Apple pencil won’t connect

There could be many reasons why Apple Pencil won’t connect to your iPad, it may be due to the network connection, software or hardware issue, or any other thing. Apple Pencil has been a great addition to Apple products since it adds a different dimension to using the iPad. It has enhanced the user experience, it is not only a replacement for the tap or clicks but it lets the user draw, take notes of something, or everything easier than touch. The Apple pencil has made the iPad user experience more friendly. When your Apple Pencil won’t connect your user experience might lessen due to the flexibility offered by the pencil.

We have two generations of Apple pencils, one is connected using the charging port and the other is using the magnetic connector. The issues which could result in this issue are almost the same for both generations of pencils. Lets us get to the reasons and solutions on how to resolve this connecting issue.

Tightening the Apple Pencils nib if won’t connect

This is the most basic issue, it occurs when your Apple Pencil’s stylus is not generating a response when you are using it on the screen, the charging icon is not visible when you are charging your pencil, or refusing to switch on. These basic problems might occur when the Apple Pencil’s nib comes off, the nib can wear down after using it for some time, and we can swap it with an extra nib that comes along with it or gently tighten the nib using your hands to get it back into working mode.

Apple pencil won't connect

How to pair the Apple Pencil and the iPad

When you first buy the pencil you cannot pair it with the iPad since you are a first-time user, you need to make a connection to use the pencil regularly. Once you have made the connection, the next time it connects automatically. So to pair the Apple pencil we need to follow some steps and these steps depend on the generation of the pencil you are having.

  1. We can pair the 1st generation Apple pencils by using the charging port. To connect it we need to remove the cap on the Apple Pencil and plug the Lightning connector of the Apple Pencil with the Charging port of your iPad to start charging.
  2. When it comes to the 2nd generation pencils, all we have to do is attach the Apple Pencil to the magnetic connector below the volume buttons on the side of the iPad.
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Checking for compatibility in case of apple pencil won’t connect

Since there are two generations of Apple pencils, they are not compatible with every model of the iPad. Some may have the magnetic connector and some may need the charging port to connect and some models are compatible with both. We will view a list of iPad models that are compatible with the Apple Pencils.

iPads Compatible With the 1st Generation Apple Pencil

  • iPad Air (3rd generation)
  • iPad Mini (5th generation)
  • iPad (6th, 7th, and 8th Generation)
  • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st and 2nd Generation)
  • iPad Pro (9.7 and 10.5 inch)

iPads Compatible with the 2nd Generation Apple pencil

  • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd Generation and newer)
  • iPad Air (4th Generation and newer)
  • iPad Pro 11-inch (1st Generation and newer)

If you are aware of the compatibility, you do not need to worry about why your Apple Pencil won’t connect.

Turn Bluetooth Off and ON

If you are ever wondering how your Apple connects with your iPad, the answer is Bluetooth. It is a wireless connection, so might cause some minor connectivity issues, which are not letting your Apple pencil connect with the iPad. So refreshing the Bluetooth connection may resolve the connectivity issue. We can find the Bluetooth section in the settings.

Navigate to the Bluetooth settings and switch it off, wait for a few seconds and turn it back again. You can observe the toggle button, which turns green when the Bluetooth is on.

Force your iPad to restart

Forcing your iPad to restart is the most common fix we can do whenever we are observing the abnormal functioning of mobile phones. this action will power the phone down, and we need to power it on after a few seconds to see the changes. People do the restart, since switching on and off the phone generally rectifies the minor glitches in the internal software and an OS feels fresh and good. All the internal software will shut down and get a fresh start. Forcing an iPhone to restart cannot be initiated using the iPhone settings, we need to use the volume up, volume down, and Sleep/Wake buttons to power the phone off.

The method can vary depending on the generation of the iPad you are using, the 1st generation has the home button, whereas the next generation does not have a home button, so search about them to force your iPad to switch off.

For the first one, we can press and hold the home button and the Sleep/Wake button to power it off and for the second one, we have to use the sleep/wake button and volume buttons in a way to power the iPad off. You have to do this until the Apple logo appears on the screen to confirm the shutdown. If you are unsure about how to get those combinations, google about it based on the iPad model you are using. The restart steps are different for the iPad with the home button and without a home button. We can use the side button for the devices without the home button.

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We can also do a Power Cycle, but it needs a sufficient battery to execute this. The power cycle is switching off and on the device once to give the software a fresh start, just like the restart.

Charge your Apple Pencil

It may sound naive but not having enough charge in the device could cause the Apple pencil won’t connect issue. So try charging the pencil, and retry to connect with the device. If you are unable to see the charging symbol when you have attached your Apple pencil to the device make sure it is connected properly or restart the device to rectify minor internal software glitches.

  1. We can use the charging port to charge the 1st generation Apple pencils. Expose the Lightning Connector and plug it into the charging port of the iPad. One thing to keep in mind while charging the 1st generation Apple pencil is to clean the charging port. Apple Pencil and iPad need a clean connection to pair with each other, so a dirty lightning port could not pair your Apple Pencil with the iPad properly. Take an anti-static brush and remove the dirt, lint, and debris present in the charging port. Try pairing the devices after cleaning, they might connect again.
  2. Charging the 2nd generation Apple pencil is easier, attach the pencil to the magnetic connector under the volume buttons.

Forget Your Apple Pencil as A Bluetooth Device

When you connect your apple pencil with the iPad using Bluetooth, the iPad saves the pairing information and connects it directly when you turn on the Bluetooth next time. If any of the pairing processes are changed, that could prevent the Apple pencil from connecting to the iPad. We can refresh these settings by using the “Forget Your Device” option under the already paired Bluetooth devices section.

  • Go to the Settings app on your iPad.
  • Navigate to the Bluetooth section, under this section, we can see the already paired Bluetooth devices when we turn on the Bluetooth.
  • If your Apple Pencil is connected, it will display its name on the screen.
  • Tap on the info button beside it and click on “Forget Your Device” to unpair the Apple pencil.
  • After this try pairing the Apple pencil again and check the working.

This action will refresh the device connection and may solve the connection issue.

Removing the Faulty Apps

The apps designed for the iPad are not perfect, they crash sometimes and show abnormal behavior sometimes. The Apple pencil won’t connect to the iPad if you are trying to pair it with the device after opening such faulty apps. Remove such apps from the recent apps and try connecting the Apple pencil again. Press and hold on to the app, you want to remove, as soon as the app starts jiggling, click on the minus symbol to remove the app.

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We can restart the app after connecting the Apple pencil also. Double press the home button to switch or remove the recent apps in 1st generation and swipe from the bottom to the center to get the recent apps on the iPad without a home button.

Reset all settings to default

We name our wifi, Bluetooth, call, and almost every setting to our wish, during this process, we change the network and connectivity settings on our phone. These settings may cause connection issues when you are trying to pair the Apple pencil. We need to undo these changes and set them to default to resolve the connection issues. If any deeper Bluetooth problem is present in the device, a reset can fix those. The iPad has a reset-all setting, which pushes back all the changes made in the phone to default, which includes the network and connectivity settings too. We have to re-enter the passwords and names to use them again.

  1. Go to the settings on your device.
  2. Tap on the general settings.
  3. Navigate to the “Reset” options.
  4. Tap on Reset All Options to reset all the changed settings on the device.
  5. You have to enter your screen passcode to continue with the process.
  6. The device will shut down for a few seconds, complete the reset, and turns back on.

After this, any issues in the features like network and connectivity settings will be set to default, eliminating the problem. The thing to keep in mind before resetting the network settings is we have to reconnect all the Bluetooth devices, re-enter the Wi-Fi passwords, etc.

Apple Customer Support

You might have tried all the solutions mentioned above and might still be facing the apple pencil won’t connect. In such a case, the issue could definitely be due to the hardware problem. There is no fix a normal user can follow to rectify the hardware issue since we cannot understand the firmware of the Electronic devices, even if we did we will have to buy a piece of new equipment to repair the damage, so it is better to visit the nearest Apple customer support to resolve the issue. Replace the old pencil with the new one if you are unable to repair the old one.

The internal damage causes the Apple pencil won’t connect problem, so it is good to have a new one. Google about the issue you are having and jump into the official site to check about the issue and know about the service plans before approaching Apple customer support. One or the other, pretty much any problem regarding the pairing issue will be resolved by the methods mentioned above. Now you are good to use the Apple pencil without any interference.