Is your Apple pencil acting up? A few simple fixes can help resolve the problem. If you just sat down with your iPad to get some work done, or you have a great idea you’d like to brainstorm or note, but you find the Apple pencil not working, there are several reasons for this including the battery, Bluetooth connection, or the pencil is worn.
Here are some fixes you can try to get your Apple pencil back up and running again.
How to fix Apple pencil not working
Check the pencil’s battery
If the Apple pencil isn’t charging, the battery could be dead. To verify if it’s charged, use these steps:
Go to your iPad and check Widgets view under Today View for battery status. Swipe right from your Home scree, and lock screen while checking Notifications
The Battery widget should display. If not, set up your Pencil with Bluetooth. If battery level is 0 percent, plug it in and recharge before trying this again.
Enable Bluetooth
If your Bluetooth is turned off, you’ll find Apple pencil not working. To check this:
- Open Settings>Bluetooth
- Tap the Bluetooth switch and toggle it on
If it won’t turn on, reboot the iPad and try again
If Bluetooth isn’t paired with the Pencil, redo the pairing process to resolve the problem. To do this:
- Unlock the iPad and enable Bluetooth
- Repair with your Apple Pencil if it’s on the list
- Tap the Pencil and select Forget This Device
- Uncap the Pencil and plug into the lightning port on your iPad
- You’ll see a Bluetooth Pairing request
- Tap Pair
Replace the Pencil tip
If the pencil behaves erratically or doesn’t respond at all, its tip could be worn out. Replace it to resolve the problem. There’s no exact period that the pencil should last so you can replace it when you feel it’s worn or the functionality is diminishing. To replace it, unscrew the tip until it comes off and replace it by screwing the new tip until it’s securely locked in your Pencil.
App doesn’t support Apple Pencil or iPad Model isn’t supported
Not all apps support the pencil. You can check by opening a supported app, like Notes, and test the pencil. If you find Apple Pencil not working after all the above steps, check that your iPad model supports it otherwise it won’t work.
Contact AppleCare if all else fails, or if none of these solutions work for your pencil.
Elsie is a tech writer with 8+ years professional experience. For Tech News Watch, she brings rich experience contributing to topics such as Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS among others. In her spare time, she loves checking out the latest tech trends, gadgets, and news, listening to music and cars.