How To?

Pairing Your Apple Pencil with an iPad: A Comprehensive Guide

May 9, 2024

Do you own an iPad and an Apple Pencil? They can transform your tablet into a notepad, a canvas, or a document signer. But first, you need to pair them. Let’s guide you through the process.

What Can an Apple Pencil Do?

Depending on your iPad model, an Apple Pencil can:

Write notes
Convert handwritten notes to text
Edit text
Draw
Take screenshots
Mark up photos
Sign forms

Ready to start using your Apple Pencil with your iPad?

Checking Device Compatibility

Before pairing, ensure your devices are compatible. Here’s the compatibility list for each Apple Pencil model:

Apple Pencil (1st generation) works with:

iPad (6th generation and later)
iPad Mini (5th generation)
iPad Air (3rd generation)
iPad Pro 12.9 inch (1st or 2nd generation)
iPad Pro 10.5 inch
iPad Pro 9.7 inch

Apple Pencil (2nd generation) works with:

iPad mini (6th generation)
iPad Air (4th generation)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later)
iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later)

Apple Pencil (USB-C) works with:

iPad (10th generation)
iPad mini (6th generation)
iPad Air (4th generation and later)
iPad Pro 11-inch (all generations)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later)

How to Connect Your Apple Pencil

Here are simple steps to pair your Apple Pencil with your iPad:

Apple Pencil (1st generation):

Remove the cap on your Apple Pencil.
Plug the Apple Pencil into the Lightning connector on your iPad.
Tap the Pair button when it appears on your screen.

Apple Pencil (2nd generation):

Attach your pencil to the magnetic connector on the side of your iPad below the Volume buttons.
Once your Apple Pencil is charged, it should pair with your tablet.

Apple Pencil (USB-C):

Ensure your iPad is running iPadOS 17.1 or a newer version.
Open the cap at the end of your Apple Pencil and insert a USB-C cable into the available port.
Connect the opposite end of the USB-C cable to your iPad.