The first Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro orders arriving to customers, and some are wondering what sort of protection options are available for the pricey new accessory. One little known detail is that AppleCare+ coverage for your iPad Pro also extends to your Magic Keyboard.

The Magic Keyboard is Apple’s priciest iPad keyboard accessory yet, starting at $299 for the 11-inch iPad Pro and $349 for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Therefore, it makes sense that you’d want long-term protection for the accessory.

On its AppleCare explanation page, Apple writes:

What this means is that if you damage your Magic Keyboard, you can have it replaced under your iPad Pro’s AppleCare+ policy for a service fee of $29. This policy has been in effect for years, but MacMagazine first connected it to the Magic Keyboard earlier today.

But unfortunately, you must add AppleCare+ to your iPad Pro within 60 days of the original purchase. This is a non-issue if you just purchased the new 2020 iPad Pro, but the Magic Keyboard is also backward compatible with the 2018 iPad Pro.

So if you bought a new Magic Keyboard for your existing 2018 iPad Pro, and you didn’t already have AppleCare+ for the iPad, there’s no way to add it once you’re past that 60-day window. Perhaps Apple will eventually offer a way to buy AppleCare just for a Magic Keyboard, but for now, this is the only solution.

To recap:

  • AppleCare+ for iPad Pro protects the iPad Pro, Smart Keyboard, Magic Keyboard, and/or Apple Pencil
  • Coverage must be added within 60 days of the iPad Pro’s purchase date
  • $49 service fee for the iPad Pro
  • $29 service fee for Apple Pencil, Smart Keyboard, and Magic Keyboard

AppleCare+ for the iPad Pro costs $129 for two years of coverage, but you can also pay $5.99 per month for coverage. Learn more about how to add AppleCare to your iPad in our full guide right here.

People have differing opinions on whether or not AppleCare+ is worth it. With the iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard, however, I think it’s a different argument. At the lowest-end configuration, the iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard bundle sets you back just under $1,100 — that’s a steep investment and a setup that you’ll likely keep for at least two years.

Paying $129 — or $5.99 per month — for AppleCare+ coverage on your entire iPad Pro setup seems like a smart decision. This is especially true if you know that you’ll (eventually) travel with your iPad Pro and really put it through the elements.

What do you think? Is AppleCare+ worth it for protecting your iPad Pro, Magic Keyboard, and Apple Pencil? Let us know down in the comments!

Read more: 

  • How to add AppleCare to your iPad after purchase
  • AppleCare+ monthly plans switch to subscription model
  • 12.9-inch iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard weighs more than a 13-inch MacBook Air