10 Best Fixes For Apple Pencil Won’t Connect To iPad Issue

Apple Pencil is an inseparable companion for your iPad. It is a boon for creators who make notes, scribble artwork, and much more. But if the apple pencil won’t connect to the iPad and act finicky sometimes. It is an exasperating situation to be in and lose all your productivity.

“Apple pencil won’t connect to iPad ” is a fairly common issue that troubles most iPad users. But don’t worry; it is fixable after identifying the root cause of the problem. We will discuss why your apple pencil won’t connect to the iPad. Moreover, you will learn the methods to fix the connectivity issue and get it working again.

Reasons Apple Pencil won’t connect to iPad 

Here are a few reasons for the connectivity issues of Apple Pencil with your iPad:

• Your Apple Pencil is incompatible with the version of the iPad you’re trying to connect to.
• The Apple Pencil doesn’t have any charge left in it.
• Your Apple Pencil’s tip is faulty or not affixed properly.
• You’ve disabled Bluetooth settings on your iPad.

10 Best Fixes for Apple Pencil won’t connect to iPad issue

1. Check Compatibility
2. Restart iPad
3. Confirm Bluetooth Is On
4. Pair Apple Pencil Correctly
5. Check Battery
6. Forget Apple Pencil
7. Disconnect Other Bluetooth Devices
8. Check Apple Pencil Tip
9. Charge Using Regular Charger
10. Reset Network Settings

1. Check Compatibility

The Apple Pencil has two variants: the first-gen and the second-gen. Both of them support connectivity with a limited number of iPad versions. So, it would help if you used a compatible Apple Pencil with your iPad. If you’re thinking of buying a new Apple Pencil, it is best to know which one is compatible with your iPad.

The first generation of Apple Pencil is compatible with:

• iPad (6th generation)
• iPad (7th generation)
• iPad (8th generation)
• iPad (9th generation)
• iPad mini (5th generation)
• iPad Air (3rd generation)
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st or 2nd generation)
• iPad Pro 10.5-inch
• iPad Pro 9.7-inch

The first generation of Apple Pencil is compatible with:

• iPad mini (6th generation)
• iPad Air (4th generation)
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later)
• iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later)

2. Restart iPad

Restarting devices to fix issues is a bewildering troubleshooting trick for electronic devices. Before jumping into other methods, you must try rebooting your Apple iPad. Rebooting the iPad will close all the background apps. But there is a catch here! It would help if you restarted your iPad while the Apple Pencil was connected to the iPad. 

To do this, connect the Apple Pencil( 1st gen) to the lightning connector on your iPad. For the 2nd gen Apple Pencil, you need to attach it to the side of your iPad magnetically. Now, restart your iPad by pressing and holding the power button. Remember that you will need to repair the Apple Pencil with your iPad.

3. Confirm Bluetooth Is On

Apple Pencil connects to the iPad via Bluetooth. Bluetooth may be turned off on your iPad if you face a connectivity issue. To check Bluetooth settings on your iPad, do as follows:

• Unlock your iPad and then go to settings.
• Please scroll down to find the Bluetooth settings and tap on them.
• In the new menu, check whether the Toggle is active or not.
• If not, enable the toggle to turn on the Bluetooth connection.

• You will see all the paired devices under the “My Devices” option.
• You can also try turning off the Bluetooth and then turning it on again. The iPad will connect to paired devices such as your Apple Pencil.

4. Pair Apple Pencil Correctly

You may be facing the apple pencil won’t connect to the iPad issue due to an incorrect pairing method. To use the Apple Pencil, you need to pair it with your iPad correctly.

• Unlock your iPad and then go to settings.
• Please scroll down to find the Bluetooth settings and tap on them.
• In the new menu, check whether the Toggle is active or not.
• If not, enable the toggle to turn on the Bluetooth connection.
• To pair the Apple Pencil, you need to connect it with the iPad.
• The 1st gen Apple Pencil needs to be connected via the lightning port. For the 2nd gen Apple, you need to attach it to the side of the iPad.
• Bluetooth will detect the Apple Pencil and prompt a pair request option. 
• Please tap on the Pair option to finish pairing it with your iPad.

5. Check Battery

A discharged Apple Pencil won’t connect to your iPad. If the battery levels stoop too low, you cannot use it until you recharge the Apple Pencil. To check the battery percentage on Apple Pencil, do as follows:

• Open the Settings on your iPad and scroll down to find the Apple Pencil option. 
• Tap the option to reveal the battery percentage of your Apple Pencil. It will be located next to the Apple Pencil label.
• If you see the battery percentage in grey color, hover the pencil on your iPad to see the current battery levels. 

Note: It is not connected if you don’t see the Apple Pencil option in the Settings app. You have to re-establish the connection first. After that, you need to charge the Apple Pencil before using it. You can connect it to the iPad to charge or use the proprietary charger.

6. Forget Apple Pencil

Bluetooth devices act funny sometimes and refuse to connect with paired devices. So, you need to remove the Apple Pencil from the paired device list and re-pair it. To forget the Apple Pencil, do as follows:

• Unlock your iPad home screen and then go to settings.
• Please scroll down to find the Bluetooth settings and tap on them.
• In the new menu, check whether the Toggle is active or not.
• If not, enable the toggle to turn on the Bluetooth connection.
• You will see all the paired devices under the “My Devices” option.
• Now, locate the Apple Pencil and tap the (i) icon next to it. You will see the option “forget this device.” 
• Select the “Forget device” option in the confirmation pop-up. 
• Now, restart your iPad and go to Bluetooth settings again. 
• Physically reconnect your Apple Pencil with the iPad, and then pair it when the pop-up appears.

7. Disconnect Other Bluetooth Devices

If you have many Bluetooth devices active with your iPad, it may interfere with Apple Pencil. As the number of Bluetooth devices increases, the latency also increases. So, if possible, you must disconnect all the devices and check whether it fixes the issue. Power them off or forget them from the “My Devices” menu to disconnect devices.

8. Check Apple Pencil Tip

Apple Pencil tip is prone to wear and tear after prolonged usage. It is a soft tissue-like tip that erodes as you use it. If you use screen protectors, the tip may even erode faster. First, examine your Apple Pencil’s tip for wear and tear. Check whether you can see the metal part underneath it or not. If not, then the tip is perfectly fine.

However, a loose Apple Pencil tip may also cause problems. To tighten the tip, hold the tip and turn it clockwise. Now, try to use the Apple Pencil on your iPad. If it doesn’t work, you must replace the tip. Apple Pencil comes with a spare tip in the box. Use it.

9. Charge Using Regular Charger

Try the charger if Apple Pencil doesn’t charge while connected to the iPad. Plug the USB power adapter cord into your Apple Pencil and let it juice up completely. Then disconnect the charger, connect it with the iPad, and pair it. This trick works every time, and you can charge the Apple Pencil much faster.

10. Reset Network Settings

By this point, your Apple Pencil should connect and work with your iPad. You can reset the network settings if you’ve tried everything and it still doesn’t work. It will forget all Wi-Fi connections, Bluetooth device pairings, and mobile network preferences. You will also lose your VPN configuration settings, if any.

• Open the Settings app and scroll to find the General option in the list.
• Tap on it and find the Transfer or Reset iPad option at the bottom of the General settings list.

• Tap on “Reset” and then select “Reset network settings.”
• It will remove all the network information stored on your iPad. You will need to log in to your Wi-Fi network again.

Conclusion

These were the 10 best troubleshooting steps to solve the apple pencil that won’t connect to the iPad issue. You can also try a manual software update if it is available for your iPad.

It could be a physical issue with the tip or a connectivity issue. Moreover, if all these methods fail, contact Apple support or visit the Apple care center.

FAQ