What Model Ipads Work With the Apple Pencil
Apple in 2015 unveiled the first iPad Pro, which came with an optional stylus called the Apple Pencil. Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs was famously against styluses, but the Apple Pencil has proven to be a useful tool for note taking, sketching, and more.
The Apple Pencil has stuck around since 2015, and as of today, it is compatible with Apple's entire current iPad lineup. In the guide below, we cover everything you need to know about the Apple Pencil.
What is the Apple Pencil?
The Apple Pencil is an Apple-designed stylus that works with Apple's iPads. It's called the Apple Pencil because of its resemblance to a traditional pencil, albeit with a definitively Apple-esque design.
There's a small plastic tip (which can be replaced) that connects with the iPad's display, a pencil-like body to hold onto, and a charging mechanism. In the original Apple Pencil, there's a Lightning connector, but the second-generation model charges inductively through the iPad Pro.
The Apple Pencil is used in lieu of a finger for precision tasks like writing and sketching, and it can also be used for navigating through the operating system. It's excellent for drawings, art creation, note taking, and similar tasks because it's precise, has palm rejection, and offers pressure and tilt sensitivity.
In a nutshell, the Apple Pencil is meant to work like a traditional pencil, but instead of writing on paper, you write on the iPad's display. You can put your hand right on the iPad while you write, which, for a long time, was functionality other styluses were not able to accurately replicate.
What are the differences between Apple Pencil 1 and Apple Pencil 2?
There are two versions of the Apple Pencil, the first version released in 2015 and the second version released in 2018. The two do the same thing, but have different designs and charging mechanisms.
The biggest difference between them is their device compatibility - Apple Pencil 2 works with the 2018 iPad Pro models and Apple Pencil 1 works with everything else.
Original Apple Pencil
The second-generation Apple Pencil is sleeker, smaller, and more compact than the original Apple Pencil because it has no Lightning port at the end. It's designed to charge inductively through the iPad Pro so you stick it on the right side of the iPad in the flat area to initiate charging, with the Apple Pencil held onto the device using magnets.
Apple Pencil 2
With the original Apple Pencil, there's a Lightning connector that lets it plug into the Lightning port of an iPad for charging purposes, which is inconvenient because of the size of the Apple Pencil. Apple also includes an adapter with the Apple Pencil 1 so you can charge it with any Lightning cable.
Apple Pencil 2 has a more pencil-like design because it has a flat side and a sanded design that improves the texture. The Apple Pencil 1 is smooth and round. Apple Pencil 2 also supports touch gestures for swapping between tools, something not possible with the original Apple Pencil.
Though there are different charging mechanisms and bells and whistles, Apple Pencil 1 and 2 fundamentally work in the same way and have the same general feature set.
What devices are compatible with Apple Pencil?
The original Apple Pencil, manufactured from 2015 on with the round body design and Lightning connector is compatible with the following devices:
- iPad (9th generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st generation)
- iPad Pro 10.5-inch
- iPad Pro 9.7-inch
- iPad Air (3rd generation)
- iPad (8th generation)
- iPad (7th generation)
- iPad (6th generation)
- iPad mini (5th generation)
The second-generation Apple Pencil with a smaller footprint and inductive charging capabilities is compatible with the following devices:
- iPad mini (6th generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation)
- iPad Air (4th generation)
The original Apple Pencil cannot be used with models that are designed for the second-generation Apple Pencil, which includes the iPad mini 6 and the latest iPad Pro and iPad Air devices, and the Apple Pencil 2 does not work with older iPads nor entry-level devices like the standard iPad.
What are the Apple Pencil's features?
The Apple Pencil has a rich feature set, allowing it to be used for any precision task, or as a replacement for a finger when navigating through iOS.
The need to know features are below:
- Palm Rejection - When the Apple Pencil is connected to the iPad, it only recognizes the Apple Pencil tip and not your hand or your finger, allowing you to write or sketch comfortably.
- Pressure Sensitivity - Depending on how much pressure is placed on the iPad while writing or drawing, a line can be thicker or thinner. Apple doesn't provide a specific pressure sensitivity level for the Apple Pencil.
- Tilt Sensitivity - Apple Pencil is designed to work like a regular pencil, so if you hold it at an angle and press the side of the tip alongside the iPad for something like shading, it works. The Apple Pencil knows its general orientation and how it's being tilted.
- Pencil-Like Weighting - Apple designed the Apple Pencil to have a pencil-like feel in the hand, and it is weighted to feel like a real writing instrument.
- Low Latency - Apple Pencil has super low latency, which means that when you write on the iPad, there's no delay between the movement of the pencil and what appears on the display. Apple Pencil latency is as low as 9ms on iPads with 120Hz displays (the iPad Pro models from 2017 and later).
- Precision - Apple Pencil is precise, so it is accurate down to the pixel. That means there's no offsetting between where the pencil is located and what's shown on the screen.
- Simple Pairing - There's no need to fuss with Bluetooth with Apple Pencil. It connects automatically. Just plug in the first version or attach the second version to the iPad Pro.
- Touch Gestures (V2 only) - The second-generation version of the Apple Pencil supports touch gestures. With a double tap, the Apple Pencil 2 can swap between tools in apps, useful because it allows for quick switching between a pen tool and eraser tool, as an example.
- Inductive Charging (V2 only) - Apple Pencil 2 charges through the iPad Pro. Apple Pencil 1 does not have this feature and charges through a Lightning connector.
Where can Apple Pencil be used?
Apple Pencil can be used as a finger replacement to do things like open apps, scroll, and more, but support for Apple Pencil is also built into iPadOS. There are several unique Apple Pencil features worth being aware of for those thinking about an Apple Pencil purchase.
- Screenshots - If you take a screenshot on your iPad and then tap it when a preview appears in the corner, you can draw and write on it using the Apple Pencil through a feature called Markup.
- Markup - Markup is the Apple feature that lets you write on screenshots, but it also works across the operating system in various apps. In Mail, you can edit photos or PDFs (it's great for signing documents), in Messages, you can draw on photos, in the Photos app, you can add captions and drawings to images, and in Books, you can edit PDFs.
Apple Pencil also works with tons of third-party apps for note taking, drawing, sketching, and more. You can find these apps by searching for Apple Pencil in the App Store on the iPad, but below we've listed some standouts.
- Procreate ($9.99) - Ideal for sketching, drawing, and art creation. Simple enough for beginners, but powerful enough for professionals.
- Notability ($8.99) - Notability is a note taking app that's been around for a long time. It has all kinds of features for writing, sketching, annotating PDFs, and more, plus there are plenty of paper styles and it can scan documents, record audio clips, and more.
- Pixelmator ($4.99) - If you like to edit photos on your iPad, Pixelmator is worth checking out. It supports Apple Pencil, and the Apple Pencil is a great tool for precision edits.
- Pigment (Free with in-app purchases) - If you like to color and find it relaxing, there are tons of coloring apps for the Apple Pencil like Pigment.
- Adobe Fresco - Adobe Fresco is a drawing, painting, and sketching app from Adobe that also takes advantage of the Apple Pencil. It offers tons of Photoshop brushes, including live brushes and vector brushes, plus it has powerful tools for making selections, masking, adding layers, and more. It's free, but premium features cost $9.99 to unlock.
- Linea Sketch ($4.99) - If you like to jot down ideas and make quick drawings, Linea Sketch is easy to learn, easy to use, and has a useful range of tools for you to take advantage of.
How is the Apple Pencil different from other styluses?
Prior to when the Apple Pencil came out, styluses either had a fine hard tip and were battery powered to activate the capacitive display of the iPad, or had a wide, rubber finger-shaped tip that was not accurate.
A pre-Apple Pencil stylus
Palm rejection was all done via software by individual app creators and it didn't work reliably, plus connections were all done via Bluetooth rather than the automatic process that the Apple Pencil uses.
Many styluses on the market that are not the Apple Pencil are still have these kinds of tips that are nowhere near as accurate as the Apple Pencil and can't offer the same simple charging and palm rejection features, but there are now some more affordable Apple Pencil alternatives that have Apple Pencil-like functionality.
What Apple Pencil alternatives are available?
There are a few non-Apple made styluses on the market that have some of the same capabilities as the Apple Pencil, but for a more affordable price. These options aren't as feature rich as the Apple Pencil and don't have the same simple design, but the base functionality is there.
The Logitech Crayon
- Logitech Crayon ($55) - Designed by Logitech, the Crayon was originally meant to be a cheaper version of the Apple Pencil for students to use with the low-cost iPad. It's now available to anyone. It works just like the Apple Pencil and offers the same palm rejection, latency, and tilt support, but it does not include pressure sensitivity.
- Adonit Note ($43) - The Adonit Note is similar to the Apple Pencil, offering the same small tip, excellent latency, and palm rejection, but there is no pressure sensitivity.
- Adonit Note+ ($62) - The Adonit Note+ is similar to the Adonit Note, but it includes 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity and two configurable shortcut buttons.
What apps are compatible with Apple Pencil?
Any first or third-party app is compatible with the Apple Pencil, but it is designed for writing, drawing, and sketching apps where handwritten content is appropriate. The Apple Pencil can also be used in place of a fingertip for navigating through iPadOS.
Is the Apple Pencil worth the money?
For anyone who wants to take advantage of the iPad for drawing, sketching, note taking, or other similar activities, the Apple Pencil is absolutely worth the money, but for those who don't need all of the advanced features, there are some similar styluses on the market like the much more affordable Logitech Crayon.
Does Apple Pencil work with iPhone?
The Apple Pencil and Apple Pencil 2 are only compatible with iPads and will not work with the iPhone. The Apple Pencil requires a display built for it, which iPhones do not have.
Will Apple make an Apple Pencil for iPhone?
There have been rumors here and there suggesting Apple could develop a version of the Apple Pencil for the iPhone, but no such product has ever materialized and rumors about an Apple Pencil for the iPhone have never been consistent.
Guide Feedback
Have questions about the Apple Pencil, know of a feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.
Related Articles
Deals: Apple Pencil 2 Drops to $99.99 on Verizon ($29 Off)
Verizon today is discounting the Apple Pencil 2 to $99.99, down from $129.00. This deal has been applied automatically and does not require a special promo code. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Verizon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. This sale is a match of one of the lowest prices that we've ever ...
Deals: Pair Your New iPad Pro With the Apple Pencil 2 for $103.99 ($25 Off)
If you're shopping for accessories to pair with your new iPad Pro, Verizon is discounting the Apple Pencil 2 to $103.99, down from $129.00. This is currently the best sale on the accessory, and it's the best deal that we've seen in a few weeks. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Verizon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep...
Wedbush Analysts Say 'Spring Loaded' Event Will Debut New iPads With 'Modest Price Increase,' Along With 'a Few Surprises'
Apple is planning to launch a new entry-level iPad, iPad mini, and iPad Pro at its "Spring Loaded" event tomorrow, along with "a few surprises," according to Wedbush analysts. In a new note to investors, seen by MacRumors, Wedbush analysts Daniel Ives and Strecker Backe explained that the iPad will be the main focus of Apple's "Spring Loaded" event, with new entry-level iPad, iPad mini, and ...
Video of Alleged Third-Generation Apple Pencil Leaks Ahead of Apple Event
A video purporting to be of the third-generation Apple Pencil has today been shared online, showing a glossy finish that mirrors previous leaks. New ✏️ ready to 🚢 #AppleEvent @TommyBo50387266 pic.twitter.com/s4RCDwDi5M— 漢尼斯·拉斯納 🇨🇳 (@ileakeer) April 16, 2021 The brief video from Twitter account @ileakeer, spotted by 9to5Mac, shows an Apple Pencil with a glossy finish much like the...
Apple Again Rumored to Be Readying Third-Generation Apple Pencil
Thursday April 15, 2021 5:51 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple is preparing to release a third-generation Apple Pencil, according to a leaker on the Chinese social networking platform Weibo, suggesting it could conceivably appear alongside new iPads at Apple's upcoming "Spring Loaded" April event. Image via Mr White. The claim comes from Weibo account "Uncle Pan Pan," which doesn't have much of a track record for sharing accurate Apple information, ...
New Apple Pencil Allegedly Leaks With Glossy Finish and Redesigned Tip
Images supposedly depicting a third-generation Apple Pencil have been shared on Twitter by the leaker known as "Mr. White." The purported new Apple Pencil appears to share a very similar design to the current, second-generation Apple Pencil, which is shorter than the previous version and charges inductively on the side of an iPad. The updated Apple Pencil appears to have a glossy...
Craig Federighi Explains How Scribble Feature in iPadOS 14 Was Developed
Monday September 28, 2020 2:56 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Scribble is one of the most notable new features in iPadOS 14, and in a new interview with Popular Mechanics, Apple SVP of software engineering Craig Federighi has revealed more details about how it was developed and how it works on iPad. With Scribble in iPadOS 14, you can use an Apple Pencil to write in any text field, and the written text is then converted to typed text. The feature ...
Future Apple Pencil Could Have Sensor to Sample Colors From the Real World
Friday July 17, 2020 2:12 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple is exploring new Apple Pencil technology that could allow the device to sample colors from the real world to use in digital art, drawings, edits, and more, according to an Apple patent application published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office this week. Titled "Computer System With Color Sampling Stylus," the patent describes a computer stylus that "may have a color...
Safari in iOS and iPadOS 14 Might Include Built-In Translator, Full Apple Pencil Support
Tuesday June 2, 2020 2:52 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple is planning to add a built-in language translation feature and full Apple Pencil support to Safari in iOS and iPadOS 14, according to details found in a leaked version of iOS 14 by 9to5Mac. Safari's built-in translation feature would allow users to translate web pages without using a third-party app or service. If such a feature comes to iOS 14, we can probably also count on it coming...
Next Apple Pencil Could Be Released in Black
Tuesday June 2, 2020 11:25 am PDT by Juli Clover
The next iteration of the Apple Pencil could be available in black for the first time, according to leaker Mr. White who shared the tidbit on Twitter this morning. A mockup of an Apple Pencil in black We haven't heard rumors of a next-generation Apple Pencil and it's not clear when a new model might be released. Apple is rumored to be working on mini-LED versions of the iPad Pro, and it's...
Apple Pencil 2 Now Available From Apple's Refurbished Store for $109
Monday September 23, 2019 3:15 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple recently added the second-generation Apple Pencil to its online store for refurbished products in the United States, offering the accessory at a discounted price for the first time. Apple is selling the second-generation Apple Pencil for $109, which is a $20 discount off of the original $129 price. $109 is the lowest price that we've seen on the Apple Pencil 2, so Apple's deal is solid...
Analysts Predict Apple Pencil Support for 2019 iPhones
Wednesday July 31, 2019 12:17 pm PDT by Juli Clover
The 2019 iPhones could introduce support for the Apple Pencil, according to a list of feature predictions shared today by Citi Research (via Business Insider). "Support for iPhone pencil/stylus" was on Citi Research's list of upcoming features it expects to see in the 2019 iPhones, but we've heard extensive rumors about the upcoming devices and Apple Pencil support has seldom been mentioned. ...
Logitech Crayon Compatible With New iPad Air and iPad Mini
Monday March 18, 2019 2:28 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple's new iPad Air and fifth-generation iPad mini both work with the Apple Pencil, but are limited to the first-generation Apple Pencil rather than the second-generation model, which only works with 2018 iPad Pros. If you're looking for a more affordable alternative, though, it turns out both new iPad models are compatible with the Logitech Crayon, an Apple Pencil-like stylus that previously ...
Apple Pencil Now Eligible for AppleCare+ Even Without Being Purchased Alongside an iPad
Effective today, the Apple Pencil no longer needs to be purchased at the same time as an iPad to be eligible for AppleCare+ coverage, according to an announcement shared with Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers today. This means that if a customer has AppleCare+ for iPad, coverage now extends to any first-generation or second-generation Apple Pencil the person may own even if ...
iWork Apps on iOS Will Be Updated Next Week With Enhanced Apple Pencil Integration and More
Apple today announced that its iWork suite of apps for iOS will be updated next week with enhanced Apple Pencil integration. Keynote, for example, will gain new animation options that let users draw an animation path for any object, and an all-new user interface for implementing build effects such as move, rotate, and scale. iWork apps for iPhone and iPad include Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. ...
First-Gen Apple Pencil Available for Just $80 on Amazon
Thursday February 28, 2019 2:04 pm PST by Juli Clover
If you have a sixth-generation iPad or iPad Pro model that predates the 2018 iPad, you might be interested to know that Amazon is currently selling the first-generation Apple Pencil for just $79.88. At $80, the Apple Pencil is $20 less expensive than the standard asking price of $99, and it is the cheapest price we've ever seen on the accessory. Apple does have an Apple Pencil 2 now, but...
New Apple Pencil Sandpapered to Look and Feel Like a Real Pencil
Wednesday January 2, 2019 11:23 am PST by Joe Rossignol
A few months ago, the second-generation Apple Pencil was released with a more seamless design and a matte rather than glossy finish. However, like the original, the new Apple Pencil is only available in an off-white color. A variety of skins are available for customizing the design of the Apple Pencil, but Reddit user Cedric M. from Frisco, Texas decided to take the do-it-yourself route with ...
What Model Ipads Work With the Apple Pencil
Source: https://www.macrumors.com/guide/apple-pencil/