Some Charging Accessories Not Working With iPad Pro Magic Keyboard

Some USB-C power adapters and cables appear to be unable to charge the iPad Pro through the Magic Keyboard, according to multiple complaints from MacRumors readers.

ipadpronotcharging

‌iPad Pro‌ with Magic Keyboard displaying "Not Charging" in the status bar, via MR reader Hallstar

Several new Magic Keyboard owners have noticed that there are issues with the passthrough charging, which can refuse to charge when using a third-party cable or power adapter. From the forums:

Has anyone with the new MK experienced any issues in using the pass-through charging port?

I have tried three different USB-C cables and all result in 'Not Charging' being displayed next to the battery icon (See picture).

I have been on the phone to Apple Support for the last hour trying to explain this to them, it would appear to be a hardware issue and they are arranging collection of this one and dispatching a replacement upon receipt of the faulty unit.

MacRumors can confirm that we've been unable to charge the ‌iPad Pro‌ using Anker's PowerPort Atom and Apple's official USB-C cable. When attempting to charge through the Magic Keyboard's port using this accessory, the iPad refuses to charge and makes the charging sound every few seconds.

Other forum members have reported being unable to use Anker power adapters and charging cables, as well as charging cables from companies like Mophie.

Still other Magic Keyboard owners have had no issues with their third-party cables, so it appears to be an issue that's only affecting some power adapters and third-party cable options.

It's not clear if this is an issue on Apple's end or on the end of the hardware manufacturers who created the cables and power adapters, so more investigation will be needed to figure out what's going on. We've contacted Anker for more information and will update this article when we hear back.

Magic Keyboard owners who want to charge using the USB-C port on the accessory may need to purchase Apple's official charging cables and power adapters to ensure proper charging. At least one forum member was told by Apple's support staff that an Apple USB-C cable is required.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Neutral)

Popular Stories

General Black Friday Deals 24 Green Tinsel

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now: AirPods, iPads, and More

Friday November 22, 2024 5:28 am PST by
Black Friday 2024 is less than one week away, and as always the next few days will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals. Right now, this includes big savings on popular Apple products like AirPods, Apple Watch, MacBook Air, iPad, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small...
anker new xmas 1

Anker Kicks Off Massive Black Friday Sale With Up to 50% Off Sitewide, Free Gifts With Purchase, Mystery Boxes, and More

Thursday November 21, 2024 7:53 am PST by
Anker today kicked off its big Black Friday sale, which is set to run through December 9. This sale includes notable discounts on portable chargers, USB-C hubs, cables, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. There are a few bonus offers during this event as ...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
Apple 2024 Black Friday Shopping Event feature

Apple Announces 2024 Black Friday Event, Offering Up to $200 Gift Card

Thursday November 21, 2024 5:10 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 29 through Monday, December 2 in many countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.K., and others. During the event, customers can get an Apple gift card with the purchase of an eligible product. In the U.S., for instance, Apple is including gift ...
silo tv show apple tv plus

Apple TV+ Releasing Next Week's 'Silo' Episode Early

Friday November 22, 2024 7:25 am PST by
The next episode of Apple TV+'s award-winning sci-fi series "Silo" will be released early. Apple previously announced that new "Silo" episodes would be released on Fridays, but the third episode of the second season will instead be released on Wednesday, November 27. Apple has likely bumped up the date so that people can watch the episode during the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday,...
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock

iOS 19's First New Feature Has Leaked

Friday November 22, 2024 6:22 am PST by
iOS 19 is not expected to be announced until June 2025, but the software update's first major new feature has already leaked. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman this week reported that iOS 19 will introduce a "more conversational Siri" powered by "more advanced large language models." He said this upgrade will make Siri more like OpenAI's ChatGPT, allowing the assistant to "handle more sophisticated...
ipads early bf deals

7 Best Black Friday iPad Deals for 2024

Saturday November 23, 2024 1:44 pm PST by
We're less than one week away from Black Friday on November 29, and Best Buy and Amazon currently have all-time low prices across Apple's entire iPad lineup. This includes Apple's 9th and 10th generation iPad, iPad mini 7, iPad Air, and iPad Pro. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which...
beats snow

Black Friday Deals Hit Beats Headphones With Up to 52% Off

Thursday November 21, 2024 12:05 pm PST by
Beats is joining in on the Black Friday discount frenzy, with up to 52 percent off select headphones, earbuds, and speakers on Amazon. You'll find many of the same prices at other retailers like Best Buy as well. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. This sale...

Top Rated Comments

shamino Avatar
59 months ago
Keep in mind that the "Not Charging" indicator doesn't mean what the name implies. It doesn't mean that no power is flowing into the iPad. It means that the amount of current is low enough that it may not be able to keep up with the iPad's consumption.

I used to see this indicator all the time when my iPad is plugged into a standard (not high power) USB port on a computer - one that is limited to 500 mA (2.5W). And I've found that if I'm running high-powered apps, the battery will discharge. If I'm not - if it's either idle or running a low-power function, like installing a software update - the battery does charge. It charges slowly, but it does charge, as indicated by the battery indicator shown by iTunes.

In other words, this indicator should only be seen as an indicator that the power brick isn't providing enough current to charge the battery and operate normally at the same time, not that it isn't charging at all.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CausticSoda Avatar
59 months ago

I can’t say that I’ve had issues. Bit odd that it wouldn’t work with an official cable.
Not really. You probably need a dongle with that.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GLS Avatar
59 months ago
I'd like to think that Apple has a modest supply of third-party chargers and cables in their labs for testing purposes, including the ultra sketchy kind found in convenience stores, just to prepare for things like this.

Then again, I wouldn't be surprised at all if Apple never tested this keyboard with a third-party charger and/or cable.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
konqerror Avatar
59 months ago

No, but it's on Apple to stick to the spec. Even the thinnest cable should be able to trickle-charge the ipad.
The problem is drawing current through an underspec'ed cable or connector causes it to heat up and potentially catch on fire. There can also be issues like dirt or water contamination of the connectors.

Thus, there are real safety issues that make it a prudent choice to shut down and not attempt anything when something, like voltage drop, appears out-of-spec.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HiVolt Avatar
59 months ago

Hopefully it’s a bug and not a feature. Otherwise we are back to the MFI certification for all cables even though it’s usb c.
I wouldn't put it past Apple.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
decypher44 Avatar
59 months ago
Mine is working great! 2020 IPP 12.9.

Anker charger and cable:
PowerPort Atom PD1 30W
PowerLine III USB-C 60W PD cable
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)