Apple

How to Fix an Apple Pencil That’s Not Working

Published

3 years ago

Apple derives a significant deal of satisfaction from manufacturing peripherals that “just work” and do not require the user to modify any settings or navigate a complicated button layout in order to function properly.

Because of this, when one of these devices, such as your Apple Pencil, stops functioning properly, it may be an exceedingly frustrating experience for the user. Thankfully, the answers to these issues may nearly always be found in plain sight.

How to Fix an Apple Pencil that’s not working

Charge it

It’s possible that the batteries in your Apple Pencil have simply ran out of power, despite the fact that that explanation doesn’t make any sense.

After you have attached your Apple Pencil to the charger and kept it in that position for at least an hour, you should allow it to charge for at least that amount of time. You really ought to give that another shot once you’ve finished doing what you were doing. If this does not work, you should try charging it with an alternative charging source, such as a separate iPad. If that does not work, try charging it with a computer.

Reset its connection

If an iPad and an Apple Pencil aren’t properly paired, the Apple Pencil won’t work with the iPad. There is a possibility that the connection is broken in an Apple Pencil that is no longer functioning properly.

First, remove it from your iPad’s Bluetooth pairing list.

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPad and select Bluetooth from the menu on the left sidebar.

2. If you see Apple Pencil listed below My Devices, hit the I icon that is located to the right of its name. Continue on with the pairing process if you do not notice your Apple Pencil in this section.

3. Tap Forget This Device.

Now, let’s pair it to the iPad again.

To connect a 1st Generation Apple Pencil, plug it into your iPad’s charging port and then tap Pair when it appears on the screen.
To connect a 2nd Generation Apple Pencil, latch it onto the side of your iPad and then tap Pair if it appears on the screen.

Now try using your Apple Pencil again.

Make sure your Pencil and iPad are compatible

Not every Apple Pencil is compatible with every iPad model. If you do not have gadgets that are compatible with one another, then you will never be able to use them together.

The 1st Generation Apple Pencil works with:

iPad Pro 12.9-inch (first and second generations, released in 2015 and 2017)
iPad Pro 9.7-inch (released in 2016)
iPad Pro 10.5-inch (released in 2017)
iPad (sixth generation, released in 2018)
iPad (seventh generation, released in 2019)
iPad Air (third generation, released in 2019)
iPad mini (fifth generation, released in 2019)
iPad (eighth generation, released in 2020)

The 2nd Generation Apple Pencil works with:

iPad Pro 11-inch (first, second, and third generations; released in 2018, 2020, and 2021)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (third, fourth, and fifth generations; released in 2018, 2020, and 2021)
iPad Air (fourth generation, released in 2020)

Check read our post on discovering and recognizing your iPad’s model number if you are unsure which iPad you own and want to learn how to find it.

Contact Apple

If none of the other troubleshooting steps work, the problem may lie within the Apple Pencil’s internal hardware. In this scenario, you won’t be able to get by without consulting an expert. You can call Apple or bring your gadgets into an Apple Store to have them looked at. They ought to be able to lend a hand to you in that regard.