How to Use Apple Pencil on iPad

To use Apple Pencil on iPad, first confirm that your particular Pencil and iPad work together, turn on Bluetooth, and pair using the connection your Pencil requires. Then open a note in Notes and write or draw with the tip. For typed text, turn on Settings > Apple Pencil > Scribble and write in a text field.

This guide covers Apple Pencil Pro, USB-C, second-generation, and first-generation models. The app instructions follow Apple’s iPadOS 26 guide. Settings and drawing tools vary by Pencil, iPad, app, and language; a feature missing from your model is not necessarily a fault.

Before You Start: Identify Your Pencil and iPad

Open Settings > General > About to check your iPad’s model name. Match it against Apple’s current Pencil compatibility list before buying an adapter or trying to pair. The connector alone does not establish compatibility.

• Apple Pencil Pro: works with selected recent iPad Pro, Air, and mini models. It requires iPadOS 17.5 or later.
• Apple Pencil (USB-C): works with the compatible USB-C iPads on Apple’s list and requires iPadOS 17.1.1 or later. It uses a cable to pair and charge.
• Apple Pencil (2nd generation): works with the listed older Pro models, iPad Air fourth and fifth generations, and iPad mini sixth generation. It is not interchangeable with Pro on newer iPads.
• Apple Pencil (1st generation): works with selected Lightning iPads and with iPad tenth generation and iPad (A16) using the required USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter.

Turn on Settings > Bluetooth. Have the correct cable or adapter ready, and charge the Pencil if it has been unused. If you previously disabled Bluetooth, our iPad Bluetooth guide explains the difference between Settings and Control Center.

Pair and Charge Your Apple Pencil

Follow only the route for your model. A magnetic attachment is not a substitute for the cable that a USB-C Pencil needs.

Apple Pencil Pro

1. Turn on Bluetooth on the compatible iPad.
2. Center the Pencil on the magnetic connector on the iPad’s long side. This connection pairs and charges it.
3. Check Settings > Apple Pencil or the Batteries widget for its charge.

Apple documents this route in its Pencil Pro setup guide.

Apple Pencil (2nd Generation)

1. Turn on Bluetooth.
2. Attach the Pencil to the magnetic connector on the right side of your compatible iPad.
3. Leave it attached to charge, and check its battery in Settings or the Batteries widget.

See Apple’s second-generation instructions if you need to check the connection.

Apple Pencil (USB-C)

1. Slide open the Pencil’s end to expose its USB-C connector.
2. Connect a USB-C charge cable to the Pencil and connect the other end to the compatible iPad.
3. Tap Tap to Connect when the prompt appears.
4. Disconnect the cable to write or draw, or leave it connected to charge.

You can also charge through a compatible cable and power adapter. Reconnect the cable to pair again after restarting the iPad, turning off Bluetooth, or pairing with another iPad. Apple’s USB-C guide describes these reconnection conditions.

Apple Pencil (1st Generation)

On a compatible Lightning iPad:

1. Remove the Pencil’s cap and plug its Lightning connector into the iPad.
2. Tap Pair when it appears.
3. Unplug to write or leave it connected to charge.

On iPad (10th generation) or iPad (A16):

1. Remove the cap and plug the Pencil into a USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter.
2. Connect the adapter to the iPad with a USB-C charge cable.
3. Tap Pair. Disconnect to use the Pencil, or leave it connected to charge.

After an iPad restart, disabling Bluetooth, or pairing elsewhere, connect and pair again. Check charge in Settings > Apple Pencil or Batteries. See Apple’s first-generation guide for its separate charging-adapter options.

Write or Draw in Notes

1. Open Notes and create or open a note.
2. Start writing or drawing with Apple Pencil. To draw with a finger instead, tap the drawing/Markup button.
3. Choose a pen and color from the tool palette. Try a short line, then choose another tool to compare the result.
4. Select the eraser to remove marks. Use the Lasso tool to outline drawing objects, then select an available action such as move, copy, or delete.

Ordinary pen tools leave handwriting as handwriting. The Scribble tool converts writing into typed text instead. In supported languages, you can select handwriting and choose Copy as Text; available actions depend on your selection. Apple’s Notes drawing and handwriting guide also explains refinement features that depend on the iPad model and language.

Convert Handwriting to Text with Scribble

1. Open Settings > Apple Pencil and turn on Scribble.
2. Open a text field, such as a search box, and write in it with the Pencil. Your handwriting becomes typed text.
3. In Notes or Freeform, open the tool palette and choose the handwriting/Scribble tool to the left of the pen to type by writing.

Scratch out a word to delete it, circle or underline text to select it, or draw a vertical line to join or separate characters. Touch and hold in text to make space for an insertion. Use the toolbar’s keyboard button when you prefer typing.

If you want freehand marks instead, choose a drawing tool. You can also switch Scribble off in Settings. Language support matters; see Apple’s Scribble instructions for supported actions and language guidance.

Customize the Features Your Model Supports

Open Settings > Apple Pencil after pairing. Start with a simple pen test before changing several settings at once.

• Pressure: first-generation, second-generation, and Pro models support darker lines when you press more firmly with an appropriate tool. USB-C does not offer the same pressure response. Tool choice also affects line thickness.
• Tilt: tilting the Pencil can shade or change line thickness, depending on the drawing tool.
• Double Tap: second-generation and Pro models can switch tools in supported apps. Choose the action in Settings.
• Squeeze and barrel roll: Pro adds squeeze actions and rotating the barrel to change supported tool angles. Its haptic feedback can be adjusted.
• Hover: requires a supported iPad/Pencil combination and app. If available, it previews a tool before you touch the display.

Check Apple’s drawing feature guide for model-specific limits. These controls do not all appear on every Pencil.

If the Pencil Does Not Connect or Draw

Check compatibility first, then update iPadOS and use the correct connection. Keep the Pencil connected while restarting the iPad, and make sure Bluetooth is on.

If the Pencil appears under Settings > Bluetooth > My Devices, tap its info button and choose Forget This Device, then pair again using the appropriate route above. Forgetting removes the pairing, so have your cable or adapter ready first.

If no pairing prompt appears, let it charge for a minute and retry. For Pro or second-generation models, remove a case or cover that may prevent contact. If it pairs but does not draw, try a new note and a drawing tool to separate connection trouble from the current app’s behavior.

Follow Apple’s pairing troubleshooting guide if these checks fail. A persistent failure may need service; do not reset or erase your whole iPad just to follow this setup guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Every Apple Pencil Work with Every iPad?

No. Match both exact models against Apple’s list. Even Pencils with similar shapes or magnetic attachment have different supported iPads.

Why Is My Writing Becoming Typed Text?

You are using Scribble or its tool. Select a pen to leave freehand writing in Notes, or turn off Scribble in Apple Pencil settings.

Why Does My USB-C Pencil Not Make a Darker Line When I Press?

Pressure response depends on the Pencil model and drawing tool. USB-C is not a pressure-sensitive model; try the tool’s thickness controls or tilt behavior instead.

How Do I Check Whether It Needs Charging?

Look in the Batteries widget or Settings > Apple Pencil. Use the charging route for your model rather than relying on a single battery-life promise for all Pencils.

Once you have paired successfully, practice in a new note: write a line, erase part of it, and try Scribble in a text field. That gives you a useful starting point before exploring other drawing or note-taking apps.