Apple launched its first generation writing and drawing stylus alongside its first iPad Pro tablet back in September 2015 since then the wireless Bluetooth stylus known as the Apple Pencil has been released as a second generation device back in 2018. Making it even easier to charge and use with a variety of Apple iPad tablets. If you have just purchased your very first and are wondering how to connect the Apple Pencil to your iPad this quick guide will take you through the process.
Once an Apple Pencil has been paired with your iPad, it will stay paired until you restart your iPad, enter Airplane mode or pair it with another iPad. Now whenever you touch the screen of your iPad with your Pencil, you will be able to sketch, write and draw with precision and ease. If sometimes your Pencil does not work, it is always worth checking that it is charged as the battery in the first generation Pencil when not used can become flat in just a few days.
If you are experiencing problems, connecting your Pencil it might be worth restarting your iPad and then trying the connection process once again. It is also worth checking that you have Bluetooth enabled on your iPad by going to Settings > Bluetooth.
To remove an Apple Pencil from your iPad, simply go to My Devices and tap the information button and then select “Forget this Device” to remove the stylus from your tablet settings. Now repeat the connection process to see if that are solved your issues.
Connect Apple Pencil to iPad
2nd generation Pencil
As of writing this article there are currently two different generations of Apple pencil available to connect a 2nd generation Apple Pencil to your iPad follow the instructions below :
1. Simply attach the flat side of the Apple Pencil to the top edge of your iPad. The top edge of your iPad is the side which has the to side-by-side buttons that control the volume.
2. Once the Pencil is connected to the edge of your iPad you will see it an image of it appear on your iPad screen together with its battery charge percentage.
3. Your Apple pencil is now connected to your iPad
1st Generation Pencil
To connect a 1st generation Apple pencil to your iPad follow the instructions below :
1. Remove the lid from the top of your Pencil to reveal the Lightning connector
2. Insert the Lightning connector into the charging port of your iPad
3. A Pair button will appear which you will need to tap
Charging your Apple Pencil
If you own a second generation Apple Pencil, the wireless stylus can be charged by simply attaching it to the top edge of your iPad. If you own a first-generation Apple stylus, you will need to remove the end cap and slot it into the Lightning port of your iPad leaving it protruding from your tablet. Although now there are more convenient ways of charging a first-generation Pencil in the form of desktop stands. That allow you to charge your Pencil when not in use allowing you to use your tablet a little easier and making your Pencil always available and fully charged when those thoughts or ideas need to be written or sketched.
Troubleshooting
If you are still experiencing problems when connecting an Apple Pencil to an iPad the first thing to check is that your stylus and tablet are compatible. To identify your iPad model look on the back of your iPad or you can open the Settings application on your tablet and go to General and then tap About. Here will be listed the model number in the top section. If you see a reference with a / in it simply tap this part number to reveal the model number, which has a letter followed by four numbers and no slash for example, A2342.
The Apple Pencil 2nd generation stylus can be used with the following iPad tablets :
– iPad mini (6th generation)
– iPad Air (4th generation and later)
– iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later)
– iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later)
The Apple Pencil 1st generation stylus can be used with the following iPad tablets :
– iPad mini (5th generation)
– iPad (6th generation and later)
– iPad Air (3rd generation)
– iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st and 2nd generation)
– iPad Pro 10.5-inch
– iPad Pro 9.7-inch
If you are still experiencing issues when trying to connect your Apple pencil to your iPad tablet it might be worth reaching out to the Apple support team for more help this can be done by either visiting the official Apple support website or booking a slot to see an Apple Genius support technician face-to-face.
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