Apple Pencil Won’t Stay Connected | Quick Fixes Guide

Your stylus drops the link, strokes freeze, and notes fall apart mid-sentence. This guide lays out practical fixes for every Apple Pencil model—1st gen, 2nd gen, USB-C, and Pencil Pro—so you can pair fast and keep it paired. You’ll see quick checks first, then deeper steps with clear, model-specific directions.

Fast Checks To Stop Dropouts

Run these quick wins before anything else. They take minutes and often clear up disconnects:

• Charge both devices. Snap a 2nd-gen or Pro to the magnetic rail until the banner shows. Plug a 1st-gen via the adapter, or connect the USB-C Pencil straight into the iPad’s port.
• Wake and unlock the iPad. Keep the Pencil attached or plugged in for 60–90 seconds to refresh the handshake.
• Toggle Bluetooth. Turn it off, wait ten seconds, then turn it back on. If the Pencil shows “Not Connected,” continue to the re-pair steps below.
• Remove tight cases or metal covers. Anything near the magnetic rail or the USB-C port can weaken the hold or block the plug.
• Check the tip. If it’s loose or worn shiny, tighten it gently or swap in a fresh tip.

Apple Pencil Models, Pairing, And Charging

This table maps each Pencil to its pairing method and quick notes so you don’t guess. Use it to match the right steps later.

Pencil	How It Pairs/Charges	Quick Notes
2nd Gen	Magnetically attaches on the right side; pairs and charges there.	Needs a rail-equipped iPad. Case lips over the rail can block contact.
Pencil Pro	Attaches and charges on the rail, same as 2nd gen.	Works with newer iPad Pro/Air/Mini models; keep iPadOS current.
USB-C Pencil	Plugs directly into the iPad’s USB-C port to pair; charges by cable.	Pair by plugging the Pencil itself into the port—no cable in between.
1st Gen	Pairs through Lightning; on USB-C iPads use the USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter.	Keep some charge in the tiny battery to avoid deep discharge.

Apple Pencil Won’t Stay Connected — Fixes That Work

Confirm Compatibility And Updates

Not every iPad talks to every Pencil. Match your iPad and Pencil on Apple’s Apple Pencil compatibility page, then update iPadOS to the latest point release. That combo prevents pairing loops and random dropouts from version gaps.

Charge And Reseat The Pencil Properly

2nd gen and Pencil Pro: attach to the right-edge rail and wait for the banner. If it doesn’t show, remove any case lip, clean the rail with a dry cloth, and reseat until it clicks.

1st gen: plug into the iPad (Lightning), or use the USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter with a USB-C cable on newer base iPads. Leave it connected for a minute so it gets a healthy bump of charge.

USB-C Pencil: plug the Pencil itself into the iPad’s USB-C port for the first pairing. A cable between them often blocks the initial handshake; use a cable after pairing for charging only.

Re-Pair Cleanly In Bluetooth

1. Attach or plug the Pencil so it powers and wakes.
2. Open Settings > Bluetooth. If you see Apple Pencil, tap the i and choose Forget This Device.
3. Turn Bluetooth off. Wait ten seconds. Turn it on.
4. Attach or plug the Pencil again and accept the pairing prompt.
5. Test in Notes on a blank page. Draw continuous lines for 30–60 seconds to confirm stability.

If the pairing card won’t appear or the link drops right away, follow Apple’s step-by-step flow in If you can’t pair Apple Pencil, then retest.

Clean Contacts, Tip, And Rail

Use a dry, lint-free cloth on the magnetic rail and Pencil sides. For 1st-gen pins and adapter ends, wipe the metal gently. Unscrew the tip and check for debris, then screw it back until snug. Don’t over-tighten; aim for a small, even seam.

Restart iPad And Close Conflicting Apps

Power off, wait twenty seconds, then reboot. Close drawing apps that may hold the input session, then relaunch Notes or your drawing app and test again. If a crash-prone app keeps dropping the link, reinstall it and try a fresh document.

Stop Interference And Case Problems

Move a few feet away from busy desks full of pairing gear. Pull off any case piece that sits between the rail and Pencil, or around the USB-C port where a plug needs a firm seat. Magnetic wallets on the rear shell weaken the hold; remove them while pairing and charging.

Protect The Battery

Letting a Pencil sit empty for weeks can hurt the small cell inside. Keep it charged every few days, even when you’re not drawing. A Pencil stuck at zero can connect for a moment and then drop as soon as the voltage sags under load. If it’s been dormant for a long time, plan on a longer top-up before you judge stability.

Replace A Worn Tip

A tip that’s smoothed down can slip and stutter, which looks like a connection drop. Swap in a new tip if strokes skip, pressure feels erratic, or the tip looks glossy and flattened. Keep a spare set in your bag so you can swap mid-project.

Model-Specific Pairing Steps You Can Trust

Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) And Pencil Pro

Attach the Pencil on the right edge until the on-screen banner shows the battery. If pairing stalls, unclip, wait five seconds, and clip again. If you use a case, make sure the rail area is fully open. Don’t stack the Pencil on a keyboard hinge or metal cover; that softens the magnet and charging.

Still no banner? Toggle Bluetooth, then attach again while the iPad is awake on the Home Screen. If you see “Not Connected” under the device name, forget the device and reattach to trigger the pairing card.

Apple Pencil (USB-C)

Unlock the iPad, then plug the Pencil itself into the iPad’s USB-C port. Tap Pair when prompted. Skip any cable during the first link—go direct Pencil-to-port. After pairing, you can charge with a cable from a charger or hub.

If the card doesn’t appear, try a different port orientation, reseat firmly, and keep the iPad awake during the attempt. Avoid docks while pairing; connect straight to the tablet.

Apple Pencil (1st Gen)

On Lightning iPads, remove the cap and plug in. On USB-C base iPads, connect the USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter to a USB-C cable, then plug the Pencil’s Lightning end into the adapter. Accept the pairing card. Leave it connected for a minute to push a healthy charge.

If the link keeps dropping with the adapter in place, test with a different cable and reseat all ends until they click. Cheap, loose cables often cause brief brown-outs that look just like a Bluetooth dropout.

Keep Connections Solid During Real Work

Use Notes To Sanity-Check

Notes is a clean baseline. If it’s smooth there but your art app drops input, tweak that app’s palm rejection, stroke smoothing, or background sync toggles. Some apps pause input when exporting or syncing a large file in the background. Save, restart the app, and reopen the canvas.

Mind The Grip And Angle

Extreme tilt with a loose tip can cause intermittent contact. Tighten the tip, then test tilt shading in short strokes. If you added a silicone sleeve, peel it back from the tip so it doesn’t rub on the glass or twist the tip loose while you draw.

Reduce Bluetooth Clutter

Unpair old speakers and keyboards you don’t use. Fewer idle pairings give the Pencil a cleaner channel. Keep the iPad on the desk, not inside a metal drawer or stand that shields radio.

Update iPadOS The Smart Way

Before major sessions, run a quick update check in Settings > General > Software Update. Install point releases when you can; they often include fixes for input devices and Bluetooth stability. After an update, attach the Pencil again for a minute to refresh the link and top up the battery.

Common Symptoms Mapped To Fixes

Match what you see to the likely cause. Work the fix in the right-hand column, then test in Notes.

Symptom	Likely Cause	Fix
Pencil pairs, then drops in seconds	Low charge or loose rail contact	Attach for two minutes; remove case lip; clean rail; re-pair.
No pairing card when attached	Case blocking rail or wrong Pencil for iPad	Open the rail area; verify model compatibility; update iPadOS.
Cursor moves, strokes don’t draw	Worn tip or damaged transducer	Replace tip; if it still fails, book service.
USB-C Pencil won’t pair	Using a cable between Pencil and iPad	Plug the Pencil directly into the port for pairing.
1st-gen keeps disconnecting	Adapter or cable fit isn’t snug	Use Apple’s USB-C adapter; seat firmly; keep some charge in the Pencil.
Works in Notes, not in one app	App setting or heavy background task	Disable background exports; reset the app’s input settings.
Drops when you lift the Pencil	Weak magnet or case ridge	Remove the case piece near the rail; reattach until the banner shows.
Pairs only while plugged in	Battery too low or aging cell	Charge to at least 30%; keep topped up between sessions.

When Hardware May Need Service

If the Pencil drops while fully charged, with a new tip, and after clean re-pairing, you could be looking at a damaged tip sensor or a failing battery. A drop onto the tip can crack the tiny stack under the tip. The Pencil may still pair and show a battery, yet fail to draw or keep a steady link. That’s a job for Apple or an authorized provider.

What To Collect Before You Book

• Your iPad model name and iPadOS version.
• Your Pencil model and purchase date.
• A short list of what you tried and what changed.

Good Habits That Prevent Future Drops

• Top up the Pencil every few days; don’t store it empty.
• Keep the tip snug; swap it when it feels slick or skips.
• Leave the rail area uncovered when you need a strong hold and a steady charge.
• Quit unused Bluetooth gear so the Pencil gets a cleaner airspace.
• After big iPadOS updates, reattach the Pencil for a minute to refresh the link.

Helpful Apple References

For model matching and step-by-step pairing on each version, see Apple’s pages on Apple Pencil compatibility and pairing and connection troubleshooting. These pages track new iPad releases, adapter changes, and pairing specifics.