As a creative person, the Apple Pencil is a handy accessory that you can use to your heart’s content on your iPad. The first generation has some shortcomings, but Apple has solved that with the Apple Pencil 2 or later.
This way, you can magnetically attach the second generation Pencil, Apple Pencil with USB-C and Apple Pencil Pro to your iPad so that it doesn’t just lie around. But there’s more, the Pencil can be paired and charged via this magnetic connection. This way, the smart pen will always be charged and ready to use. Please note that the iPad model determines which Apple Pencil you can use.
Apple Pencil Compatibility
At the time of writing, Apple has four Apple Pencil models in circulation: the first generation, the Apple Pencil second generation, Apple Pencil (USB-C), and the Apple Pencil Pro. In this support document from Apple you can check the support for the Apple Pencil.
Pair and charge Apple Pencil
Before you can pair the smart accessory with your iPad, you first need to make sure that Bluetooth is enabled via Settings â–¸ Bluetooth. Then follow the steps below.
- Apple Pencil 2 and Apple Pencil Pro: On the iPad you will see a small stripe in the housing on the side, this is the coupling and charging point for the Pencil. Place the Pencil with the flat side on this.
- Apple Pencil with USB-C: Pull the back of the Pencil to access the USB-C port, then use the USB-C cable and plug it into the iPad.
- Apple Pencil first generation: Remove the protective cap from the back of the Pencil and insert the lightning port into the iPad.
A pop-up window will appear on the screen with a message that an Apple Pencil has been found. Do you want to pair it? Then tap ‘Pair’ or ‘Connect’. You can also charge the Apple Pencil 2 and Pro this way.
Using Apple Pencil
Once you have paired the Pencil, you can use it. Pick up the Pencil and it immediately works with the iPad and you can use the smart pencil for various purposes. Think of drawing in the Notes app or other creative apps. When you are done, you can reattach the Pencil to the iPad.
Using Apple Pencil on other iPads
Because the Pencil 2 and Pro are so easy to pair, you can also use them more easily on other iPads. This means that you can quickly switch by magnetically pairing the Pencil to someone else’s iPad. Attach the Pencil magnetically to the iPad, the first time you have to connect traditionally, the second time you will see a small pop-up message with the message ‘Tap to connect’. This way you can easily and quickly switch between iPads without any hassle.
Tap to wake up
When you have not attached the Apple Pencil (2 or Pro) to the iPad and the battery is still sufficiently charged, the Pencil will go into sleep mode. You can then wake it up by tapping the flat side of the Pencil at the bottom.
Double tap on Pencil to change
The Apple Pencil 2nd generation supports tap gestures. This means that you can double-tap the Pencil to switch tools and other options. In the standard note application, you can switch from drawing tool to eraser by double-tapping the smart pen. The Apple Pencil Pro itself allows you to use a pinch gesture for additional functions.
You can change the tap and pinch via Settings â–¸ Apple Pencil. These settings only apply to Apple apps. Some third-party apps allow you to change the double tap, check the app’s settings or ask the developer.
More tips for the Apple Pencil
Get more out of your Apple Pencil with the tips below, such as how to easily find out whether the Pencil is sufficiently charged and how to unlock additional options.
- Check the Apple Pencil battery level
- Add Markups Instantly Using Apple Pencil
- Trick to get the most out of the Apple Pencil on an iPad
- Handwriting recognition and writing with the Apple Pencil
- Using Smart Annotations in Pages on iPad
- Squeeze the Apple Pencil Pro for additional features and capabilities
- Find Apple Pencil Pro using the Find My app and Bluetooth