How to Pair an Apple Pencil to an iPad


The Apple Pencil is one of the company's breakout hits for the iPad line, enabling artists and even writers to broaden their creativity with this peripheral.

The Pencil can almost function like a miniature mouse once paired with an iPad. Coupled in with the features of PencilKit that iPadOS 14 brought last year, and it's an ideal peripheral for those who can see a need for it.

Both the 1st  gen and 2nd Generation models are compatible with certain iPads released from 2015. However, the pairing process for these pens can be different depending on the pencil’s model. 

Here’s how you can pair the Apple Pencil to the iPad easily. 

How to pair the Apple Pencil to iPad 

The process will vary depending if you have the 1st or 2nd generation Apple Pencil. Both pencils function similarly but have large differences on its physical design. The 1st generation Apple Pencils have Lightning connectors while 2nd generation ones do not, they require a different method to be paired. 

To get started on pairing them, follow these steps:

1st Generation Apple Pencil 

  1. Remove the Lightning connector cap from the Apple Pencil and connect the device to your iPad through its charging port.
  2. Tap the Pair button that will appear on your iPad’s screen.

2nd Generation Apple Pencil 

  1. Simply attach the Apple Pencil on the magnetic connector on the iPad’s side. The connector is near the the two side buttons of the iPad.
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What to do if it doesn’t work 

At rare moments, the Apple Pencil may fail to pair with your iPad. The problem could be due to your iPad’s current settings. 

Make sure that the pairing steps are followed correctly and the iPad’s Bluetooth settings is set to On. This process will assure that the iPad can correctly detect the Apple Pencil. 

If it still doesn’t work, consider looking for the Apple Pencil in the My Devices screen under the Settings menu. If it’s there tap on it and press the Forget button. After this, restart the iPad and try pairing again. 

If the Apple Pencil still has problems pairing up, it's advised to call up Apple Support to get official help about the digital pen. 

READ MORE: Apple iPad Pro 2021 will have power similar to M1 Macs

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