I experience this same issue on low or public WiFi connections. Rebooting iPad fixes the problem, until the I lock the iPad. No issue when WiFi is off, or on a secured network. Happy to know that I don’t need to replace my keyboard. Hoping Apple comes up with solution quickly.

Sorry, guess that wasn't clear.

When you hit the command key and then the space bar, a new window or option pops up. Just cancel that (close the window or whatever) and that should free up your whackadoodle keyboard.

I think most of us have been to the store. It’s great your keyboard is fixed. I had 4 keyboards and 2 ipads later, and then the ‘command/spacebar” thing helped a ton....but now after upgrading to 11.2 i’m all fixed, halleluyah!

the workaround below works, i do have to execute a reboot every time i separate or close the ipad

This could be 10 times a day from meeting to meeting

Please help

Thank you! This works just fine. Of course, it’s still a bug that Apple has to address but I can live with this quick fix for now.