How to Fix Apple Pencil not Working on iPad

Your Apple pencil not working on your iPad couldn’t possibly be a software glitch. But the pencil can connect to your iPad successfully and still not work. So, we will consider how to fix the Apple pencil not working on iPad in this article.

With the Apple pencil’s basic function, it has to work to be useful. It’s not about connecting your Apple Pencil to your iPad but it’s about the pencil been useful for its purpose.

Therefore, you need to be more concerned about the Apple pencil working than connecting the Apple Pencil to your iPad.

The Apple Pencil is introduced to allow you to draw and sketch on your iPad easily. The Pencil has contributed immensely since it was introduced in 2015 and a lot of iPad users claimed that Pencil came at the right time.

However, if you are used to using the Apple Pencil on your iPad but now the Pencil isn’t working; don’t look weary, we will consider some possible fixes you can try to restore your iPad Pencil to its working state without buying a new one.Apple pencil not working on iPad

Apple Pencil not Responding or Unresponsive

Apple Pencil’s unresponsive or not responding is likely due to a weak battery. So, you need to recharge the Pencil’s battery before dealing with Apple Pencil not working or responding in a proper way.

If you are using the Apple Pencil 1, you need to plug the Pencil into your iPad to charge it but if you are using the Pencil 2, you should place the Pencil by the side of your iPad to change it for about 10 minutes.

After ten minutes remove or unplug the pencil and attempt to use it to sketch on your iPad if it’d work. If it works then you are good to go but if the Pencil is still not responding we advise you to take the steps below about how to fix Apple Pencil not working on your iPad after it has connected.

Apple Pencil not Working on iPad

Try the following troubleshooting tips if your Apple pencil is not working on your iPad.

Reconnect your Apple Pencil to your iPad

If you are sure that your Apple Pencil is fully charged or the battery should be able to sketch on your iPad but it’s neither responding nor working; then, you should consider re-establishing the device’s Bluetooth connection.

  • Turn off your iPad Bluetooth to disconnect the Pencil from your device.
  • Wait for a couple of seconds and turn on the iPad Bluetooth again.
  • Select your Apple Pencil from the list and tap the option to connect.
  • Once both the Apple Pencil and iPad are connected the pencil should be working fine.

Re-tight your Apple Pencil Nib

Your Apple Pencil nib should be firm/tight but not too tight so that it will not break the thread. If your Apple Pencil’s nib is not securely tight it might affect your Pencil functionality.

Meanwhile, while tightening your Apple Pencil’s nib ensure that it’s only firm and not too firm so that it will not break the cover.

Forget and Repair your Repair

If the unresponsive persists you should consider forget the device in your Bluetooth and repair again. So, follow the steps below to forget your Apple Pencil’s Bluetooth connection on your iPad.

  • Go to your “Bluetooth settings” on your iPad
  • Click on the list of “My Devices.
  • Click on “Forget This Device.”
  • Done.

Once you have taken the above steps you then need to repair your Apple Pencil to your iPad again.

  • Remove the Apple Pencil’s cap.
  • Plug it into a Bluetooth-enabled iPad device.
  • Click on the “Pair” button once it appears.
  • Done.

That is it. Your iPad and Apple Pencil will remain paired until you restart your iPad or turn on Airplane Mode or pair another Apple Pencil to your device.

Reboot your iPad

If none of the steps above worked for you then you should consider restarting your iPad. Since the process to restart an iPad differs we will consider how to restart your iPad and reset your iPad to fix your Apple Pencil not working on your iPad.

  • Press and hold both the Sleep/Wake (on/off) button and the Home button on your iPad at the same time.
  • Hold both buttons until the iPad screen is turned off.
  • Keep holding both buttons the screen comes up again.
  • Release both buttons once the Apple Logo appears.

If rebooting your iPad above didn’t work you should consider resetting it. So, we will consider how to reset your iPad to fix your Apple Pencil not working or unresponsive.

How to Reset iPad

Follow the steps below to reset your iPad, iPad mini, iPad Pro and iPad Air to fix your unresponsive Apple Pencil.

Note:  Resetting your iPad might erase all the data you have on the device. So, we advise you to back up your iPad so that you can restore the back once you are done resetting it.

  • Press and hold your iPad top button and either the volume up or volume down on your iPad.
  • Keep holding button buttons until your iPad screen is off.
  • Still hold the buttons until the Apple logo on your iPad comes up and release the buttons.

Repair your Apple Pencil to your iPad once you are done resetting your iPad. If all things work as expected your Apple Pencil should be responding.

Contact Apple Support

This should be your last restore if your Apple Pencil is still not working after all the steps above. Most importantly, if your Apple Pencil is faulty from the factory you can simply return it and request either a refund or replacement.

To fast-track the process you can walk into the nearest Apple retail or support store or call AppleCare at 1-800-MY-APPLE if you are far from the closest Apple store. You can also contact Apple support via this page.

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