My Smart Keyboard Folio has been unresponsive for months. I was almost getting ready to trash it. Every time I folded it into position, the onscreen keyboard slid up as if a physical keyboard wasn’t connected at all.

It was attached though and I tried everything to get it to work:

  • Force-rebooting my iPad with the keyboard disconnected, then connecting it afterwards. Didn’t work.
  • Cleaning the contacts with alcohol and a clean cloth. Didn’t work.
  • Nudging it from the bottom left or right corner. Worked at first, then nothing.

The problem manifested over a few weeks, getting worse every day. I thought the ribbon cable had been damaged. Nothing I could do to fix it.

Then I tried bending the magnets that snap the keyboard into place. 🧲

I couldn’t believe it at first, but the problem was resolved instantly. After folding and unfolding it several times it still works. I’m actually typing this article on it.

The trick is to bend the magnets slightly towards where it connects with the iPad. Don’t overdo it, just curve them up a tiny bit. I can’t even see the difference on mine, but the effect is there.

A photo showing to bend the corners of the Smart Keyboard Folio upwards

So, if you’ve ruled out all software-related issues, you might want to give this a go. Let me know if you got yours working again too!

Note: I’m not responsible for any damage you cause to your keyboard. Be careful and use common sense.