Smart Keyboard not working since ios11.

I've been having the same issue since I got the new iPad and smart keyboard Christmas Day. I tried all of the so called simple fixes that you find on YouTube and such but none of them were working. Since I was off work for a week I ended up taking it the the Apple Store. They tried to be helpful but all they could do was look up threads like this and offered no solution. First time they simply gave me a new keyboard and it worked for part of the day. Then it stopped all together working. Second time they ended up giving me a new iPad with 10.2 version of iOS. It's been working since then. I'm hoping to hold out until Apple sends out a bug fix because I really do like the keyboard not holding my breath. I would like to upgrad to iOS 11 I did like some of the features on my first ipad but again not holding my breath.

Today I went to an apple store and bought a Logitech Slim Combo for the iPad 12.9. I then delivered the Smart Keyboard purchased in March 2017. They kept it for "repair". As soon as I get it, I'll sell it. They have seen in store how the Logitech ran the first time and Apple failed on the second attempt.

I am on my 4th keyboard, second iPad and second reinstall of software and STILL, walking out of apple with the latest keyboard last night, STILL have this issue. I am narrowing it down to the SWITCH IN WIFI. It may register when i go somewhere new but then stops as i’m Trying to connect to the WiFi.

This new one worked in the store but i was hooked up to apple WiFi, which they also had me working once i went through NOTES, an apple program, after it not working all day. The issue finally happened (stopped working) when in front of the Genius Bar guy, on a hunch, i turned off the WiFi and then he saw the problem but could not find a solution online so he gave me another keyboard, which, upon going to a coffee shop and signing in, did not work AGAIN. I finally had the bluetooth options run through, thinking it needed to connect WiFi AND Bluetooth (give it a minute) and then play around with “notes” and such and bam, it’s working again.

I don’t trust this and will see how the week goes but this is something to do with registering wifi along with the Bluetooth, back and forth from place to place i have this problem. Apple...after all these keyboards and new iPads, i cannot see the issue being fixed. I’m SO sad.

Hi all

Hope you’ve been able to find a workaround for this issue.

If the smart keyboard isn’t recognized in the typing mode, keep the iPad in the typing position and swipe down in the home screen to bring down the virtual keyboard (spotlight search). Now hold the iPad on its right side by holding on the bezel area near the home button and give a rigorous wiggle back and forth with the keyboard connected and in the typing position. You might get the typical connection sound sometimes and at times the error message that the keyboard is not supported. After a while the virtual keyboard will minimize itself and the smart keyboard starts to be recognized.

This has always worked for me. Someone else had also suggested this in another forum. Apparently the connections beneath the felt lining on the smart keyboard are causing this and it isn’t a software issue.

I had this issue in ios 10 too and this is the second replacement keyboard that’s having this issue.

I’m now thinking that this may be a software issue rather than hardware.

I use the iPad with and without the keyboard attached. I’ve noticed that when using it without the keyboard, for example in Messages.app, sometimes when touching a word in the Predictive Text tabs, it makes the software keyboard close. Huh??

There is no touch available in the area of these Predictive Word tabs, that should be able to close the software keyboard.

(This has happened when there has been several lines of text in a message that is being written).

Some of us definitely have a software issue. You cannot conclude that because YOUR error is a hardware error, that everybody else has the same problem. That is a logical error. There is most likely at least two issues with the iPad keyboard.

In my case I have two separate iPad Pros + keyboards that behaved perfectly until iOS 11 was installed. Neither has a hardware issue.

I'm as near to certain as I can be that while some people naturally have hardware issues, the main problem here is a software issue.

In the case of my iPads I even get error messages warning me that I have an incompatible third party device... i.e.: the iPad thinks the smart keyboard is another vendors product. While this could be a hardware problem I find it near to inconceivable that this could have happened to two of my iPad Pros simultaneously. This smacks far more of a software/firmware issue that is causing the keyboard to be mis recognised.

I’d like to raise another issue, possibly related, which I’ve been experiencing for the last couple of days.

Is anyone, who has more than one keyboard available via the ‘Globe’ key (bottom-left) had their chosen keyboard switch to another one ... e.g. qwerty to azerty?

I’ve been using my new iPad Pro 12.9 (A LOT) since christmas day, without this ever happening, but suddenly in the last 2 days, I’ve been experiencing this. It’s very annoying.

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! 🙂

My Smart Keyboard doesn’t pair with my iPad Pro using Bluetooth. It connects via the hardware connector on the iPad Pro. There is no pairing process. It just connects and is held in place by magnets. Its unclear to me what Bluetooth has to do with Smart Keyboards.

After putting up with a Smart Keyboard that worked only half the time mine finally conked out (ie accessory not supported was coming up on my iPad screen every 10 seconds) and I finally hauled myself to the Genius Bar, which I should’ve done ages ago as it turns out that Apple is aware of a fault with these keyboards and have extended the warranty on them to three years. So I was given a replacement keyboard (which probably won’t last that long either). Just look up “Apple Smart Keyboard” and “fault” online for more info.

The 3 year warranty is old news and does not address the current issue which began with iOS 11. My Smart Keyboard has been replaced twice under warranty. The latest one is one month old. I don't get the "unsupported" mesage but it still doesn't activate unless I keep rocking it back and forth. Eventually it starts working. I'm starting to call it the Rockin' Keyboard.

I’ve done this too and it works...SOMETIMES.

Apple is aware of the the issue. For me it starts when i log into another WiFi. Intermittantly, nothing works 100% to restore it. I have apple techs working on it and they say they know about it, looking for consistencies still with how and why this happens (on my 4th keyboard and 2nd iPad). SO do what works then do something else but make your voice known with them so you can get on that list to be fixed or get new revised edition.

I know I already mentioned this but when I went to the Apple store the second time and they swaped out my ipad for a new one it was running ios 10.2 and my keyboard has been working ever since. I do miss some of the features of iOS 11 but I'm still holding out for an update with a bug fix. So I agree it's iOS 11 that's causing the issues.

I’ve had the same issue but found that by holding the iPad slightly forward of the type position it would work fine, i.e i’m typing now with iPad 1cm forward from the resting “type” position. As soon as i let the iPad go to full type position its defaults to screen keyboard. Hard to think that’s a hardware issue....