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 (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Monday October 27, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

8 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday October 30, 2025 4:42 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
macos tahoe

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for macOS Tahoe 26.1

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:21 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of macOS Tahoe 26.1, which means the update will likely see a public launch next week. The release candidate includes notes on what's in the update, so we have a full picture of the new features that Apple has included. macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds AutoMix support over AirPlay, improved FaceTime audio...
ipad mini 7 feature blue

OLED iPad Mini: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Wednesday October 29, 2025 7:13 am PDT by
Rumors are stoking excitement for the next-generation iPad mini that Apple is reportedly close to launching. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released over a year ago? Read on to find out. Processor and Performance Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Another Vehicle Brand Gaining iPhone Car Keys Support

Tuesday October 28, 2025 5:27 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to bring support for its digital car key feature to Jetour vehicles, according to evidence uncovered on Apple's backend by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. Introduced in 2022, Car Keys allows an iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock a vehicle through the Wallet app. A digital version of a car key is stored in Wallet, and unlocking can be done by holding an Apple Watch or...

Top Rated Comments

shamino Avatar
71 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
71 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
71 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
71 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
71 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
71 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)