Oliver Haslam·

Warning: The New 12.9-Inch iPad Pro Won’t Work With The Older Magic Keyboard

Anyone bagging themselves a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro following its refresh this week will also need to spend the $350 needed to get hold of a new Magic Keyboard, too. While many had assumed that the existing keyboard would work with the new tablet, that simply isn’t the case.

First spotted by iGeneration, the new iPad Pro is 0.5mm thicker, thanks in part to the use of the new mini-LED display.

That extra thickness means Apple had to change the keyboard cover, hence the new iteration. And additional expense for buyers.

While the 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro is broadly similar to the 2018 and 2020 models, the new tablet stands out on one point: it’s thicker, at precisely 0.5mm. It might not sound like much, but it’s enough for Apple to adjust its Magic Keyboard, the iPad Pro’s dedicated trackpad keyboard. And according to the documentation provided to the Apple Stores that we have been able to consult, the old Magic Keyboard is not compatible with the large iPad Pros of 2021.

It’s worth remembering that the new keyboard will at least work with the older iPad Pro, so keep that in mind. That’ll be scant consolation to anyone who has to add $350 to their new iPad Pro fund, though.

None of this affects the 11-inch iPad Pro, however. The new model has the same dimensions as the old one.

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