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Years ago, the Apple Pencil was released alongside the first iPad Pro. Today, there are two different Apple Pencil models, called Apple Pencil and Apple Pencil 2, and every iPad, even the best iPads available, can use one of them. Therefore, the Apple Pencil has become a beloved tool in the hands of many iPad users, whether you want to draw, sketch, take notes, or use it to make more exact taps on your screen. The Apple Pencil or Apple Pencil 2 works the majority of the time. But if your Apple stylus isn’t responding in apps, isn’t showing up in the battery menu in Notification Center, or won’t turn on, we’ve got some quick fixes to get it working again.
Although the Apple Pencil is the best stylus you can use with your iPad, nothing is flawless, not even it. It’s possible that you’ve suddenly noticed that your pen strokes aren’t showing up on the screen while you’re sketching or taking notes. Why isn’t my Apple Pencil working, you whine. We’ve compiled a list of four potential causes for your Apple Pencil to have stopped functioning, along with the solutions you can try.
While some of these causes may be painfully obvious, others may not be. Thankfully, most Apple Pencil problems can be fixed without visiting the Genius Bar. The iPad Pro, in our opinion, is one of the top drawing tablets available. One of the numerous reasons why we believe this is the sublime experience of drawing with an Apple Pencil. So it’s imperative to get your Apple Pencil working again, and we can assist you with that.
Ways to fix Apple Pencil not working
Confirm Pencil Compatibility With iPad
The first and second generations of Apple Pencils are compatible with different iPad models, so attempting to use your new 2nd generation Apple Pencil with an iPad that you previously used with a 1st generation Apple Pencil won’t work.
Apple Pencil (1st generation) Compatible iPads
- iPad (6th and 7th generation)
- iPad Pro 9.7-inch
- iPad Pro 10.5-inch
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st or 2nd generations)
- iPad mini (5th generation)
- iPad Air (3rd generation)
Apple Pencil (2nd generation) Compatible iPads
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd and 4th generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch
Check the Battery
Your Apple Pencil’s battery needs to be charged in order for it to function. Do the following to check your iPad’s battery life and make sure your Pencil is charged:
- Check the battery status in the iPad widget view. The widget can be found in the Today view. Swipe to the right when looking at the Home screen, Lock screen, or “Notifications” to get to it.
- Locate the “Battery” widget. If you do not see the widget, configure the Pencil with Bluetooth and make sure “Battery” is selected to appear in Today View.
- You can also check the battery status by selecting Settings > Apple Pencil and looking for Charging at the top of the main screen.
- If the battery is showing 0%, the Pencil needs to be charged.
- Attach the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) to the side of the iPad with a magnet to charge it; Bluetooth must be turned on in order to charge the Apple Pencil 2.
- The Apple Pencil (1st generation) is charged by plugging it into the Lightning connector on the iPad or by using the USB power adapter supplied with the Apple Pencil.
- The Apple Pencil charges quickly, so if the battery was dead, it should be ready to use as soon as it is charged.
Bluetooth and Pencil Not Paired
Re-doing the Bluetooth pairing process may help your Apple Pencil issue if it’s not pairing with your iPad or the iPad has forgotten the pairing.
- Make sure the iPad is turned on, unlocked, and Bluetooth is enabled in Settings > Bluetooth. If the Apple Pencil is visible but not working, you may need to re-pair it.
- Tap the information icon (i in a circle) next to the Apple Pencil on the Bluetooth settings screen.
- Tap “Forget this device” on the screen that opens.
- Tap “Forget Device” to confirm that you want the iPad to forget the Pencil in the pop-up window.
- Place the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) along the side of the iPad and secure it with a magnet; for the Apple Pencil (1st generation), remove the Apple Pencil cap and insert it into the Lightning port on the iPad.
- A Bluetooth pairing request dialog may appear, in which case you may select “Pair” or if you have previously paired the Pencil, pairing may occur automatically. The paired Apple Pencil will appear in the “Settings” > “Bluetooth” screen.
Confirm Bluetooth Is Turned On
For the Apple Pencil to function, your iPad needs to have a Bluetooth connection. It’s likely that Bluetooth is disabled or needs to be reset if your Apple Pencil isn’t listed among the devices in the Battery widget or if there isn’t even a Battery widget. Do the following to verify:
- On the iPad, tap Settings.
- Tap Bluetooth; if Bluetooth is not turned on, tap the toggle switch to turn it on; if it is paired to your iPad, you should see the Apple Penci in the “My Devices” section.
- If Bluetooth does not turn on, or the spinning/loading icon appears, restart the iPad and try again.
Final Words
The Apple Pencil is a fantastic add-on that connects to iPads and functions flawlessly with a variety of apps, but occasionally it may stop working. The good news is that there are a few fixes for an Apple Pencil. Recall that Apple introduced the device’s first iteration in 2015, and the second iteration followed in 2018. Both of these are excellent for digital artists and creators because they have low latency, tilt sensitivity, and palm rejection.
The Apple Pencil (2nd generation) is compatible with the most recent iPad Pro, iPad Mini (6th generation), and iPad Air, while the Apple Pencil (1st generation) is only compatible with iPads released before 2018 and a few afterward, including the iPad Air (9th Gen) and iPad Mini (5th generation) (5th generation). The Apple Pencil is the only device that offers some features like touch gestures and inductive charging (2nd generation). We hope our article on “How to fix Apple Pencil not working” will surely help you to do so