Yes, the old Magic Keyboard works on the 2021 iPad Pro

Posted:
in iPad edited May 2021
Apple has updated the Magic Keyboard to work perfectly with the 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but can you get away with using the older model? In most cases, it shouldn't be a problem.

2020 Magic Keyboard


When Apple introduced the Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro range in 2020, it caught the imagination of many users wanting to shift over to an iPad-as-notebook setup. While it acted as a protective cover, the main party trick was to use magnets and a hinge to float the iPad above the keys.

With the introduction of the 2021 iPad Pro range, Apple has updated the accessory to fit the new 12.9-inch model perfectly. However, since this typically involves changes to how accessories are designed, this would usually require consumers to buy the updated version to match their new tablet.






In the case of the Magic Keyboard, which was priced at $349 for the 12.9-inch model at the initial launch, users who already own the first version aren't necessarily willing to pay another $349 for a second, but slightly different, keyboard for the latest iPad version.

To put the matter to bed, AppleInsider put together the 2020 and 2021 versions of both the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and the Magic Keyboard in different combinations, to see if there's going to be a problem.

What's the issue?

The 2021 version of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is practically the same dimensions as its 2020 counterpart. Both have the same 11.04-inch height and 8.46-inch width, and all of the ports and components are in the same locations with identical measurements.

However, the 2021 model uses a mini LED-blacklit display, which has caused Apple to make an ever so slight change to the design to make it thicker. The 2021 model is 6.4mm (0.25 inches) thick, while the 2020 version is 5.9mm (0.23 inches) in depth.

This half-millimeter difference is a sliver of material, which for the vast majority of cases and other accessories you can purchase, should not matter at all. The problem is that the Magic Keyboard is that awkward exception.

When closed, the Magic Keyboard is designed to be as close-fitting to the iPad as possible, to ensure as slim a profile as Apple can produce. This tight tolerance is down to such a small level that less than a millimeter in change can actually matter.

After initial reports discovered there were changes to the design that could make the new iPad Pro too thick to work with the older Magic Keyboard, Apple was quick to respond. The company stated on April 29 that the case would work, but it may not "precisely fit when closed."

Since the 11-inch iPad Pro is the same thickness, due to not using a mini LED backlight, the Magic Keyboard for that model doesn't have the same fit issues.

2020 iPad Pro in 2021 Magic Keyboard

Of the two combinations in question, the 2020 iPad Pro and 2021 Magic Keyboard is the pairing that should work perfectly fine out of the gate. Given the 2020 iPad Pro is half a millimeter slimmer than the 2021 Magic Keyboard is designed to work with, there shouldn't be a problem getting the two together.

The iPad fits as normal onto the Magic Keyboard, using the same magnets and spacing as the newer model, and it works just fine when open.

A gap appears when you put the 2020 iPad Pro into the 2021 Magic Keyboard
A gap appears when you put the 2020 iPad Pro into the 2021 Magic Keyboard


The important bit is when the Magic Keyboard is closed, and there is a visible difference. You can see a gap along the side between the iPad Pro and the cover, toward the spine of the keyboard.

There's a little bit of give in the Magic Keyboard's assembly, so it is possible to squeeze and minimize the gap when sliding it into a tightly-packed bag, for example, but it's certainly not a massive canyon of wasted space.

2021 iPad Pro in 2020 Magic Keyboard

Again, for the new iPad Pro and old Magic Keyboard combination, the two work fine with each other when open. This is entirely expected, and the main point of interest is when it is closed.

When closing the Magic Keyboard, there's no sign of rubbing or creaking, so there's no mechanical issues to be worried about here.

There's a slightly tight fit when you put the 2021 iPad Pro in the 2020 Magic Keyboard
There's a slightly tight fit when you put the 2021 iPad Pro in the 2020 Magic Keyboard


While the first combo certainly had a gap, this one doesn't have any spare space at all. It certainly appears quite tight as a fit, but not to a point where it doesn't fit at all, and certainly not to a degree where it could damage your iPad Pro.

It seems that Apple may have designed the original Magic Keyboard with a tiny bit of play, and that small amount of forgiving breathing room in the design is all consumed with the thicker tablet.

A tight fit, but fine

The story here is that Apple has made a version of the Magic Keyboard that will accept a marginally larger tablet than the previous iteration. Emphasis on "marginally larger."

There's nothing stopping you from putting the 2020 Magic Keyboard on the 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro. It will work fine, but it will be a little tight when it's all packed away.

Unless you have equipped the 12.9-inch iPad Pro with a particularly thick screen protector, you probably don't need to spend another $349 on a Magic Keyboard ($14 off with code APINSIDER at Adorama using this activation link). The one you've got will do the job.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11

    And why hasn't appleinsider retracted or corrected this? It's clearly inaccurate and the tantrum aspect just continues to not age well at all. 

    https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/04/23/apple-burns-early-adopters-loyal-customers-by-making-349-magic-keyboard-incompatible-with-2021-129-ipad-pro 


    edited May 2021
  • Reply 2 of 11
    dysamoriadysamoria Posts: 3,430member
    Thanks for the information. Now, delete or at least CLEARLY retract the prior article, as it made an absolute statement that the old keyboard wouldn’t work with the new iPad. But it does. Or are we supposed to fight over which article we want to believe in?
    uraharawatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 11
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,275member
    dysamoria said:
    Thanks for the information. Now, delete or at least CLEARLY retract the prior article, as it made an absolute statement that the old keyboard wouldn’t work with the new iPad. But it does. Or are we supposed to fight over which article we want to believe in?
    The previous article was based on confirmation directly from Apple's PR department. There is no reason I can think of that AI should retract something it didn't say, even though the article was based upon Apple's inaccurate information. At best, AI might want to consider putting an update at the beginning of the original article pointing to this article, but the person you're looking for a retraction from is "unnamed PR flack at Apple that gave out the information they had at the time, which proved to be inaccurate."
    bala1234muthuk_vanalingamnhughes
  • Reply 4 of 11
    caladaniancaladanian Posts: 380member
    Apple should have informed it’s customers better and in more detail. This is a repeating pattern (remember the battery degradation and how iOS reacts in making devices slightly slower to cut the tops and prevent the device from shutting off). When will Apple learn that informing the customers is paramount?
    nhughes
  • Reply 5 of 11
    caladaniancaladanian Posts: 380member
    In the end it turns out to be a non-issue. 
    nhugheswatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 11
    chasm said:
    dysamoria said:
    Thanks for the information. Now, delete or at least CLEARLY retract the prior article, as it made an absolute statement that the old keyboard wouldn’t work with the new iPad. But it does. Or are we supposed to fight over which article we want to believe in?
    The previous article was based on confirmation directly from Apple's PR department. There is no reason I can think of that AI should retract something it didn't say, even though the article was based upon Apple's inaccurate information. At best, AI might want to consider putting an update at the beginning of the original article pointing to this article, but the person you're looking for a retraction from is "unnamed PR flack at Apple that gave out the information they had at the time, which proved to be inaccurate."
    No, it doesn’t.  Here is a quote from AI, nothing about PR and nothing officially stated by Apple. At barest they got their information from some random person in the support organization that was breaking an NDA and clearly didn’t know what they were talking about. 

     “ The French site claims to have seen confirmation of these details via Apple Store documentation. Official sources within Apple support have now confirmed to AppleInsiderthat the information is correct.”
  • Reply 7 of 11
    Apple should have informed it’s customers better and in more detail. This is a repeating pattern (remember the battery degradation and how iOS reacts in making devices slightly slower to cut the tops and prevent the device from shutting off). When will Apple learn that informing the customers is paramount?
    Apple never said anything other than the old case would work, I’m not sure what else you expect them to do in this case. If people opt to believe poorly sourced AI articles and get themselves worked up over a non-issues then that is their decision. 
  • Reply 8 of 11
    chasm said:
    dysamoria said:
    Thanks for the information. Now, delete or at least CLEARLY retract the prior article, as it made an absolute statement that the old keyboard wouldn’t work with the new iPad. But it does. Or are we supposed to fight over which article we want to believe in?
    The previous article was based on confirmation directly from Apple's PR department. There is no reason I can think of that AI should retract something it didn't say, even though the article was based upon Apple's inaccurate information. At best, AI might want to consider putting an update at the beginning of the original article pointing to this article, but the person you're looking for a retraction from is "unnamed PR flack at Apple that gave out the information they had at the time, which proved to be inaccurate."
    Come on.  Is AI a museum?  It makes no sense to keep around too articles that say opposite things. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 11
    thedbathedba Posts: 762member
    Some doozies from that other thread.

    You mean "just lose more money"?  Can't sell my MK for what I paid, so I lose money there.  Then have to buy the new MK at full price.  
    It's bad enough paying the ridiculous prices for the iPad Pro.

    I’m considering the new maxed out 12.9 iPad and I have the 2018 maxed 12.9. But this little fact definitely made me put the purchase on hold. 

    Also agree with some others that I’d like Apple to explain why the 2020 Magic Keyboard does not work.

    This is wrong, just flat out wrong. Making the tablet thicker is no reason to make my MK incompatible. Now I gotta sell my 2020 model and MK and buy a tab S8 plus because Sammy would never do us like this. 

    Unfortunately decisions like this are causing Apple to burn through goodwill and loyalty built up over many many years. Over the 25 years I've been using Macs they built up quite a bit, but mine is dangerously close to empty.

    This is everything wrong with the normalization of laissez-faire capitalism, right here.



    While some of us were here saying, wait and see, the peanut gallery was getting ready to storm Cupertino. 

    edited May 2021 watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 11
    thttht Posts: 5,421member
    As has been said, if you use something like SwitchEasy's CoverBuddy and or a thick screen protector for 2021 iPP12.9 with a 2020 MK, it's going to be dicey. A thin screen protector by itself may be ok. I think the CoverBuddy just isn't going to work. They are somewhat iffy with the MK and 2018/2020 iPP models. It's a mostly works ok type of situation. The 2021 iPP12.9, doubtful.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 11
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member
    RIP the six pages of whiny comments on Neil Hughes' salty post.
    thedbawatto_cobra
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